HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i football team again saw itself in a tight battle late, but Wyoming used a big fourth quarter to hand the Rainbow Warriors a 27-20 loss on Saturday at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex.
 
The Rainbow Warriors (2-7, 1-3 MW) surrendered 365 yards on the ground, averaging 8.3 yards per carry, with 364 yards coming from the second quarter on. Wyoming also out-gained Hawai'i 441-350 in total offense, including a 437-225 deficit from the second quarter on.
 
All three of the Warriors' conference losses have been decided by one score and by a total of just 13 points.
 
The Cowboys (6-3, 4-1 MW) took control of the game late, scoring 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Dawaiian McNealy broke off a 60-yard scoring run to give Wyoming the lead at the 12:09 mark, before the Cowboys went on a nine-play, 61-yard drive capped off by quarterback Andrew Peasley's four-yard run to make it 27-13 with 4:12 left.
 
Hawai'i cut into the deficit with a touchdown on the following drive, quickly driving 75 yards in nine plays with sophomore quarterback Brayden Schager finding senior wideout Zion Bowens for a 20-yard score with 1:40 left in the game, making it 27-20. The Rainbow Warriors attempted an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, but the Cowboys recovered to seal the game.
 
UH got on the board first, going on a 13-play, 67-yard drive on their second possession of the game to go up 7-0. Schager went 6-of-9 for 57 yards on the drive that was capped off by a 22-yard touchdown pass to Dedrick Parson on third down.
 
UH stretched its lead to 10-0 with a Matthew Shipley 29-yard field goal early in the second quarter, set up by freshman safety Peter Manuma's first career interception, returning it 18 yards to give Hawai'i the ball at the Wyoming 30-yard line.
 
Wyoming came alive in the second quarter, going 75 yards in four plays on their first drive of the second frame, capped off by Peasley's 35-yard touchdown run. The Cowboys tied things up at 10 with a field goal at the 1:54 mark of the second quarter.
 
The Hawai'i defense came up with two big stops in the second quarter to help keep the game tied at halftime. Manuma came away with his second interception of the game on a pass that Peasley floated over the middle after being hit by senior defensive back Malik Hausman before the UH defense forced a three-and-out on Wyoming's final drive of the half.
 
The two teams traded long field goal drives to start the second half. Wyoming took the lead after eating up the first 7:26 of the third quarter to kick a 38-yard field goal before Hawai'i went 76 yards in 13 plays to set up a Shipley 20-yard field goal with 2:08 left in the quarter.
 
Manuma turned in the second multi-interception game of the year by a Rainbow Warrior and added a sack and forced fumble to go along with his two picks. He is also one of just four UH players since 2000 to record multiple interceptions and a sack in a game. Logan Taylor led the team in tackles for the second-straight week, finishing with 13 stops, a sack, and 1.5 tackles for loss to give him 29 tackles in the last two games.
 
Freshman running back Tylan Hines led the way offensively, rushing for a career-high 103 yards on 11 carries, while Schager threw multiple TD passes for the first time this year, finishing with two to go along with 205 yards through the air.

Hawai'i also honored its 1992 WAC and Holiday Bowl Championship teams, as several dozen players from that team were recognized on the field between the first and second quarters. 
 
The Rainbow Warriors head back on the road next week to take on Fresno State Saturday at 4:30 p.m. HT.