HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i football team picked up a monumental win with a 27-24 come-from-behind upset of No. 18 Fresno State Saturday night at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex. The Rainbow Warriors improved to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the Mountain West with their fourth straight Homecoming win.
 
The conference match-up had not favored the Warriors, who dropped eight out of the last 10 to the Bulldogs but the defense stepped up big forcing six turnovers. Safety Khoury Bethley led the way with two interceptions and a critical forced fumble, which set up the game-winning field goal by Matthew Shipley.
 
The Bulldogs (5-1, 2-0 MW) then drove the length of the field for a potential go-ahead touchdown but Hugh Nelson II picked off a Jake Haener pass near the goal line to seal it.
 
The win was UH's first win over a ranked opponent in more than a decade and snapped a six-game home losing streak to the Bulldogs.
 
Freshman quarterback Brayden Schager started his first career game in place of an injured Chevan Cordeiro and threw two fourth quarter touchdowns to erase a 14-point deficit. Schager finished with 116 yards and touchdowns to Caleb Phillips and Calvin Turner Jr.
 
Turner added a rushing touchdown on UH's opening possession and Dae Dae Hunter carried the ball 21 times for 127 yards to lead the rushing attack. The Warriors finished with 232 yards on the ground, eclipsing 200 yards for the third time this season.
 
UH started fast with a forced fumble turned into a Turner touchdown. The Warriors converted a Shipley field goal on their second and went up 10-0 before Fresno State reeled off 24 unanswered points and take a 24-10 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
Trailing 24-10 in the fourth quarter, the Warriors scored 17 unanswered of their own. UH closed to within a touchdown early in the fourth quarter after a 26-yard scoring strike from Schaeger to Phillips, which was set-up by Bethley's second interception of the evening.
 
With UH's offense struggling, the defense came up with six forced turnovers – three in each half – which was the most since 2011. The Warriors scored 17 points off those turnovers. Haener, the nation's leader in passing yards, finished 28-of-50 for 388 yards and three touchdowns along with four interceptions. 
 
The Warriors will now enjoy a bye before returning to action on Saturday, Oct. 16 for another  nationally-televised matchup at Nevada. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PT/4:30 p.m. HT.