The University of Hawaii went deep into Thursday night to pull out an 11th-hour, 28-20 victory over Colorado in the season opener at Aloha Stadium.

The game ended with Colorado unable to stop the clock or snap the football on the UH 6 as time ticked away.

That triggered a wild celebration as the Rainbow Warriors went above .500 for the first time in Norm Chow’s first 38 games as head coach.

"The first game determines a lot for the entire season," UH cornerback/nickelback Ne’Quan Phillips said. "It’s a good feeling to get the first one."

UH wideout Quinton Pedroza: "It’s just the start. That’s all it is. Nothing more. We’ll get in the books, get in the film room tomorrow, and got our next opponent."

The Buffaloes, who entered as 7 1/2-point favorites, closed to 28-20 on Diego Gonzalez’s 40-yard field goal with 3:48 to play.

The Rainbow Warriors’ ensuing possession fizzled, forcing them to punt.

The Buffaloes took over on their 39 with no timeouts remaining, having spent two in a third-quarter possession.

The Buffaloes, who had success through their running attack most of the game, had to resort to a controlled passing scheme on their final possession.

They advanced to the UH 17 with 23 seconds to play. On the next play, Kennedy Tulimasealii, playing nose tackle in the nickel defense, jumped offsides, a penalty that was accepted after the Buffaloes burned six seconds. That moved the ball to the 12.

Then Sefo Liufau completed a pass in the left flat to Phillip Lindsay. But Lindsay was tackled at the 6, in bounds, while the clock continued to roll. The Buffaloes could not get set in time, as their coaches helplessly watched the outcome crystalize.

"As the time went down and down, I realized we were going to win it," Tulimasealii said. "We prayed they didn’t get another play."

The Warriors made it 28-17 when Rigo Sanchez connected from 34 yards with 12:45 to play.

The Warriors extended their lead to 25-17 after driving to the CU 1 late in the third quarter. Paul Harris, a transfer from Ventura College, was stopped for no gain. Wittek then faked a handoff to Harris, rolled to the right and fired to slotback Isaiah Bernard in the end zone. Bernard, who was at Glendale College through mid-August, joined the Warriors 10 days earlier after gaining admission into UH. He practiced with the first team for three days when slotback Dylan Collie was slowed by ailments.

The Buffaloes, down 18-17, advanced to the 37. On fourth-and-3, Liufau called the second timeout of the half. The break did not help. Liufau threw high, past wideout Nelson Spruce to end the possession.

Sanchez, who won the starting job earlier this week, kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired to boost the Warriors’ halftime lead to 18-14.

Sanchez’s kick was set up when the Warriors recovered a fumble at their 42 with 1:12 to play, yet another counter-punch after turning the ball over twice and and failing to slow CU running back Michael Adkins in the first half.

Adkins, who aspires to be a CEO, was all business after entering as the Buffaloes’ second back. Adkins scored on a 2-yard run to close the Buffaloes to 15-14 with 4:47 remaining in the second quarter.

After the Warriors’ ensuing drive went nowhere, the Buffaloes made their march for the potential go-ahead points. But Adkins gained 4 yards on second-and-5. Then Christian Powell, CU’s power back, took the handoff on a third-and-1 rush — then was met by linebackers Lance Williams and Simon Poti. Safety Marrell Jackson recovered, setting up the Warriors’ final drive of the half.

The Warriors entered the season opener with a self-proclaimed fresh start. They added five coaches, including three coordinators, promoted Wittek to starting quarterback and shuffled the lineup.

The Warriors lost the pregame coin toss, but then their fortunes turned quickly. Colorado’s first drive stalled. Keelan Ewaliko then raced in to block a punt. Ewaliko recovered at the CU 16.

Two plays later, Wittek found Pedroza in the right corner of the end zone for a touchdown. The Warriors then went for the 2-point conversion, with Wittek and Pedroza collaborating again to make it 8-0.

It was 8-7 when Wittek threw deep to Marcus Kemp on a go pattern. Kemp made the catch, broke free from a defensive back at the CU 45 and raced the rest of the way to complete the 71-yard touchdown.

FIRST PERIOD

HAWAII

>> Score: Quinton Pedroza 11-yard pass from Max Wittek. Pedroza pass from Wittek.

>> Drive: 3 plays, 16 yards, 1:03 elapsed time. Time: 12:35. Score: UH 8, Colorado 0.

SECOND PERIOD

COLORADO

>> Score: Michael Adkins 5-yard run. Diego Gonzalez kick.

>> Drive: 3 plays, 23 yards, 0:44 elapsed time. Time: 9:21. Score: UH 8, Colorado 7.

HAWAII

>> Score: Marcus Kemp 79-yard pass from Max Wittek. Rigoberto Sanchez kick.

>> Drive: 3 plays, 84 yards, 1:07 elapsed time. Time: 8:07. Score: UH 15, Colorado 7.

COLORADO

>> Score: Michael Adkins 3-yard run. Diego Gonzalez kick.

>> Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 3:12 elapsed time. Time: 4:47. Score: UH 15, Colorado 14.

HAWAII

>> Score: Rigoberto Sanchez 27-yard field goal.

>> Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 1:12 elapsed time. Time: :00. Score: UH 18, Colorado 14.

THIRD PERIOD

COLORADO

>> Score: Diego Gonzalez 40-yard field goal.

>> Drive: 11 plays, 47 yards, 5:07 elapsed time. Time: 8:44. Score: UH 18, Colorado 17.

HAWAII

>> Score: Isaiah Bernard 1-yard pass from Max Wittek. Rigoberto Sanchez kick.

>> Drive: 6 plays, 47 yards, 1:50 elapsed time. Time: 1:17. Score: UH 25, Colorado 17.

FOURTH PERIOD

HAWAII

>> Score: Rigoberto Sanchez 34-yard field goal.

>> Drive: 8 plays, 29 yards, 2:06 elapsed time. Time: 12:45. Score: UH 28, Colorado 17.

COLORADO

>> Score: Diego Gonzalez 40-yard field goal.

>> Drive: 8 plays, 42 yards, 2:37 elapsed time. Time: 3:48. Score: UH 28, Colorado 20.