Box Score

TULSA, Okla. – The University of Hawai'ì football team won its third straight game by defeating Tulsa, 36-15, in a Western Athletic Conference game Saturday afternoon at Skelly Stadium.

The Warrior defense held Tulsa (1-5, 0-4 WAC) to 15 points, eight of which were scored with less than six minutes remaining in the game, and 307 yards of total offense.

The Hawai'i offense got on the board early when Mark Tate ran the opening kickoff back 80 yards to set up a 38-yard field goal by Justin Ayat who also kicked a career-long 55-yarder (tied for second longest in school history) in the fourth quarter.

The Golden Hurricane charged back behind the arm of quarterback Josh Blankenship who found Donald Shoals in the endzone to cap a 11-play, 65-yard drive for Tulsa's only lead of the game, 7-3, with 7-39 left in the first quarter.

A minute and 13 seconds later, Hawai'i (4-2, 3-2 WAC) answered with a 5-play, 61-yard drive capped by a 5-yard touchdown run by Thero Mitchell to regain the lead (10-7) with 14:28 left in the second quarter and never looked back.

The Warriors scored 16 points in the next 13 minutes to take a 26-7 halftime lead, including a safety set-up by a 44-yard punt by Hawai'i's Mat McBriar that was downed at the Tulsa 4-yard line.

After the break, UH quarterback Nick Rolovich hit Ashley Lelie on a crossing pattern for a 44-yard touchdown, the only points scored in the third quarter. Rolovich, who won his third consecutive game as the UH starter, completed 25-of-34 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns.

Linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa led the Warriors with 14 tackles, one-for-a-loss (-2), a fumble recovery and two quarterback hurries.

Next week the Warriors meet Fresno State in a WAC game Friday, Oct. 26. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. at Aloha Stadium.