Rainbow Warrior Notebook

Afusia back in middle

Kody Afusia started at center for the first time since the season opener against Washington.

Afusia suffered a broken hand in the first quarter against the Huskies and Brenden Urban took over in the middle of the line, starting the next six games. Afusia sat out two games and started at left guard for the four games leading up to Saturday’s game.

With Afusia back at center, sophomore Leo Koloamatagi made his first career start at left guard.

Replays slow game

An otherwise generally fast-paced game was slowed by three replay reviews as Nevada beat Hawaii 26-18 at Aloha Stadium.

Two late in the second quarter did not decisively affect the outcome but were the buzz at halftime. And another late in the game took a touchdown away from a Wolf Pack offensive lineman and forced Nevada to settle for a field goal instead.

The two reviews in the first half went against UH. Cody Fajardo’s 6-yard touchdown run near the sideline with 52 seconds left before the break was upheld.

Then, with 14 seconds left, a play that was called a fumble and turned over to UH when Kennedy Tulimasealii knocked the ball out of Fajardo’s hand was deemed an incomplete pass after review.

The half ended with Hawaii leading 10-6.

With 7:38 left in the fourth quarter, center Matt Galas ended up with the ball in the end zone after a pass by Fajardo was tipped. But after review, it was ruled an incomplete pass. Brent Zuzo then kicked a 20-yard field goal to improve Nevada’s lead to 19-10.

Feeling of rejection

When Nevada linebacker Jordan Dobrich hurdled the wedge and blocked Tyler Hadden’s 32-yard field-goal attempt in the first quarter, it was the first time UH had a 3-point attempt swatted since Travis Johnson did so for San Jose State on Oct. 14, 2011.

It was also Nevada’s first blocked field goal since Oct. 4, 2008.

King comes up big

Donnie King, a 5-foot-7 slot receiver, turned one of the biggest plays of the first half.

The senior from Kapolei made the most of his second catch of the season, breaking away from a defender and sprinting to the end zone for his second career TD.

The 38-yard completion from Ikaika Woolsey was UH’s lone touchdown of the first half as the Rainbow Warriors took a 10-6 lead into intermission.

"(The defender) tried to undercut the catch, King said. "Ikaika threw a great pass and just rolled from there."

King entered the game with one catch for 3 yards this season and scored his previous touchdown last October at UNLV. He tied Marcus Kemp for the team lead on Saturday with four catches for 59 yards.

"The line did a good job of giving me enough time and Donnie ran a great route, which he always does," Woolsey said.

Zuzo overcomes

A missed field goal temporarily shook kicker Zuzo.

The Nevada sophomore had yet to miss a kick between 40 and 49 yards in his career until he pushed an attempt from 47 wide right in the second quarter.

Zuzo had been 8-for-8 from that distance and ranked 18th among active kickers in the FBS in accuracy hitting on 21 of 26 tries in his career.

The next time Zuzo ran onto the field, he bounced an extra-point try off the left upright for his first PAT miss of the season.

Zuzo used the halftime break to settle himself down and was good on both field-goal attempts in the second half, including a 20-yarder midway through the fourth quarter that stretched the Nevada lead to two possessions at 19-10.

OC offers package

Oceanic Time Warner Cable said it will offer a pay-per-view "Mid-Season Special" of four UH football games for the price of three.

The four-game package — games against Utah State, San Jose State, UNLV and Fresno State — is $225, a $75 savings on if they were purchased separately.

TEAM STATISTICS

DEFENSIVE STATISTICS

NEVADA

HAWAII

TACKLES FOR LOSS-YARDS — Nevada, Jones 2-7, Hanson 1-3, Lane Jr. 1-2, Choudja 1-2. Hawaii, Williams 1-10, Yap 1-9, Malepeai 0.5-2, Taimatuia 0.5-1.
SACKS-YARDS — Nevada, Jones 1-6. Hawaii, Yap 1-9.
INTERCEPTIONS — Nevada, Workman 1-18. Hawaii, Lewis 1-0.
KICKS BLOCKED — Nevada, Dobrich. Hawaii, none.
QUARTERBACK HURRIES — Nevada, Hekking 2. Hawaii, Williams.

FIRST PERIOD

HAWAII
» Score: Donnie King 38-yard pass from Ikaika Woolsey. Tyler Hadden kick.
» Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:36 elapsed time. Time: 0:16. Score: UH 7, Nevada 0.

SECOND PERIOD

HAWAII
» Score: Hadden 36-yard field goal.
» Drive: 11 plays, 52 yards, 5:07 elapsed time. Time: 4:05. Score: UH 10, Nevada 0.

NEVADA
» Score: Cody Fajardo 6-yard run. Brent Zuzo kick failed.
» Drive: 8 plays, 54 yards, 3:06 elapsed time. Time: 0:52. Score: UH 10, Nevada 6.

THIRD PERIOD

NEVADA
» Score: Zuzo 22-yard field goal.
» Drive: 14 plays, 72 yards, 5:33 elapsed time. Time: 09:27. Score: UH 10, Nevada 9.

NEVADA
» Score: Fajardo 8-yard run. Zuzo kick.
» Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 4:16 elapsed time. Time: 3:47. Score: Nevada 16, UH 10.

FOURTH PERIOD

NEVADA
» Score: Zuzo 20-yard field goal.
» Drive: 19 plays, 85 yards, 9:30 elapsed time. Time: 7:35. Score: Nevada 19, UH 10.

NEVADA
» Score: Hasaan Henderson 16-yard pass from Fajardo. Zuzo kick.
» Drive: 11 plays, 41 yards, 4:27 elapsed time. Time: 2:28. Score: Nevada 26, UH 10.

HAWAII
» Score: Steven Lakalaka 5-yard run. Quinton Pedroza pass from Woosley.
» Drive: 11 plays, 63 yards, 1:39 elapsed time. Time: 0:40. Score: Nevada 26, UH 18.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

NEVADA

HAWAII