Box Score

HONOLULU - Hawai`i suffered a 45-28 loss to Western Athletic Conference champion Boise State before 39,685 in the final regular season game Saturday night at Aloha Stadium. The win helped the Broncos complete their second straight undefeated WAC season and was the first home loss of the season for the Warriors.

Hawai`i (8-5, 5-3 WAC) managed to stay with the Broncos to begin the game, but Boise State (12-1, 8-0 WAC) scored 17 unanswered points in the second quarter and added 14 in the fourth to put the game out of reach.

The Warriors found the endzone first after Travis LaBoy tipped Dinwiddie's pass into the air and caught it before it hit the ground for his second interception in as many weeks to give Hawai`i the ball at the Boise State 33-yard line. LaBoy, in another stellar outing, finished the game with a game-high nine tackles, including two-for-a-loss, a sack, an interception, and four quarterback hurries.

Five plays later, Whieldon hit a wide open Jeremiah Cockheran in the corner of the endzone. The PAT by Nolan Miranda put the Warriors up, 7-0, with 3:44 left in the first quarter.

But the Broncos bucked back after the Warriors went three-and-out and a botched punt gave them the ball at the Hawai`i 41-yard line. Lee Marks broke free for a 30-yard touchdown run. Tyler Jones' extra point tied the score at 7 in the closing seconds of the first quarter.

Whieldon, in his second career start, managed a 9-play-80-yard drive capped by a 2-yard touchdown pass to Britton Komine to cut the lead to 17-14. Whieldon finished the game 23-of-44 for 195 yards and two TDs and rushed seven times for 44 yards, but it wasn't enough to keep up with the Bronco attack.

Hawai`i cut the Boise State lead to three (24-21) on its first possession in the third quarter. Whieldon marched the Warriors 46 yards on five plays and handed off the Mike Bass who charged 17 yards for the score to cut the lead to three.

Boise State struck back on a drive that began at their own 9-yard line. Dinwiddie managed a 12-play drive that included a fourth-and-two gamble at the UH 16-yard line. Heck capped the scoring drive with a 8-yard touchdown run to put Boise State back up, 31-21, heading into the fourth quarter. Another Bronco touchdown early in the fourth quarter made it 38-21.

Quarterback Timmy Chang entered the game with 13:05 left to play in the game and orchestrated an 80-yard drive capped by a 14-yard TD pass to Chad Owens. Chang was 6-of-9 for 75 yards on his first drive of the game.

Chang tried to rally the Warriors back, but tossed an interception his own 22-yard line to end all hopes of an upset.

A total of 19 seniors played in their final regular season game and were honored after the game by head coach June Jones and executives from senior walk sponsor UH Federal Credit Union.

The Warriors will begin preparations for Conference USA member Houston in the Sheraton Hawai`i Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. Dec. 25 at Aloha Stadium. The game will be the third straight to be aired nationally on ESPN.

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