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Timmy Chang has said repeatedly that he’s watched his team grow a lot since a much-needed bye week at the end of September.
That growth is now evident in the place it matters most — the Mountain West Conference standings.
The Rainbow Warriors picked up their first win against an FBS opponent in Chang’s first year as head coach, beating his old team Nevada 31-16 on Saturday night at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex.
Dedrick Parson rushed for 136 yards and three touchdowns and the defense played its second consecutive good game to start conference play. Hawaii held Nevada to 87 rushing yards on 28 attempts and starting running back Toa Taua to 23 yards on 12 carries.
Hawaii (2-5, 1-1) never trailed in handing the Wolf Pack (2-5, 0-3) their fifth consecutive loss.
After giving up at least 45 points in its first four games against FBS opponents — all losses — Hawaii has held its first two conference opponents to 16 points each.
Both teams marched 75 yards for a touchdown on their opening drives of the game, but in a much different way.
Hawaii spread it around through the air and on the ground, with Parson capping a nine-play drive with a 1-yard TD run for a 7-0 lead.
Nevada’s drive took twice as much time off the clock and lasted 16 plays, with Devonte Lee just barely crossing the goal line on fourth-and-1 to tie at 7-7.
UH quarterback Brayden Schager, who finished 13-for-25 for 173 yards with one turnover, put Hawaii ahead with a 48-yard deep ball down the middle to Zion Bowens for a touchdown on another short drive that took just 1:40 off the clock.
Leading 14-10 early in the second quarter, UH had its longest drive of the season by distance, spanning 94 yards over nine plays with Parson scoring on a 9-yard run to make it 21-10.
Matthew Killam added his second field goal of the half — from 48 yards — for Nevada but missed one as time expired to keep UH’s lead at 21-13.
Hawaii’s defense held Nevada to a field goal for its only score in the second half after the Wolf Pack failed to punch it in following first-and-goal at the 2.
Nevada dominated time of possession throughout the game, but the Rainbow Warriors did their best Wolf Pack impression to stretch their lead in the fourth quarter.
Hawaii’s longest drive of the season by time eclipsed eight minutes as UH rode Parson on a 16-play drive that covered 65 yards.
UH converted two fourth-and-1 plays, including an option keeper for 4 yards by Schager on the first play of the fourth quarter.
The Warriors ran it on 12 of 16 plays on the drive, which ended with Parson’s third touchdown run from 2 yards out to put Hawaii ahead 28-16 with 10:13 left.
The teams traded punts before John Tuitupou’s strip-sack of Nevada quarterback Nate Cox was recovered by Kolby Wyatt with 4:10 remaining to put the game away.
Matthew Shipley added a 27-yard field goal with 1:37 remaining for the final margin.
UH overcame the loss of starting offensive lineman Stephan Bernal-Wendt and linebacker Isaiah Tufaga to knee injuries in the first quarter. Neither returned to play.
Up next for the Rainbow Warriors is a game at Colorado State on Saturday.
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