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GAME DAY BLOG: Vanderbilt holds off late Hawaii rally in football opener

ASSOCIATED PRESS
                                Hawaii wide receiver Steven McBride (7) was congratulated by wide receiver Pofele Ashlock after the team’s opening touchdown against Vanderbilt in the first half of an NCAA college football game today in Nashville, Tenn.
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ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hawaii wide receiver Steven McBride (7) was congratulated by wide receiver Pofele Ashlock after the team’s opening touchdown against Vanderbilt in the first half of an NCAA college football game today in Nashville, Tenn.

STEPHEN TSAI / STSAI@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                FirstBank Stadium, which holds close to 40,000 fans, is the site for today’s Hawaii football season opener at Vanderbilt.
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STEPHEN TSAI / STSAI@STARADVERTISER.COM

FirstBank Stadium, which holds close to 40,000 fans, is the site for today’s Hawaii football season opener at Vanderbilt.

STEPHEN TSAI / STSAI@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Isolated thunderstorms and temperatures nearing 100 degrees are in the forecast for today’s Hawaii football season opener at Vanderbilt.
3/3
Swipe or click to see more

STEPHEN TSAI / STSAI@STARADVERTISER.COM

Isolated thunderstorms and temperatures nearing 100 degrees are in the forecast for today’s Hawaii football season opener at Vanderbilt.

ASSOCIATED PRESS
                                Hawaii wide receiver Steven McBride (7) was congratulated by wide receiver Pofele Ashlock after the team’s opening touchdown against Vanderbilt in the first half of an NCAA college football game today in Nashville, Tenn.
STEPHEN TSAI / STSAI@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                FirstBank Stadium, which holds close to 40,000 fans, is the site for today’s Hawaii football season opener at Vanderbilt.
STEPHEN TSAI / STSAI@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Isolated thunderstorms and temperatures nearing 100 degrees are in the forecast for today’s Hawaii football season opener at Vanderbilt.

Editor’s Note: Bookmark this page for live updates from the game below.

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FINAL SCORE: Vanderbilt 35, Hawaii 28

6:39 p.m.: Schager drops back and is hit as he throws and it’s picked. That will be the game. Comeback attempt fall just short but a lot to like heading back to the islands. Schager finishes 27-for-35, 351 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT.

6:37 p.m.: Hawaii is going to get a shot to either tie or win this game. Defense comes up with a stop with 2:21 to go and Vanderbilt will punt after taking a delay of game penalty. Hawaii ball on its 20 with 2:14 to go.

6:23 p.m.: We’ve got a ball game in Nashville. Hawaii gets the fourth-down stop and then marches down the field quickly. Ashlock is up to 127 receiving yards on seven catches and has a second TD pass ruled down at the 1. Hawaii brings in Navy transfer Dalen Morris to run it in off the snap from the 1 and it’s a one-score game. VANDY 35, UH 28, 4:49, Q4.

6:10 p.m.: Hawaii has had some good moments in this game and it continues on this drive as Schager engineers an eight-play, 85-yard TD drive with a 3-yard TD pass to Pofele Ashlock to finish it off. Ashlock also had a 35-yard reception earlier in the drive. He’s now got five receptions for 69 yards. VANDY 35, UH 21, 11:20, Q4.

5:52 p.m.: Now it’s Vandy’s turn to make a big play on fourth down. Swann tries a deep ball on third-and-7 and misses but goes right back to it on fourth down and hits London Humphreys for a 32-yard TD. Flag is on Hawaii and declined and Vanderbilt stretches its lead. VANDY 35, UH 14, 14:48, Q4.

5:43 p.m.: Tough sequence for UH as Caleb Brown makes a great play on a Swann pass and has a pick in his hands but can’t secure it. Swann then goes deep down the middle to Gamarion Carter for 41 yards. It’s initially ruled an illegal forward pass but it’s overturned on the replay. Very, very close but a really tough break for the Warriors. Commodores have a third-and-7 at the UH 32 as the quarter ends.

>> PHOTOS: Hawaii vs. Vanderbilt

5:37 p.m.: Hawaii goes for it on fourth-and-9 from midfield and Schager hits Alex Perry for 17 yards. UH goes for it again fourth-and-5 at the Vanderbilt 10 and this time the Commodores make the stop. Schager 19-24, 230 yards, 2 TD, INT.

5:18 p.m.: After both teams trade three-and-outs to start the second half, Vanderbilt marches down the field and scores on a 1-yard TD pass from Swann to Sheppard. Second TD connection of the day between the two. Sheppard’s 27-yard punt return set up the short field. VANDY 28, UH 14, 9:32, Q3.

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Halftime stats

Vanderbilt: Swann 10-12, 112 yds, TD; McGowman 3 rec, 44 yds, 97-yard KO return TD

Hawaii: Schager 15-17, 196 yards, 2 TD, INT; McBride 5 rec, 86 yds, 2 TD; Tufaga 4 tkls, 3 tfl, 2 sk; Andrew Choi 5 tkl, sack.

