HOUSTON » Following a 28-14 loss to Rice on Saturday, Hawaii coach Norm Chow emerged wearily from the gloom of the visitors’ locker room.

Chow had to console a team that learned, once again, that being good is not always good enough. The Rainbow Warriors’ offense went cold and the defense relinquished two late touchdowns in falling to 1-4, all against nonconference opponents.

The Warriors have not won a road game since Oct. 29, 2011, a span of 15 heartbreaks.

It was an emotionally draining day for Chow, whose wife, Diane, is recovering from a medical procedure after suffering a brain aneurism on Friday. While the Warriors return to Honolulu this afternoon, Chow is headed to Los Angeles, where his wife is recuperating at the UCLA Medical Center.

Chow had debated going to L.A. on Friday night and returning to Houston a few hours before Saturday’s kickoff. But family members and doctors assured Chow there was little he could do, and convinced him to remain with the team. Chow told only his coaches and close associates about his wife’s condition.

Barring unforeseen complications, Chow will remain with his wife through Monday afternoon and return to Honolulu that night. The Chows own a house in Manhattan Beach, Calif.

The Warriors usually have meetings and conditioning drills on Mondays. As the assistant head coach, Daronte’ Jones is expected to assume Chow’s administrative duties in his absence.

After the game, in assessing the loss, Chow said: "We played hard. We’re still not playing very smart. We just move forward to the next one."

The Warriors open their Mountain West schedule against Wyoming on Saturday.

"We’re 0-0," Chow told his players. "None of these (nonconference) games matter."

Still, the Warriors cannot erase yet another defeat, no matter the league affiliation, this time to a Rice team that also lost three of its first four games.

On Saturday, it was 14-all when the Warriors were forced to punt with 8:09 to play.

Five plays later, Rice advanced to its 46. Anticipating another running play — the Owls ran on eight of the previous 10 first-and-10 situations — the Warriors crammed the tackle box. Driphus Jackson then threw 50 yards to wideout Mario Hulls, who was a stride ahead of cornerback Dee Maggitt. On the next play, from the UH 4, Darik Dillard scooted into the end zone to give the Owls their first lead, 21-14, with 4:18 to play.

"I was guarding it all game," Maggitt said of the go route. "That wasn’t the first time they ran that route in the game. I covered it every time. In a close game, you have to be perfect. I was one less than perfect."

The Warriors’ ensuing possession fizzled after five plays and 23 yards.

The Owls then closed the scoring on Jackson’s 31-yard pass to Jordan Taylor on a post route with 12 seconds to go. Taylor, who recently recovered from a foot injury, finished with five catches for 103 yards.

"I think that was the worst fourth quarter we played the entire season," Maggitt said.

In the first four games, the Owls’ offense revolved around Jowan Davis, a 5-foot-7, 200-pound running back who averaged 100 yards per game.

The Warriors’ run blitzes contained Davis, who gained 40 yards on 10 carries. That opened the way for speed back Dillard, who rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns, and a healthy Jackson. The past two games, Jackson limited his scrambles and keepers because of an injury to his left (non-throwing) shoulder. But on Saturday, Jackson threw for 248 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 57 non-sack yards.

"He’s so dang-gone elusive," Chow said of Jackson, adding, "we knew he was a good player. He keeps plays alive."

The Warriors, meanwhile, had a few bright moments. Quarterback Ikaika Woolsey, making his fifth start, threw two scoring passes to slotback Scott Harding. Both were choice routes, with Harding breaking left for 20 yards and then to the post for 24 yards.

"Ikaika saw the same things," Harding said of the connections.

The Warriors expanded the offensive menu to include more running plays for Woolsey, who gained 98 yards on non-sack rushes.

But Woolsey completed just 12 of 27 throws for 117 yards and was sacked seven times. He was intercepted when a defender jumped the passing lane.

"It was a bad decision," Woolsey said. "You can’t throw over the middle late. The guy made a play on the ball. I have to be better at making decisions."

On another play, Woolsey scrambled away from a manhunt, ran back toward the middle, and fumbled while absorbing a back-side hit.

"It was a bad play," Woolsey said, "and I made a bad play worse."

On a bizarre play in the first half, the Warriors achieved a first down. The referee raised a fist, an indication that it was fourth down, and Woolsey ran a quick sneak for a 1-yard gain. As it turned out, it really was a first-down play.

"They had their fist up like it was fourth-and-1, so I wanted to try to get (the first down)," Woolsey said. "I saw the ref. He put the ball at fourth-and-1, then changed it when I went toward the ball. That’s my fault. I should have better awareness."

Chow backed Woolsey, and said he never considered summoning No. 2 quarterback Taylor Graham.

"Ikaika is our quarterback right now," Chow said.

There are no plans to make any changes on defense, either.

After the game, defensive coordinator Kevin Clune avoided a final drive. According to a UH official, Clune walked the quarter-mile from Rice Stadium to the hotel.