The Rainbows have lost nine of their last 10 games and the only victory was a close call over lowly Boise State.
The game against Colorado State Saturday night was encouraging in some ways for UH fans, but the result was the same after a scoreless second half.
There are the usual targets for the defeat. Quarterback Glenn Freitas threw some passes in key situations that were better-suited for duck hunting practice.
And the Rainbow defense gave up some big plays down the stretch.
Know what, though? I have a lot of respect for this Hawaii team.
It lacks talent and depth in key positions. Overall, the UH players are small and slow. Just about every time they have lined up against an opponent this season, they are the underdogs - and for good reason.
But the 1996 Rainbows might be the hardest-playing team in school history. I'm serious.
You look at Eddie Klaneski making tackle after tackle.
Then the 5-foot-10, 175-pounder brushes himself off and gets out there to return punts - and takes another physical pounding.
And Klaneski isn't from a football powerhouse such as St. Louis or Waianae or Kahuku. He is a product of Damien High School, where the practice field isn't even 100 yards long.
The fans chanted "Eddie! Eddie!" Saturday night. It was a well-deserved tribute.
Freitas is another one who takes a beating every game. Yes, his passing could have been better against Colorado State, but without his running game, Hawaii might have lost 28-0 - or worse.
Offensive lineman Shane Oliveira played against Colorado State when he could have easily sat out with two sore heels. Would you go to the construction site and work in pain like that?
The team as a whole could be ready to go through the motions right about now. The Rainbows have no hope of a winning season. They might end up with just one victory in 12 tries.
But these guys continue to come out and play with a lot of hustle and a lot of heart - two supposedly old-fashioned qualities these days - because they know the team won't have any chance to win if they don't.
That's not easy to do, mentally or physically. Would you bust your tail to close a business deal against a richer and bigger company, when the odds were slim that you would succeed?
If a chunk of your shoulder was black and purple from a bruise, would you go to the office that day or get a note from the doctor instead?
I know. It's football and you're supposed to automatically be tough if you play the physically demanding sport.
But when you're losing on a regular basis, it is difficult to properly prepare emotionally, to give it your best shot and then some.
Fortunately for this team, the fans and coaches - the most important critics - recognize the incredible desire.
Almost 30,000 vocal supporters showed up for the second home game in a row. And no one should ever again accuse UH football fans of only supporting a winner or being fair-weather fans.
They continue to come out because this is their team and its players are trying so hard to win games, in a season that was labeled a rebuilding one long before the opening kickoff.
Head coach Fred vonAppen has delivered on one promise: This year's group will play hard for the entire game.
Now the fund-raising for the program is picking up and better recruiting will follow. UH will be a contender in the WAC in two or three seasons and a much better team as early as next year.
But the unsung heroes will be this year's players, the young men who play so hard and with so much pride - down after down, game after game.