4:39 p.m.: Schager is sacked by a four-man rush on third down and Hawaii will have to punt with 56 seconds left in the half. Commodores used a couple of timeouts on the drive to save time.

4:33 p.m.: Tufaga gets his second sack and third tackle for loss in the game as Vanderbilt is going backwards on offense. Hawaii’s defense forces a three-and-out and Vanderbilt has to punt from near its own end zone.

4:27 p.m.: Solo Vaipulu catches his first pass in his long UH career and nearly scores but fumbles at the 1 and Hawaii recovers. UH looks like it has an easy rushing TD but it’s called back by a false start and then Schager throws one up late to the corner and it’s intercepted. His first real mistake all game is a big one. Vanderbilt takes over.

4:15 p.m.: Isaiah Tufaga gets home on a blitz for a sack to force third-and-long. Commodores go for it on fourth-and-1 at the Hawaii 32. Ezra Evaimalo makes the initial stop and Peter Manuma cleans it up. UH gets the stop on fourth down and has the ball down a touchdown with 8:50 to go in the half.

4:06 p.m.: Fourth-and-4 at the Vanderbilt 45 and Chang keeps his offense on the field. Schager with a deep ball to McBride and it’s a DIME. Touchdown Hawaii. 45-yard TD pass on fourth-and-4. Monster throw by Schager, who is 10-for-11 for 135 yards and two touchdowns. VAND 21, UH 14, 13:03, Q2.

3:55 p.m.: Swann finds a wide open Will Sheppard for a 7-yard TD on the first play of the second quarter. Swann 6-for-7, 55 yards, TD. VAND 21, UH 7, 14:56, Q2.

3:52 p.m.: First quarter ends with Vanderbilt inside the red zone. Four penalties and two costly mistakes on special teams dooms UH in the opening quarter. Vanderbilt averaging 7.6 yards per play.

3:43 p.m.: Hawaii goes three-and-out on its next drive as Schager takes a sack on third down. Schager still hasn’t missed a throw. 7-for-7 for 69 yards.

3:38 p.m.: Hawaii’s lead holds for all of 13 seconds of game time. Jayden McGowan returns the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. Disaster start on special teams for UH. Vanderbilt converts the two-point conversion. VAND 14, UH 7, 7:00, Q1.

3:33 p.m.: Schager goes 5-for-5 on the drive and hits Steven McBride for a 9-yard touchdown pass to give Hawaii the lead. Vanderbilt whistled for pass interference on third-and-10 inside the 20 to keep the drive alive and Schager makes the Commodores pay. Schager 6-for-6 for 66 yards to start the game. Say hi to the run-and-shoot. UH 7, VAND 6, 7:13, Q1.

3:18 p.m.: Vandebilt QB AJ Swann converts a third-and-9 with a 10-yard completion to Quincy Skinner Jr., who powered his way to a first down. Patrick Smith follows with a 21-yard touchdown run and it’s 6-0 Commodores after they get tricky on a two-point conversion attempt and don’t make it. VAND 6, UH 0, 11:26, Q1.

3:15 p.m.: Quarterback Brayden Schager completes his first pass of the game to tight end Greyson Morgan. Tylan Hines stopped for a loss and Schager is tackled well short of the marker on third down. Hawaii goes three-and-out and then a high snap results in a bad punt. Commodores take over at the UH 32 after a net punt of zero yards.

3:11 p.m.: Hawaii will receive the opening kickoff after they get the clock to work on the scoreboard.

2:10 p.m.: Kickoff time set for approximately 3:11 p.m.

1:50 p.m.: Vanderbilt athletics says it will be approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes from the “all clear” sign to kickoff. Kickoff pushed back past 3 p.m. Hawaii time.

1:15 p.m.: Neither team has taken the field for warmups due to lightning in the area. Stephen Tsai reports the teams will have 50 minutes to warm up once they are allowed on the field.

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NASHVILLE, TENN. >> Year 2 of the Timmy Chang era begins today in a rematch of last season’s 63-10 loss to Vanderbilt to open the season at Ching Complex.

This year the game is at Vanderbilt where the Warriors have had to deal with scorching conditions. During Wednesday’s practice at Franklin Christian Academy, the heat index exceeded 100 degrees. It was milder — slightly — for Thursday’s limited- contact practice.

The Warriors received a boost Friday when defensive tackle John Tuitupou won his appeal for an extra season and will start today.

Chang is bringing back the run-and-shoot offense in his second season since taking over for Todd Graham. Among the 13 returning starters from last season’s 3-10 campaign is junior quarterback Brayden Schager, who started 10 games last season and threw for 2,348 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Hawaii is 3-10-1 all-time against SEC teams and 0-4 on the road.

Oddsmakers have made Hawaii a 17-point underdog. The game will kick off at 1:30 p.m. and broadcast on the SEC Network.

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