The 2002 ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl was the inaugural Hawaii Bowl game and matched the hometown Hawaii Warriors with the Tulane Green Wave. Hawaii came into the game 10–3 and Tulane came into the game 7–5. The game was sponsored by ConAgra Foods, a packaged foods company.

2002 ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl
2002 Hawaii Bowl logo
Hawaii Warriors Tulane Green Wave (10–3) (7–5) WAC C-USA 28 36 Head coach:  June Jones Head coach:  Chris Scelfo
1 2 3 4 Total Hawaii 7 7 0 14 28 Tulane 0 6 20 10 36
Date	December 25, 2002
Season	2002
Stadium	Aloha Stadium
Location	Honolulu, Hawaii
MVP	CB Lynaris Elpheage (Tulane) WR Justin Colbert (Hawai'i)
Favorite	Hawaii by 14.5
Referee	Jim Fogltance (Pac-10)
Attendance	35,513
Payout	US$750,000 per team
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN
Announcers	Steve Levy (play-by-play) Rod Gilmore (analyst)
Hawaii Bowl   2003 >

Hawaii opened the scoring with a 1-yard Thero Mitchell touchdown, to lead the game 7–0. In the second quarter, Josh Galeai scored on a 2-yard touchdown run giving the Warriors a 14–0 lead. Seth Marler kicked field goals from 22 and 37 yards before the end of the first half to cut the lead to 14–6. In the third quarter, Lynaris Elpheage scored on a 60-yard punt return to cut the lead to 14–12. Tulane went for two but failed, and the score remained 14-12 Hawaii.

Later, Tulane quarterback J. P. Losman scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. He ran in the two-point conversion, giving Tulane a 20–14 lead. Mewelde Moore later scored on a 25-yard touchdown run for Tulane. Tulane went for two again, but were denied, leaving the score 26–14 Tulane. Shawn Withy-Allen, subbing for an injured Timmy Chang, threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Justin Colbert in the third quarter to cut the lead to 26–21.

Losman scored on a 3-yard rushing touchdown. He then threw a pass to Damarcus Davis for the two-point conversion and a 34–21 lead. Wide receiver Colbert caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from Withy-Allen to cut the lead to 34–28. On Hawaii's next drive, Withy-Allen was sacked in the end zone for a safety, making the final margin 36–28.