Box Score

HONOLULU - The University of Hawai`i football team gained 516 yards of total offense and took advantage of five Rice (0-4, 1-0 WAC) turnovers en route to a 41-21 Western Athletic Conference win Saturday night at Aloha Stadium.

A crowd of 40,040 watched Warrior quarterback Timmy Chang pass for 397 yards and two touchdowns and break the WAC record for most passing attempts in a game (70) and complete 42 passes (school record and second-best all-time in the WAC).

The Warrior defense got the Warrior offense going after linebacker Chad Kalilimoku forced Rice's Ed Bailey to fumble. The turnover led the Hawai'i's second touchdown of the game. Two plays later, Warrior safety David Gilmore intercepted Rice's Greg Henderson that led to a third Warrior touchdown and a 21-0 lead.

After Justin Ayat added a field goal to make it 24-0, the Owls struck back and scored 21 unanswered points, two off Warrior fumbles, to climb back into the game before halftime.

Rice had a chance to tie the game at 24 in the third quarter but Warrior cornerback Abraham Elimimian blocked Brandon Skeen's 37-yard field goal attempt. Hawai`i struck at the 11:05 mark in the fourth quarter when John West scored on the 3-yard run.

The Owls tried to rally back but a fumble and two interceptions halted any hope of a comeback.

The Hawai`i defense held Rice's spread option offensive attack to 359 yards and forced a season high five turnovers. Linebacker Ikaika Curnan led all Warriors with 10 tackles and also had a sack (-7).

The Warriors travel to Tulsa to take on the Golden Hurricane in a WAC contest Oct. 4 at Skelly Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

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