1. Keeper
» Situation: Hawaii 0, San Diego State 0, 8:40 remaining, first quarter, San Diego State ball, first and 10 at Hawaii 27
» The Play: QB Ryan Katz cuts up the Hawaii defense for 27 yards after faking a handoff.
» Impact: Katz rushes for a net 57 yards, including three touchdowns. He also passes for 190 yards and two more scores.
» San Diego State coach Rocky Long: "Our team executed really well, but the scheme put their defense in a real bind, and then Ryan’s pretty good running the ball."
2. Fumble
» Situation: San Diego State 7, Hawaii 0, 8:22 remaining, first quarter, San Diego State kicking off from own 35
» The Play: KR Mike Edwards tries a spin move to gain more yards. San Diego State’s Stan Sedberry hits him and forces a fumble, which is recovered by Eric Pinkins, giving San Diego State the ball at the Hawaii 18.
» Impact: The UH defense has to go back on the field. RB Adam Muema carries five straight times and scores from a yard out.
» Edwards: "Sometimes it’s best to go down. … I did something I never do. I was going backward and somebody came from behind and knocked the ball loose. It usually doesn’t happen to me. You can bet your bottom dollar it won’t happen again this season."
3. Drop
» Situation: San Diego State 28, Hawaii 7, 2:22 remaining, second quarter, Hawaii ball, fourth and 11 at San Diego State 28
» The Play: QB Sean Schroeder finds WR Miah Ostrowski wide open in stride around the 10-yard line, but Ostrowski drops the pass.
» Impact: This could have been a touchdown that would have capped a 72-yard drive and put Hawaii back within two touchdowns.
» Ostrowski: "It slipped out of my left hand and hit me on the face mask. It was an easy catch, and it just slipped when I tried to catch it.
"I should have caught it."
4. Stripped
» Situation: San Diego State 28, Hawaii 7, 1:11 remaining, second quarter, Hawaii ball, first and 10 at Hawaii 20
» The Play: Schroeder completes a short pass to WR Billy Ray Stutzmann. CB Leon McFadden knocks the ball loose and LB Derek Largent recovers for San Diego State.
» Impact: Instead of Hawaii mounting a two-minute drill after forcing a punt, San Diego State takes over at the Hawaii 29 and Katz scores again four plays later on a 9-yard run.
» Stutzmann: "I caught the ball. I made a move inside. I didn’t know if the corner was following me or taking the corner. I didn’t see him coming. He made a hell of a play on that."
5. Bad Exchange
» Situation: San Diego State 35, Hawaii 14, 6:16 remaining, third quarter, Hawaii ball, first and 10 at Hawaii 44
» The Play: Schroeder and RB Will Gregory fail to connect on a handoff and LB Josh Gavert recovers for San Diego State.
» Impact: Hawaii had gained momentum in the third quarter, opening it with a long touchdown drive and two three and outs on defense. With this play San Diego State regained the initiative and never relinquished it again.
» Gregory: "No excuses, but they had sand on their field. I think it was the sand. I had sand on my forearm. But I still don’t know what happened, (Schroeder) doesn’t know what happened. I got the ball back in the pile, but they still said it was San Diego’s ball."