Box Score

RENO, Nev. - Dan Kelly's 45-yard field goal with 11 seconds left lifted No. 12 Hawai'i past Nevada, 28-26, in a Western Athletic Conference game in front of 22,437 at Mackey Stadium tonight.

Hawai'i got the ball back with 2:16 remaining in the fourth quarter, trailing 26-25. Quarterback Tyler Graunke marched the Warriors 61 yards in 11 plays to set up Kelly's heroics.

The Wolf Pack tried to ice the junior kicker twice. UNR called a timeout just before the snap on the first try as Kelly's kick split the uprights. The kicker and special teams personnel regrouped and duplicated the feat once more, this time it counted.

Nevada had one last chance but the hail mary attempt was intercepted by Jacob Patek on the final play of the game.

The Warriors extended their win streak to 11-game, tying the longest in school history. UH also finished 5-0 on the road this season and extended their road win streak to eight straight dating back to last season. Lastly, the Warriors extended their WAC win streak to 14 games.

Heisman Trophy candidate Colt Brennan did not start the game. Instead, Graunke got the nod. Head Coach June Jones rotated the two quarterbacks along with Inoke Funaki on the opening drive.

The Warriors (10-0, 7-0 WAC), who won in Reno for the first time in four tries, took the opening kickoff and drove 50 yards in 11 plays, capped by a Kelly 45-yard field goal.

After UH punter Tim Grasso pinned Nevada at their own 3 yard line, defensive lineman David Veikune sacked Wolf Pack quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the endzone to give UH a 5-0 lead and its first safety of the season.

UH made it 12-0 after sustaining another long drive of 64 yards highlighted by a 3-yard touchdown pass from Graunke to Jason Rivers.

Nevada (5-5, 3-3 WAC) cut the deficit to 12-7 after Kaepernick hit Luke Lippincott on a 7-yard scoring strike.

Graunke then orchestrated a four-play 80-yard drive with the quarterback calling his own number from 7-yards out. A 53-yard pass play from Graunke to C.J. Hawthorne on the first play of the drive set up the touchdown.

The Wolf Pack responded with a 41-yard field goal by Brett Jaekle to go into the locker room at halftime with UH out in front, 19-10.

Nevada took the second half kickoff and traveled 52 yards with Jaekle booting his second field goal of the game, a 42-yarder.

The Wolf Pack took its first lead of the game, 20-19, on their next possession with a 17-play drive covering 90 yards elapsing eight minutes and 20 seconds with Kaepernick bootlegging over from three yards out.

UH recaptured the lead, 25-20, as Graunke connected with Ryan Grice-Mullen for a 22-yard scoring strike. The Warriors went for two, but Graunke's attempt was batted down.

After both teams exchanged punts, Nevada then put together a 51-yard drive highlighted by a 45-yard pass play before Lippincott plunged over the left side from 5 yards. The two-point pass attempt was no good giving the Wolf Pack a slim, 26-25 lead with 8:27 left in the fourth quarter.

On UH's next possession, Graunke was sacked and fumbled the ball giving Nevada good position from the UH 44-yard line. Two plays later, defensive lineman Keala Watson popped UNR wide receiver Arthur King Jr. and made him cough up the ball with Watson recovering at the UH 47.

The Warriors were stopped on a fourth down play when Graunke tried to thread it to Rivers on the left sideline.

The UH defense held Nevada's offense and forced them to punt to give UH one last try.

Hawai'i will have a short week to prepare for Boise State next Friday night at 4:00 p.m. at Aloha Stadium in front of a national audience on ESPN2.

-UH-