When Roman Wilson decided to play at Michigan, he committed to a team that was blown out by rival Ohio State by 23 points and then in the bowl game by 26 by Florida to end the previous season.
During Wilson’s senior year at Saint Louis, he watched his future team get blown out again by 29 by the Buckeyes and then lose 35-16 to Alabama in the Citrus Bowl.
Even after he got on campus, Wilson went 2-4 during his freshman season with the Wolverines, who had their final three games canceled last year due to COVID-19.
Despite all the shortcomings in big games, the former Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State first-team receiver held the belief that Michigan could compete for a national championship.
“I never actually gave up on this team,” Wilson said at a press conference Sunday, the day after Michigan’s 42-3 win over Iowa in the Big Ten championship game. “I thought at any point we could be one of the best teams in the nation. Even when I committed here, I still believed that.”
Michigan is ranked No. 2 in the College Football Playoff and will play No. 3 Georgia on New Year’s Eve in the Orange Bowl for a shot to play for the national title against the winner between Alabama and Cincinnati.
With the Wolverines qualifying for college football’s version of the Final Four, that means at least one player who graduated from high school in Hawaii has been on one of the four teams selected each year since the current playoff format began in 2014.
Wilson, now a 6-foot, 180-pound sophomore, is second on the Wolverines with 378 receiving yards and third with 24 catches.
He’s scored three touchdowns, including a season-long 75-yard score against the Hawkeyes on Saturday on a throw from running back Donovan Edwards.
Edwards took a backwards pass and threw the ball roughly 55 yards in the air to a wide-open Wilson, who jogged the rest of the way for the second of Michigan’s six touchdowns in the game to put the final stamp on a 12-1 season and a resume worthy of the CFP.
“He threw a beautiful pass,” Wilson said. “A funny story … so we were doing a walk-through the night before the game and he was like, ‘Yo, Roman, let’s practice it,’ and he overthrew me by like 20 yards. So I think it’s pretty funny we got into the game and he threw a perfect pass.”
Michigan is making its first appearance in the CFP and is one of just 13 teams to advance since 2014.
“We’re very happy and very blessed to be No. 2,” Wilson said. “Obviously there’s a lot of people who wish we were 1, but we came a long way.
“Two is great, but we’re not satisfied yet. Our team likes to say, ‘Job not done.’ We’ve come a long way, but we’re still not done yet.”
The 42-game bowl season begins Dec. 18 with 25 of the 84 teams selected (including Hawaii) featuring at least one player who played their senior season of high school in Hawaii. In all, there are 67 Hawaii high school graduates playing in the postseason not including UH.
Washington State and Utah are tied for the most players from Hawaii with seven. Cougars quarterback Jayden de Laura (Saint Louis ’20) was named the Pac-12 offensive freshman of the year on Tuesday, while Utah junior defensive lineman Mika Tafua (Kamehameha ’15) was named to the All-Pac-12 first team.
Here’s a look at the complete list:
BOWL MANIA
Twenty-five of the 84 teams (including Hawaii) to compete in a bowl game include players who played their senior seasons of high school in Hawaii.
Dec. 18
Independence Bowl
Shreveport, La.
10:30 a.m. (KITV)
Brigham Young (10-2) vs. UAB (8-4)
Players with Hawaii ties—BYU: Jared Kapisi (6-0, 195, Sr., DB, Maui); Alex Muti (6-3, 210, Fr., DL, Konawaena); Burke Parker (6-4, 275, Fr. OL, Kamehameha); Ethan Erickson (6-2, 225, Fr., TE, Kahuku).
Los Angeles Bowl
Los Angeles
2:30 p.m. (KITV)
Utah State (10-3) vs. Oregon State (7-5)
Players with Hawaii ties—USU: Dusten Ramseyer-Burdett (6-0, 185, Jr., S, Kapaa); Hale Motu’apuaka (6-1, 275, Jr., DT, Punahou). OSU: Shane Kady (6-2, 224, Fr., OLB, Mililani); Alexander Skelton (6-0, 312, Jr., DL, Punahou); Koby Moananu (6-1, 203, Fr., WR, Kaimuki); Kanoa Shannon (5-8, 184, So., RB, Kamehameha).
Dec. 21
Frisco Bowl
Frisco, Texas
2:30 p.m. (ESPN)
UTSA (12-1) vs. San Diego State (11-2)
Players with Hawaii ties—UTSA: Ahofitu Maka (6-3, 336, Sr., OL, Punahou). SDSU: Andrew Aleki (6-3, 230, Sr., LB, Kamehameha); Seyddrick Lakalaka (6-1, 235, Sr., LB, Punahou); Darrell Masaniai (6-2, 220, Fr., LB, Saint Louis); Alama Uluave (6-2, 305, Sr., OL, Punahou).
Dec. 22
Armed Forces Bowl
Fort Worth, Texas
3 p.m. (ESPN)
Army (8-3) vs. Missouri (6-6)
Players with Hawaii ties—Army: Quinn Maretzki (5-10, 170, So., K, Punahou); Isaiah Filisi (6-3, 295, So., DL, Saint Louis).
Dec. 23
Gasparilla Bowl
Tampa, Fla.
2:30 p.m. (KITV)
Florida (6-6) vs. UCF (8-4)
Players with Hawaii ties—UCF: Titus Mokiao-Atimalala (6-1, 175, Fr., WR, Campbell); Lokahi Pauole (6-4, 305, Jr., OL, Kamehameha); Hirkley Latu (6-3, 250, So., LB, Kahuku); Ryan Kaneshiro (6-3, 200, Sr., TE, Hanalani).
