SAN JOSE, Calif. – The Hawai'i football team battled all the way to the finish but ultimately fell, 27-14, in the season finale at San Jose State on Saturday at CEFCU Stadium.
The Rainbow Warriors finish their first season under head coach Timmy Chang at 3-10 overall and 2-6 in Mountain West play, finishing fifth in the West Division. The loss was UH's first to the Spartans on the road since 2011, snapping a streak of three straight wins in San Jose.
The Hawai'i offense managed just a pair of field goals in the first half, but the defense held the Spartans to 184 yards of offense through 30 minutes to keep the deficit at 14-6. After San Jose State struck first, UH responded with field goals on its next two drives – the second of which was set up by a Virdel Edwards II interception – to make it 7-6.
The Spartans found the end zone with a minute to play in the half to stretch their lead going into the break, when former UH quarterback
Chevan Cordeiro tossed his second TD of the half to Elijah Cooks on a 7-yard score.
San Jose State added to its lead after halftime, scoring the first 10 points of the second half to go up 24-6, but the Warriors fought back with a touchdown on their next drive to trim the Spartan lead.
Steven Fiso provided a spark off the bench to help UH find the end zone for the first time, catching two passes for 49 yards on the drive that he capped off with a 22-yard reception from
Brayden Schager to cut the deficit to 24-14.
The Spartans tacked on a field goal on their ensuing drive, but the Warriors put together another long drive on their next possession to stay in it. UH marched 52 yards in 15 plays, but couldn't punch it in as a sack on a fourth-and-goal play sealed the win for San Jose State.
Despite finishing with just 14 points, the Hawai'i offense started to find its footing in the second half. Schager went 16-of-22 for 162 yards and a touchdown in the second half, and ended the game with 230 passing yards and a touchdown on 25-of-45 passing.
Logan Taylor led the way defensively once again, finishing with a team-high 13 tackles and became the first Hawai'i player to record double-digit tackles in six straight games since Jacob Espiau in 2001. Taylor also finishes the season as UH's leading tackler with 85, despite getting significant snaps in only the final seven games.
