This was a must-win for Hawaii.

Not because of the prospect of 0-12.

Forget about job security for coaches, forget about ending on a good note heading into the offseason.

Forget about retaining as many season-ticket purchasers as possible for 2014, and forget about the possible hope that beating Army 49-42 brings for the future.

It was nice to send the seniors out with a win, sure, the first and last of the year.

But even that had become a side issue, a fringe benefit. The real reason UH had to win didn’t even exist until early Saturday morning, when word began to spread among the team and fan base of a death in the family.

What more could go wrong in this star-crossed season? The Rainbow Warriors found out. It got real, fast.

One of their own, running back Willis Wilson, died in the water at Sandy Beach before the sun rose on the final day of the season. It was soon evident by tributes on social media that Wilson was a popular teammate, despite the transfer’s lack of tenure and playing time.

Before we go further, we have to note that regardless of its lack of previous victories, Hawaii was favored to win this game. But the players have to make it happen, have to want to make it happen, have to overcome obstacles including an opponent. Though less talented, the cadets were tough, and more disciplined. And they knew enough about how to win to have done it three times this season, something the Warriors could not claim.

But Wilson’s death made losing a non-option. On a day of intense college football rivalry games and national-landscape-changing match-ups, the last one of the night between two teams going nowhere became all-important. To the college football nation? No. But to the Warrior Nation — even those who had said "I’m done with them?" Absolutely.

Doesn’t matter if you’d given up on the team, the coach, the UH administration. You never give up on some ideas and values, including empathy for those who lose a loved one. And the players never give up on the responsibility of camaraderie, of playing for each other — especially one who is now gone.

"We knew we could not lose tonight," junior Scott Harding said. "There was no choice. We had to win for Will."

You can’t play on emotion forever, and that had something to do with UH’s early lead but middle lull. If any opponent can understand life-and-death issues, it’s a service academy. They knew what they were in for, emotionally.

"They’re part of a unique brotherhood, but they realize you’re part of a bigger brotherhood as a college football player," Army coach Rich Ellerson, a UH alum and former assistant, said. "They can empathize."

Emotion wasn’t the only reason Hawaii won. There was also an inspired offensive game plan, for a change — Joey Iosefa, the centerpiece of the offense, wasn’t just used as a battering ram. Employing him in the wildcat package was something many of us had hoped to see — and Ellerson had not anticipated.

"I can’t say we did," he said. "We treated him like if 15 (Ikaika Woolsey) was in the game. But having a defense isn’t the same as getting him stopped."

Dee Maggitt coming up with a big play on defense to help seal the win was very fitting. He was Wilson’s high school teammate in Seattle. Wilson was born in Pearl City and his father, Jack, was also a UH football player.

"Everything I do is for you, bro," Maggitt said afterward. "Everything, from here on."

There were tense moments at the end. On other nights the opponent would recover the final onside kick trailing by a touchdown with 2:30 left. But on this night senior Clark Evans secured it. On other nights you’d expect a lost fumble or some other calamity leading to another loss.

But not on this night.

UH had received more than its share of sorrow on this day, before the sun rose from the ocean that took a Warrior, way too soon.

This was a must-win, for Willis Wilson.

His brothers delivered.

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Read Dave Reardon’s Quick Reads at staradvertiser.com/quickreads.