HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i football team dropped its second game of the season, falling 49-17 to Western Kentucky in a nonconference game Saturday night at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex.
 
Mistakes proved costly for UH, as the Rainbow Warriors (0-2) turned the ball over six times, with the Hilltoppers capitalizing for 28 points off of those turnovers. Quarterbacks Brayden Schager and Joey Yellen combined to throw five interceptions, with Schager throwing four and Yellen one. Additionally, the Warriors committed 12 penalties for 109 yards.
 
The Warriors (0-2) capitalized on a WKU special teams miscue to strike first. After a three-and-out by the Hawai'i offense, Riley Wilson recovered a muffed Matthew Shipley punt at the Hilltopper 3-yard line. Penalties moved the 'Bows back, but Shipley converted a 40-yard field goal to make it 3-0 at the 11:36 mark of the first quarter.
 
WKU (2-0) seized momentum early on in the second quarter, scoring two quick touchdowns to go up 14-3. Austin Reed connected with Dalvin Smith for a five-yard score to put the Hilltoppers on the board, before Juwuan Jones intercepted a Schager pass on a screen attempt and returned it 38 yards for a TD.
 
The 'Bows would respond right back with a nine-play, 75-yard drive to cut the WKU lead to 14-10. Schager went 3-for-3 for 45 yards on the drive which was capped off by a Dedrick Parson nine-yard touchdown run. The Hilltoppers answered with a 47-yard TD pass on a flea flicker to stretch the lead back to 11 with 2:52 left until halftime.
 
WKU had a chance to add to its lead before half as Schager threw his second interception of the day to give the Hilltoppers the ball at the UH 13-yard line. The Warrior defense answered with a three-and-out, and WKU kicker Brayden Narveson's 26-yard field goal attempt bounced off the left upright to keep the score at 21-10 going into halftime.
 
After the two teams traded punts to start the third quarter, Western Kentucky capitalized on another Hawai'i turnover to make it 28-10. Schager threw his third interception of the day on a fourth-down attempt, resulting in a 42-yard return to set up a 17-yard TD pass.
 
The Hilltoppers added to their lead with a touchdown on their opening drive of the fourth quarter to go up 35-10, but the 'Bows answered with a score of their own on the ensuing drive. Schager hit a wide open Jalen Walthall for a 31-yard completion on the second play of the drive to set up Nasjzae Bryant-Lelei's first career TD run from a yard out.
 
WKU added two more touchdowns late, including one more off of a Hawai'i turnover.
 
Schager finished the game 22-of-33 for a career-high 230 passing yards coming in off the bench in relief of Yellen to start the second quarter. The Hawai'i quarterbacks did a good job of spreading the wealth in the passing game, as the 26 completions went to 11 different receivers. Bryant-Lelei led the team with a career-high 64 rushing yards on 13 carries to go along with a TD, while Parson's touchdown marked the first time in his career that he has found the end zone in back-to-back games.

Malik Hausman provided one of the highlights on the defensive side of the ball, coming away with his first interception as a Rainbow Warrior late in the third quarter. Hawai'i also held WKU to just 1-of-7 on third-down conversions.
 
The 'Bows will hit the road next week for the first time this year when they play at Michigan on Saturday at 2 p.m. HT.