Those who have followed the Hawaii-Boise State series know that the Broncos special teams have often made the difference.

Such was the case Saturday, and first-year Warriors coach Todd Graham got a bad taste of it in UH’s 40-32 loss to BSU.

“The difference in the game is special teams,” he said. “Our game plan was not to punt the ball to the return guy, No. 26 (Avery Williams). Basically, 21 points on special teams. That’s what’s disappointing.”

Williams scored on a 99-yard touchdown return after UH had opened the second half with a long touchdown drive to close the score to 19-9. But Williams’ TD returned the momentum to the Boise State sideline.

Then his 36-yard punt return set up Adrian Van Buren’s 11-yard touchdown run that expanded the lead to 33-9.

The Broncos blocked three kicks in their win against Colorado State last week.

UH was not shut out on good kicking game plays, as Jonah Laulu blocked an extra-point try. But that was worth just one point.

“We played good enough to win offensively and defensively, but the difference was special teams,” Graham said.

After Further Review

After a long officials’ replay review with 1:35 left in the game, it was determined that BSU quarterback Hank Bachmeier did make it to the first-down marker at the Hawaii 28. With no UH timeouts remaining, that meant the Broncos could go into victory formation and run out the clock — thus denying the Warriors a chance for a last-gasp miracle finish that quarterback Chevan Cordeiro has proven he is capable of engineering.

“Obviously I gotta be careful what I say about that,” Graham said.

He pointed out a play earlier in the drive, from the Boise State 30, that was the real back-breaker.

“You know, the thing that got us was third-and-4 or -5 and the fade ball (that went for 32 yards from Bachmeier to Khalil Shakir)” Graham said. “We gotta challenge the guy. We had ’em stopped on third-and-5. … stop ’em there and we get ’em to punt.”

Just For Kicks

Cordeiro passed for 253 yards and rushed for 90. His longest play covered more than 53 yards.

But it wasn’t a pass or a run.

It was a punt.

With fourth-and-3 at the UH 47, the Warriors lined up in a normal offensive formation. Cordeiro kicked the ball from the shotgun spot, a few yards behind center.

The line-drive kick rolled through the Boise State defense and into the end zone before it could be downed by a UH player. The touchback gave the Broncos the ball at their own 20.

That Boise State possession ended with Cameron Lockridge’s interception of a long pass by Bachmeier, and UH took over at its own 27.