1. Sack, scoop, score
» Situation: Utah State 14, Hawaii 14, 12:11 remaining, second quarter, Hawaii ball, first-and-15 at Hawaii 26
» The Play: QB Ikaika Woolsey is sacked by LB Zach Vigil, forcing a fumble, which S Devin Centers picks up and runs 10 yards for a touchdown.
» Impact: After trading touchdowns on the first four possessions, Hawaii had forced a Utah State punt. But the turnover and defensive touchdown changed momentum and the visitors scored the game’s final 21 points.
» Woolsey: "I tried to get the ball out. I didn’t get it out quick enough. I can’t take sacks like that. I can’t give up the ball either. I have to eat it and get to the ground."
2. Third-and-forever
» Situation: Utah State 21, Hawaii 14, 6:37 remaining, second quarter, Utah State ball, third-and-21 at Hawaii 39
» The Play: QB Kent Myers completes a pass to RB Ronald Butler for a 39-yard touchdown.
» Impact: Despite Utah State being penalized for 25 yards on the drive, Hawaii’s defense did not stop an offense led by a true freshman quarterback who started the season as the fourth-stringer. Myers completed his first 12 passes, including all 11 in the first half.
» Utah State coach Matt Wells: "His preparation was very good for a true freshman. He’s still learning how to figure it out, but he’s very poised, he’s very calm, he’s very accurate, and for those reasons he’s very promising."
3. Roughing
» Situation: Utah State 28, Hawaii 14, 8:08 remaining, third quarter, Utah State ball, fourth-and-10 at Utah State 2
» The Play: PR Scott Harding runs the kick by P Jaron Bentrude back 40 yards for an apparent touchdown. But Gaetano DeMattei is called for roughing the kicker, negating the touchdown, and Utah State retains possession.
» Impact: Instead of closing to within one touchdown of the lead, Hawaii loses its big play and Utah State regains momentum, eventually going 98 yards for the score. The play also sparks an intense sideline argument between head coach Norm Chow and special teams coordinator Chris Demarest.
» DeMattei: "His leg came through and hit me. I thought it should’ve been running into the kicker, not roughing the kicker. It doesn’t matter. I still hit him."
4. Trick or treat
» Situation: Utah State 28, Hawaii 14, 5:11 remaining, third quarter, Utah State ball, first-and-10 at Hawaii 44
» The Play: Myers throws a backward pass to Butler on the right. Butler then throws deep across the field to LaJuan Hunt, who is wide open on the left sideline. He scores easily.
» Impact: The insult-to-injury trick play capped the drive extended by the roughing call and basically ended the game just two-thirds of the way through it on the clock.
» Butler: "We practice it all the time. The defense ran what we expected. It worked perfectly."
5. Flag football
» Situation: Utah State 35, Hawaii 14, 6:17 remaining, fourth quarter, Hawaii ball, third-and-10 at Utah State 29
» The Play: LT Ben Clarke is called for a false start. It is Hawaii’s 13th penalty for a total of 100 yards.
» Impact: Woolsey then threw an incomplete pass and was sacked for a loss of 11 to turn the ball over on downs. Hawaii’s last pride drive of the game, that started 12 plays earlier at its own 10, ended in frustration.
» Hawaii receiver Quinton Pedroza: "We have a strong drive and we shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties that don’t even involve football, penalties that don’t involve the play."