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On the last timed play of the first quarter Saturday night quarterback Cole McDonald lofted a picture-perfect pass to John Ursua that went for 70 yards and a touchdown.
The University of Hawaii sideline erupted in celebration and there was exultation in the stands at Aloha Stadium.
The moment would have undoubtedly been even more prized, if not suitable for framing, had the celebrants known it would be the penultimate third-down conversion of the game. And, therefore, the last UH lead (14-10) of a very long and frustrating night for the Rainbow Warriors in a 40-22 thumping by Nevada.
Over the ensuing three quarters the Warriors converted only one of their 11 third-down attempts. For the night they made good on a meager 3-for-15.
If the now 6-3 (3-1 Mountain West Conference) Warriors should somehow fail to reach the postseason this year — and they have just four more opportunities to secure a seventh victory beginning with Saturday’s game at 6-1 Fresno State — the tombstone should read, “their hopes died on third down.”
There would be incomplete passes, some the product of drops and bad reads, sacks and even a stonewalling stuff of a rushing attempt on third-and-goal at the Wolf Pack 2 for a 1-yard loss.
After converting more than 40 percent of third-down attempts in a 5-1 start to the season, UH has made good on 22.5 percent over the past three games. Not surprisingly, UH lost two of them and had a narrow escape against Wyoming, 17-13.
All of which add up to the Rainbow Warriors ranking 111th among 129 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in third-down conversion success (33.9 percent) at the moment.
Nor have the ’Bows been able to rectify things on fourth down, where they managed success on just one of five tries Saturday.
But Saturday night against, now 4-4, Nevada was the most painful. “It was very frustrating,” Ursua said on what should have been a night to remember as he achieved a milestone 1,000 receiving yards for the season.
Instead, UH managed just one touchdown after the first quarter, a 2-yard toss from McDonald to JoJo Ward and Ursua-to- Marcus Armstrong-Brown conversion with 3 minutes, 15 seconds left in a long-decided contest.
Small wonder that an offense that had been among the nation’s leaders, clicking at 41 points a game, has failed to top 23 points in any of the past three games and has been outscored a collective 102-62.
The task hardly gets any easier in the coming games. Fresno State ranks 10th in total defense and San Diego State is 14th, making them the most accomplished defenses UH will see this season. Utah State is a very respectable 46th. Nevada-Las Vegas, at 115th, is the only defensive laggard left on the schedule but, then, Nevada was hardly anything special at 85th coming into Saturday’s game, either.
The inability to extend drives has impacted an overworked defense that has clearly worn down under the relentless pounding of a Brigham Young team that rumbled for 280 yards and of a Nevada team that ran up 220 the past two weeks.
Where the Rainbow Warriors go from this juncture will likely be determined by what they are able to accomplish on third downs. And, right now, that is hardly a comforting thought.
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.
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