BOULDER, COLO. » More than 5,300 feet above sea level, the Hawaii football team’s statement-making hopes disappeared into thin air.

It vanished in a 31-13 loss to Colorado in which the Warriors misfired on point-blank scoring opportunities on their first two possessions, and then spent the rest of the way with growing regrets.

The Warriors also learned the new math: Two halves are not necessarily equal. Using a no-huddle offense that left the Warriors gasping, the Buffaloes scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter to vaporize a 10-0 halftime deficit.

Controlling the tempo and then the Warriors, the Buffaloes produced 31 second-half points and rolled up 329 of their 452 yards after the intermission.

"We knew we were a better team," said Colorado running back Rodney Stewart, who rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns. "The big players stepped up and made big plays."

Brian Lockridge added 109 rushing yards for the Buffaloes, and Tyler Hansen ended the suspense with two fourth-quarter scoring passes.

"They made the plays in the second half, and we didn’t," UH head coach Greg McMackin said.

The autopsy will show the Warriors succumbed from multiple wounds.

The Warriors converted three times in 11 third-down situations. The Buffaloes were 10-for-14, including 6-for-7 in the second half.

The Warriors ran 25 plays for 100 yards after intermission; the Buffaloes had possession for 44 plays and 18 minutes, 31 seconds in the final two quarters.

"In the second half, we made a lot of mental mistakes," McMackin said. "And when you make mental mistakes, like penalties, you’re tired. You’re mentally tired."

The breakdown in the opening quarter was purely physical.

Slotback Kealoha Pilares split the defense on a crossing pattern for an 80-yard gain, giving the Warriors a first down at the CU 3.

Running back Alex Green carried to the 1, where all lanes then turned into dead ends. Green and then quarterback Bryant Moniz each failed to gain a yard on runs.

"I feel we should be able to get half a yard," UH offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich said of his decision to call consecutive rushes.

The Buffaloes’ strategy was for the defensive linemen to dive toward the blockers’ shins.

"There was no way we could get a push because they were diving into our legs," UH center Bronson Tiwanak said.

On fourth down, Moniz, who takes snaps from under center in short-yard situations, tried to call out a play. But Tiwanak, thinking Moniz had started his cadence, snapped the ball.

"It was loud, and (Tiwanak) really couldn’t hear me," Moniz said. "When he thought I said ‘hut,’ I was calling a play."

The snap was fumbled, and the Buffaloes recovered at the 4.

"Put it on me," Tiwanak said. "That shouldn’t have happened."

The Warriors’ next possession was resurrected when punt returner Travon Patterson fumbled. But this UH drive, also from the 3, resulted in three incompletions and Scott Enos’ missed field-goal attempt.

"We were right there, inside the 5 twice, and came away with nothing," Moniz said. "It’s really embarrassing. Really. … If we walk away with 14 points right there, it might be a whole different story."

Instead, it became the game’s story line.

"I don’t think we can let opportunities get away," Rolovich said. "That’s the fatigue: knowing we left 14 points right there. That starts to wear on you when things start to get close."

Pilares’ 7-yard scoring catch and Enos’ field goal from 31 yards did give the Warriors a 10-0 lead at the half. But that was written in chalk.

And in the Colorado locker room, the chalk talk was to accelerate the pace. The Buffaloes’ thinking was this: If a no-huddle offense doesn’t sap the energy of the Warriors, who are not used to playing in high altitude, at least it will prevent the frequent defensive substitutions.

The Warriors, meanwhile, were fixated on stopping the Buffaloes’ opening drive of the second half.

"We knew we had to hold them, not give them any momentum," McMackin said.

The implosion came after two plays. With CU facing a third and 4, the Warriors brought in two players, but exited only one. They could not get the 12th defender off the field in time, leading to 5-yard penalty and an automatic first down.

"We needed a stop," McMackin said, "and they go 80 yards."

The final 4 came on Stewart’s misdirection run. That scoring drive was a mixture of short-passes and the "push," a play in which the blockers go in one direction and the back goes in the other.

"What the linemen try to do is push everybody to one side," Stewart said. "It’s designed for me to cut back."

UH’s ensuing possession started at its 9 because of a holding penalty on the kickoff. Three plays later, from the 10, Tiwanak’s shotgun snap ricocheted off Moniz, who chased the football into the end zone. Moniz was tackled for a safety as he flipped the ball to Green, closing CU to 10-9.

"It slipped through my hands," Moniz said of the fumble. "I was trying to read the defense. The defense was moving while the ball was snapped. It was a lack of concentration on my part."

After receiving the free kick, the Buffaloes went 60 yards in 10 plays, concluding with Stewart’s 2-yard run through a hole created by the right guard. The 2-point conversion gave the Buffaloes a 17-10 lead.

It was 17-13 when the Buffaloes faced a third and 8 from their 27. The Warriors blitzed from CU’s left side. In such situations, the Warriors try to bracket the other side, boxing in the quarterback. But the area was vacant, and Hansen ran to safety toward the right sideline. Hansen lofted a pass to Toney Clemons, who had crossed from the left side. Clemons made the catch and raced to the end zone to complete the 73-yard play.

"We should have kept contain on that quarterback, but he got out of the pocket," UH defensive coordinator Dave Aranda said.

It was an out-of-pocket expense the Warriors could not afford.

"I thought they were really smart going to the no-huddle because our guys got really gassed," McMackin said. "We wore down. We were out of gas."

Defensive tackle Kaniela Tuipulotu said fatigue was not a factor.

"That’s not an excuse for us," Tuipulotu said. "We have to be disciplined. We have to read our keys and be men about it. We’re out here to play hard and win, and we weren’t able to do that. Any loss is a disappointment, but this was worse because we had ’em, and we let ’em get away."