The inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff has reached the semifinals, with two programs featuring Hawai‘i high school graduates still in contention for the national title. On one side of the bracket, Notre Dame, with Punahou’s Kahanu Kia and Saint Louis alum Jordan Botelho sidelined due to injuries, will face Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday. On the other side, Kahuku’s standout sophomore linebacker, Liona Lefau, and his Texas Longhorns will clash with Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Friday. Lefau has been a key player for Texas, recording 13 tackles across the first two rounds of the playoffs. The 2022 Cover2 Mariota Award winner credits his family and home state as his driving motivation. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rob DeMello KHON (@robdemello) “At the end of the day, when I see the support from back home after every game, it reminds me why I’m doing this,” Lefau said. “It’s not only for myself; it’s for my family and the whole state. I love to represent the 808 in any way I can.” Lefau, who often writes “808” on his wristbands as a nod to his roots, uses the gesture to stay grounded. “When you run out of the tunnel with hundreds of thousands of people, it’s easy to get blinded by the bright lights. But when I look at my wrist, it reminds me of where I’ve come from and all the work that went into it,” he said. Texas linebacker, Kahuku's Liona Lefau uses “808” to stay grounded ahead of College Football Playoff semifinal vs. Ohio State https://t.co/gtwT8nTecY #CFBPlayoff #Kahuku #RR4L #HookEm 🤙🏽 @LefauLiona @KahukuSports #Cover2 #HawaiiHSFB @KHONnews @khon2SportsTV pic.twitter.com/HYEuznunK3— Rob DeMello (@RobDeMelloKHON) January 7, 2025 Texas will face Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Friday, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. HST on ESPN. Lefau enters the game with 59 tackles, five tackles for loss, and two sacks this season. The winner will advance to the national championship game, facing the victor of Thursday’s Notre Dame-Penn State showdown, which also kicks off at 2:30 p.m. HST on ESPN.