HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i Rainbow Warrior football team concluded its regular-season schedule on a high note with a 52-31 win over Army on Senior Night at Aloha Stadium. UH improved to 9-4 on the season with its fourth straight victory, its longest such streak since the 2010 season.
 
In a duel of contrasting offenses, UH got the best of the Black Knights (5-7) who remain winless in three all-time trips to Honolulu. While the teams traded scores early on, the Rainbow Warriors took the lead for good with 21 unanswered points bridging the second and third quarters.
 
UH has now won 15 of its last 16 regular-season non-conference home games and are 10-1 in those games under Nick Rolovich.
 
The teams traded blows in the first quarter, before the Black Knights took a 17-10 early in the second quarter. But after Army scored on its first three drives, the UH defense turned the tide. The Warriors got an interception from Solomon Matautia deep in Army territory and the UH defense stopped a 4th-and-2 attempt on Army's ensuing possession on the 33-yard line.  
 
Hawai'i capitalized on the short field on both instances, cashing in on a pair of touchdowns. UH took a 24-17 lead into the locker room and never trailed again.
 
Cole McDonald came off the bench to throw for 250 yards and three touchdowns in keeping the Warrior offense humming in the second half. Jared Smart finished with eight catches for 123 yards and a touchdown, while Cedric Byrd II eclipsed 1,000 yards for the season after posting eight catches for 122 yards and a score.
 
Meanwhile, the UH defense assured that Army wouldn't comeback. The defense provided another fourth-down stop in the fourth quarter with UH nursing a seven-point lead. Then Hawai'i put the icing on the cake – a school-record 100-yard interception return by Rojesterman Farris II with 1:34 left that shut the door on any comeback hopes for the Black Knights.  
 
Following the game a total of 23 seniors were honored in the annual "Senior Walk" ceremony.
 
The Warriors now ready themselves for the Mountain West Championship Game. UH will make it first-ever appearance in the title game when they travel to Boise State for a showdown with the nationally-ranked Broncos on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 2:00 p.m. MT/11:00 a.m. HT.