HONOLULU – The Hawai'i football team opened the 2022 season with a 63-10 loss to Vanderbilt in a nonconference game before a sold-out crowd at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex Saturday.
 
A pair of costly turnovers and a big third quarter by the Commodores was the difference in the first Hawai'i season opener played before fans since 2019. Vandy scored touchdowns twice on fumble returns while outscoring the Rainbow Warriors 35-0 in the third quarter to put the game away.
 
The 'Bows struck first with an eight-play, 75-yard opening drive capped off by a Dedrick Parson 37-yard touchdown run. Sophomore quarterback Brayden Schager went 4-for-6 for 35 yards on the drive, highlighted by a big third-down completion to senior wide receiver Zion Bowens to set up the Parson run two plays later.
 
Vanderbilt jumped in front late in the opening quarter with touchdowns on back-to-back plays from scrimmage to make it 14-7. After a one-yard touchdown pass to cap off a 90-yard scoring drive, Vandy's Max Worship forced a Parson fumble that was caught out of the air by Anfernee Orji and returned 28 yards for a score.
 
Hawai'i responded with a Matthew Shipley 40-yard field goal on the ensuing drive to cut the deficit to 14-10, but the Commodores answered with another touchdown drive to go up 21-10 with 6:01 left in the half.
 
The Commodores added to their lead after halftime, going 75 yards in three plays on the opening drive of the third quarter before adding another score with a 62-yard drive, making it 35-10 at the 9:39 mark. Vandy came up with its second fumble return touchdown of the game on the following UH drive, as the Commodores' CJ Taylor scooped up Parson's second fumble of the game and ran it 14 yards for a score.
 
Vanderbilt found the end zone two more times in the third quarter, scoring on an 87-yard run and 15-yard pass to make it 56-10.  
 
Senior wide receiver Jonah Panoke turned in a career day, setting career-highs with 101 yards on seven receptions while Parson ran for 82 yards and a score on 13 carries. Senior safety Leonard Lee and junior cornerback Virdel Edwards II led the way with six tackles each, and Lee added a pass breakup and two QB hurries in his first career start.
 
The Rainbow Warriors are back in action at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex on Saturday, Sept. 3 against Western Kentucky at 6 p.m.