1. Playing hurt
» Situation: Idaho 7, Hawaii 0, 0:45 remaining, first quarter, Idaho ball, third and 9 at Hawaii 34
» The Play: QB Taylor Davis rolls right, then throws left for WR Ken McRoyal, who is covered by LB Corey Paredes. Paredes, playing with a knee sprain, intercepts the pass.
» Impact: On the next play QB Bryant Moniz completes a 41-yard pass to WR Royce Pollard, starting a drive that ends with SR Billy Ray Stutzmann catching a 2-yard touchdown pass from Moniz. The extra point ties the game.
» Moniz: "Billy and I knew each other so well that he was reading me and I was reading him."
2. Turn of events
» Situation: Hawaii 13, Idaho 7, 4:22 remaining, third quarter, Hawaii ball, third and 8 at Idaho 27
» The Play: DB Tracy Carter picks up the ball at the 30 and runs 70 yards for an Idaho touchdown after DE Benson Mayowa knocks the ball out of Moniz’s hand.
» Impact: A replay review upholds the on-field call, and Idaho retakes the lead.
» Moniz: "I know I threw the ball, but I could see why it was hard to overturn (the ruling). He had his arm on my arm. The refs did their job. They have to call what they see. It was hard, but nothing to hang our heads on. We had to keep playing."
3. Red-zone stop
» Situation: Idaho 14, Hawaii 13, 14:17 remaining, fourth quarter, Idaho ball, fourth and 1 at Hawaii 15
» The Play: LBs Art Laurel and Aaron Brown stop RB Princeton McCarty at the line of scrimmage, one play after DTs Vaughn Meatoga and Kaniela Tuipulotu stop Davis for 1 yard.
» Impact: Hawaii stiffens and stops an Idaho drive that started at the Idaho 15.
» Hawaii coach Greg McMackin: "Defensively you can’t ask for much more than two turnovers and two fourth-and-1 stops."
4. Big-time play
» Situation: Idaho 14, Hawaii 13, 3:06 remaining, fourth quarter, Idaho ball, third and 6 at Hawaii 9
» The Play: Brown intercepts QB Brian Reader’s pass at the 5 and returns it to the Hawaii 37.
» Impact: Idaho was driving for a game-clinching drive. Instead, the turnover gives Hawaii a chance to avoid the upset.
» Brown: "I kept thinking, ‘Don’t drop it.’ I wanted to concentrate and make that play. The team needed me to step up. That’s what I did. They say big-time players make big-time plays in big-time situations. I wanted to make a big-time play."
5. Magic
» Situation: Idaho 14, Hawaii 13, 0:36 remaining, fourth quarter, Hawaii ball fourth and 12 at Idaho 18
» The Play: PK Kenton Chun, a senior walk-on and amateur magician, makes a 35-yard field goal.
» Impact: Hawaii takes a decisive 16-14 lead. Idaho rallies for a 53-yard field-goal try on the game’s last play, but Trey Farquhar misses.
» Chun: "It was my best trick."