Dec. 27
Quick Lane Bowl
Detroit
6 a.m. (ESPN)
Western Michigan (7-5) vs. Nevada (8-4)
Players with Hawaii ties—UNR: Jonah Chong (6-0, 170, So., QB, ‘Iolani); Micah Camat (6-1, 175, So., DB, ‘Iolani); Terrell Johnson (6-1, 215, Sr., RB, Campbell); Micah Lilo (6-0, 190, So., DB, ‘Iolani); Tristan Nichols (6-4, 245, Sr., DL, Saint Louis).
Dec. 28
First Responder Bowl
University Park, Texas
10:15 a.m. (ESPN)
Louisville (6-6) vs. Air Force (9-3)
Players with Hawaii ties—AFA: Kalawai’a Pescala (6-0, 295, Jr., DL, Kamehameha).
Holiday Bowl
San Diego
Noon (KHON)
UCLA (8-4) vs. N.C. State (9-3)
Players with Hawaii ties—UCLA: Matt Sykes (6-4, 200, So., WR, Saint Louis); Duke Clemens (6-3, 291, Jr., OL, Punahou); Sitiveni Havili-Kaufusi (6-3, 282, So., DL, Punahou).
Liberty Bowl
Memphis, Tenn.
1:45 p.m. (ESPN)
Texas Tech (6-6) vs. Mississippi State (7-5)
Players with Hawaii ties—MSU: Matai Mata’afa (6-1, 220, Fr., DL, Lahainaluna).
Dec. 29
Fenway Bowl
Boston
6 a.m. (ESPN)
Virginia (6-6) vs. SMU (8-4)
Players with Hawaii ties—UVA: Wayne Taulapapa (5-9, 210, Sr., RB, Punahou); Samson Reed (6-2, 280, Jr., DE, Kahuku); Aaron Faumui (6-1, 300, Jr., DT, Kapolei). SMU: Isaac Slade-Matautia (6-1, 235, Jr., LB, Saint Louis).
Pinstripe Bowl
New York City
9:15 a.m. (ESPN)
Virginia Tech (6-6) vs. Maryland (6-6)
Players with Hawaii ties—UM: Challen Faamatau (5-11, 225, Sr., RB, Farrington).
Alamo Bowl
San Antonio, Texas
4:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Oklahoma (10-2) vs. Oregon (10-3)
Players with Hawaii ties—Ore: Peyton Yanagi (5-7, 197, So., LS, Saint Louis); Faaope Laloulu (6-6, 360, Fr., OL, Farrington); Maceal Afaese (6-4, 282, Fr., DT, Kapolei).
Dec. 30
Las Vegas Bowl
Las Vegas
5:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Wisconsin (8-4) vs. Arizona State (8-4)
Players with Hawaii ties—UW: Nick Herbig (6-2, 227, So., LB, Saint Louis). ASU: Ben Scott (6-5, 305, So., OL, Saint Louis); Sione Veikoso (6-7, 325, Fr., OL, Kailua).
Dec. 31
Tony the Tiger Bowl
El Paso, Texas
7:30 a.m. (KGMB)
Miami (7-5) vs. Washington State (7-5)
Players with Hawaii ties—WSU: Jayden de Laura (6-0, 190, So., QB, Saint Louis); Mitchell Quinn (5-11, 173, Jr., WR, Saint Louis); Peni Naulu (6-2, 211, So., RB, Kapolei); Tanner Moku (6-0, 195, So., DB, Kamehameha); Carter Kamana (6-1, 181, So., WR, ‘Iolani); De’Zhaun Stribling (6-2, 202, Fr., WR, Kapolei); Christian Mejia (6-3, 285, Sr., DL, Kailua).
Arizona Bowl
Tucson, Ariz.
11:30 a.m. (Barstool)
Central Michigan (8-4) vs. Boise State (7-5)
Players with Hawaii ties—CMU: Lawai’a Brown (6-0, 210, Fr., LB, Saint Louis). BSU: Kaonohi Kaniho (6-0, 178, Fr., CB, Kahuku); Kekaula Kaniho (5-11, 180, Sr., S, Kahuku); Riden Leong (6-3, 310, Jr., OL, Maryknoll); Dalton Lins (6-1, 295, Jr., OL, Lahainaluna).
Orange Bowl
Miami Gardena, Fla.
2:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Michigan (12-1) vs. Georgia (12-1)
Players with Hawaii ties—UM: Roman Wilson (6-0, 180, So., WR, Saint Louis).
Jan. 1
Fiesta Bowl
Glendale, Ariz.
8 a.m. (ESPN)
Notre Dame (11-1) vs. Oklahoma State (11-2)
Players with Hawaii ties—UND: Marist Liufau (6-2, 229, So., LB, Punahou); Jordan Botelho (6-2, 245, So., DL); Kahanu Kia (6-1, 217, Fr., DL, Punahou); Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa (6-2, 268, Sr., DL, Kapolei).
Rose Bowl
Pasadena, Calif.
Noon (ESPN)
Ohio State (10-2) vs. Utah (10-3)
Players with Hawaii ties—OSU: Enokk Vimahi (6-4, 305, So., OL, Kahuku). Utah: Kamo’i Latu (6-0, 195, Fr., S, Saint Louis); Taka Lautaha (6-2, 284, Fr., DT, St. Francis); Miki Suguturaga (6-4, 264, Fr., DE, Punahou); Mika Tafua (6-3, 250, Jr., DE, Kamehameha); Mason Tufaga (6-1, 226, Fr., LB, Saint Louis); Elvis Vakapuna (5-7, 211, Fr., RB, Kahuku); Aliki Vimahi (6-4, 286, Fr., DT, Kahuku).
