Box Score

HONOLULU - The 24th-ranked Hawaii (9-3, 7-1 WAC) football team scored 16 points in the second half, but it wasn't enough as 14th-ranked Alabama (10-3, 6-2 SEC) slipped away with a 21-16 win before a sold out crowd Saturday at Aloha Stadium.

The Warriors, playing before a national audience on ESPN for the third time this season, gambled on both sides of the ball and lost including a fake punt and three attempts on fourth down that came up short. About the only gamble that paid off was on defense where the Warriors sacked Alabama quarterback Tyler Watts six times and limited the Tide passing game to 93 total yards.

The Warrior defense spent close to 40 minutes on the field, but managed to hold the Tide to just 21 points despite being in Warrior territory on 10 occasions. Most of the success on the Warrior defense was due to big plays on third downs as Alabama was 8-of-21 on 3rd-down conversions. Hawaii linebacker, Pisa Tinoisamoa, led the Warrior charge with a career-high 19 tackles, including two sacks and four tackles-for-loss.

UH quarterback Timmy Chang threw three interceptions in the first half and Alabama turned two of them into touchdowns while its defense held the high-powered Warrior offense to a season-low 102 yards to take a 14-0 lead heading into the locker room.

Chang got the Warrior offense moving on Hawaii's first possession after the break, but couldn't convert in the red zone. Justin Ayat got the Warriors on the board with a 30-yard field goal to make it 14-3 with 7:01 left in the third quarter.

Tyler Watts' pass to Samuel Collins for a 26-yard score made it 21-3, but Hawaii answered with Chang, facing 3rd-and-18, tossing a 70-yard strike to Jeremiah Cockheren to cut the Tide lead to 11 with 10:18 to play.

Hawaii got the ball back and Chang orchestrated a 5-play, 97-yard drive, capped by a 12-yard touchdown pass to Chad Owens to bring the Warriors within five after a failed two-point conversion. But the onside kick bounced out of bounds and the Tide ran out the clock to break the six-game win streak and hand the Warriors their first home loss of the season.

Chang finished 26-of-53 for 372 yards and two touchdowns. Cockheran led all receivers with a career-high nine receptions for 207 yards, the school's sixth-best all-time performance.

Next Saturday, the Warriors will wrap-up the regular season against former WAC foe San Diego State. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at Aloha Stadium.

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