A perfect 19-for-19 record lets Tokyo Toe Matsuzawa power the Rainbow Warriors’ resurgence.
“Tokyo Toe” aka University of Hawaiʻi kicker Kansei Matsuzawa is having a record-breaking senior season and putting his name in the conversation about the nation’s best kickers.
Matsuzawa set the tone in Week 0 against Stanford by drilling a game-winning 38-yard field goal as time expired to give the Rainbow Warriors a thrilling win – their first over a power conference opponent since 2019.
His hometown and potent kicking earned him the nickname, “Tokyo Toe.” In week 7, sporting Kanji on his nameplate, Matsuzawa tied former UH All-American and NFL Pro-Bowler Jason Elam’s program record for 20 straight made field goals dating back to his junior season.
Now a perfect 19-for-19 he leads the entire country in field goals made, earning Mountain West Conference special teams player of the week honors four times. He’s also 19-for-19 on extra points.
The FBS record for most field goals made in a season without a miss is 21 and field goals made in a season is 31 – Matsuzawa is on pace to tie both in the regular season.
The clutch kicking has translated into a 5-2 record for Hawaiʻi this season, already matching or surpassing their final win totals from the past three seasons and boosting head coach Timmy Chang’s rebuilding effort. The 6’2” Matsuzawa has gone from watching kicking tutorials on YouTube in Japan to making a strong case for recognition as college football’s best kicker. The Groza Award’s list of 20 semifinalists will be announced November 18.
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