FORT COLLINS, COLO. >> In one hopeful game, Hawaii kicker Ryan Meskell tripled last year’s field-goal production.

“I remember what happened last year,” said Meskell, who converted one field goal. “I don’t like to think about what happened last year. This is a new year.”

On Saturday, Meskell converted all three of his field-goal attempts in UH’s 43-34 victory over Colorado State. His third kick, from 35 yards, sealed the outcome.

Meskell, who grew up in Australia, had not played in an American football game until joining the Warriors in July 2017. After struggling to find a consistent kicking style, he was used mostly as a kickoff specialist the second half of that season. But Meskell worked on his technique during the offseason, and won the competition for the No. 1 job.

Meskell was able to adjust to Fort Collins’ 5,000-foot elevation.

“The wind was moving around earlier in the night, but later, it started to die,” Meskell said. “The air is thin, so once you get contact with the ball, it flies. It was a good night.”

Linebacker Tavai inactive for UH

The Rainbow Warriors opened the season with one of their best players on the inactive list.

Middle linebacker Jahlani Tavai, one of four co-captains, was held out because of what a school official termed as a violation of team rules. Tavai practiced with the scout team the past week, but traveled with the team and participated in the coin toss. He was on the sideline without pads during the game.

“It’s always hard,” defensive coordinator Corey Batoon said of not having a top player available. “He’s the leader of the defense. He brings so much to the table in terms of his ability to rush the passer.”

Rolovich regrets play call

UH coach Nick Rolovich said he takes responsibility for a play that could have sealed the outcome earlier.

With UH leading 40-34 with under 50 seconds left, quarterback Cole McDonald threw incomplete on third-and-4 from the CSU 17. Meskell’s field goal gave UH a nine-point lead, but it also left the Rams with a final possession.

Rolovich acknowledged that the Rams had used up their timeouts during that last UH drive and an intentional sack would have allowed the clock to eventually run out without the Rams ever regaining possession.

“I wish I had a chance to talk to them before that third-down play,” Rolovich said. “That’s where we need to grow as a unit. That has to be a natural. But that’s not Cole McDonald’s fault. That’s my fault. Cole McDonald did what he was supposed to do.”

Trick play sputters on underthrown pass

After the Warriors scored a touchdown to take a 16-7 lead, they aligned in a swinging-gate formation for the point-after play. But with the majority of the offensive line far left of snapper Noah Borden, the Rams kept only three defenders near the kicking unit. Borden snapped to punter Stan Gaudion, who underthrew Borden in the end zone.

“It would have been nice if we connected,” said Borden, who was an eligible receiver because of the formation. “We work on that off and on. We always compete who scores that extra 2 points. Almost. It’s all good.”

GAME STATISTICS

FIRST QUARTER

HAWAII
>> John Ursua 4 pass from Cole McDonald. Ryan Meskell kick
>> Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:58 elapsed time.
>> Time: 10:02.
>> Score: UH 7, CSU 0

COLORADO STATE
>> Olabisi Johnson 10 pass from K.J. Carta-Samuels. Wyatt Bryan kick.
>> Drive: 14 plays, 85 yards, 4:26 elapsed time.
>> Time: 5:26
>> Score: CSU 7, UH 7

HAWAII
>> Field goal Meskell 21
>> Drive: 9 plays, 72 yards, 4:08 elapsed time.
>> Time: 1:18
>> Score: UH 10, CSU 7

SECOND QUARTER

HAWAII
>> McDonald 12 run. Stan Gaudion pass failed.
>> Drive: 9 plays, 67 yards, 3:53 elapsed time.
>> Time: 11:32
>> Score: UH 16, CSU 7

HAWAII
>> McDonald 6 run. Meskell kick.
>> Drive: 6 plays, 46 yards, 1:43 elapsed time.
>> Time: :28
>> Score: UH 23, CSU 7

THIRD QUARTER

HAWAII
>> Ursua 19 pass from McDonald. Meskell kick
>> Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:34 elapsed time.
>> Time: 8:48.
>> Score: UH 30, CSU 7

HAWAII
>> Cedric Byrd 55 pass from McDonald. Meskell kick
>> Drive: 3 plays, 70 yards, 1:24 elapsed time.
>> Time: 3:35.
>> Score: UH 37, CSU 7

COLORADO STATE
>> Preston Williams 7 pass from Carta-Samuels. Bryan kick.
>> Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:15 elapsed time.
>> Time: 2:20
>> Score: UH 37, CSU 14

COLORADO STATE
>> Johnson 58 pass from Carta-Samuels. Carta-Samuels pass failed.
>> Drive: 2 plays, 72 yards, :24 elapsed time.
>> Time: :08
>> Score: UH 37, CSU 20

FOURTH QUARTER

COLORADO STATE
>> Williams 26 pass from Carta-Samuels. Bryan kick.
>> Drive: 4 plays, 99 yards, 1:06 elapsed time.
>> Time: 8:15
>> Score: UH 37, CSU 27

HAWAII
>> Field goal Meskell 30
>> Drive: 5 plays, 63 yards, 1:33 elapsed time.
>> Time: 6:42
>> Score: UH 40, CSU 27

COLORADO STATE
>> Izzy Matthews 9 pass from Carta-Samuels. Bryan kick.
>> Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:00 elapsed time.
>> Time: 4:42
>> Score: UH 40, CSU 34

HAWAII
>> Field goal Meskell 35
>> Drive: 9 plays, 58 yards, 3:58 elapsed time.
>> Time: :44
>> Score: UH 43, CSU 34

TEAM STATISTICS

UH | CSU
>> First downs: 30 | 29
>> Rushes-yards: 36-199 | 25-116
>> Passing: 418 | 537
>> Comp-Att-Int: 26-37-0 | 34-51-1
>> Return Yards: 48 | 119
>> Punts-Avg.: 3-47.66 | 4-37.75
>> Fumbles-Lost: 1-1 | 1-0
>> Penalties-Yards: 10-65 | 12-120
>> Time of Possession: 34:43 | 25:17

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — Hawaii: C.McDonald 13-96, Holly 16-68, Furuta 7-35. Colorado State: Matthews 15-63, McElroy 4-28, Carta-Samuels 6-25.

PASSING — Hawaii: C.McDonald 26-37-0-418. Colorado State: Carta-Samuels 34-50-1-537, (Team) 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING — Hawaii: Byrd 11-181, Ursua 7-123, Holly 2-38, Armstrong-Brown 2-34, Furuta 2-22, Sharsh 1-12, Ward 1-8. Colorado State: P.Williams 9-188, O.Johnson 6-157, Matthews 6-58, W.Jackson 5-72, Butler 5-26, Hammer 2-19, Fulton 1-17.

MISSED FIELD GOALS — Colorado State: Bryan 45, Bryan 48.

LEADING TACKLERS (solo-assist—total) — Hawaii: Solomon Matautia 6-4—10, Ikem Okeke 7-1—8. Colorado State: Josh Watson 3-10—13, Jordan Fogal 4-8—12.