First opening-drive touchdown of the year. First defensive touchdown of the year. First fumble return touchdown in two years. First career interception. The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors put together all these firsts, and the result was a shocking 27-13 home win over Mountain West leader Air Force on Saturday night at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
After going scoreless the last time they stepped on the field at Ching Complex, the Rainbow Warriors didn’t have to wait long to see those coveted seven points go up on the scoreboard. Brayden Schager completed all five of his passes in the first drive of the game, including the 5-yard touchdown throw to Pofele Ashlock for Hawaii’s first opening-drive touchdown of the year.
“We came out of the locker room with that energy and that mindset that we were going to score. Just kinda flip the switch,” Schager added. “We were able to put a great drive together. We got some runs going. You know, that’s what really happens when we start coming out with a balanced attack, it really opens everything up. So we just gotta keep doing that, keep coming out with that same energy and keep building on it.”
Naval Academy graduate and transfer Dalen Morris was called on early and responded with two third-down conversions on the opening drive.
Schager continued to play efficient football, completing his first 10 passes for 80 yards and the touchdown. He later broke free for a 40-yard scramble near the end of the first half for UH’s longest rush of the year.
“We always want to start fast. That’s not (always) the case. I think it’s part of it, it’s part of where we’re at with the growing pains,” Hawaii coach Timmy Chang said. “We knew this, though. Playing a team like Air Force, I don’t know how long that first half lasted, I don’t know how long that first quarter lasted, but it was fast. And that’s the thing when you play Air Force — either you’re gonna keep the ball or they’re gonna keep the ball for 18 plays and half the quarter or more than half the quarter. If you’ve got 15 plays, you better go 15-for-15 against a team like that.”
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A week removed from giving up six turnovers, Air Force focused on playing mistake-free football. For three quarters, the Falcons managed to do that. But an incredible fourth quarter by the Rainbow Warriors defense flipped that script on its head.
With Air Force trailing by just 10 points and driving, Jalen Smith knocked the ball out of Falcons backup quarterback Jenson Jones’ hands. After the ball was batted around a few times, Meki Pei picked it up and returned it 32 yards for Hawaii’s first defensive touchdown of the season. It was also the Rainbow Warriors’ first fumble return touchdown in two years. The last UH fumble return touchdown came in 2021 when Eugene Ford returned one against Utah State.
Later in the fourth, UH recovered a Falcons muffed punt, but the recovery was taken away by a phantom catch interference call. Replay showed that the Air Force returner was not touched.
Just one play later, Noah Kema picked off Jones for his first collegiate interception.
Jones was later knocked out of the game on a sideline hit. Ben Brittain took over and promptly threw an interception to Peter Manuma. UH came up with a third straight interception when Cam Stone picked off Brittain for his first interception as a Rainbow Warrior.
