NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Hawai'i football team went toe-to-toe with a Southeastern Conference team on the road before eventually falling to Vanderbilt 35-28 Saturday in the season-opener at FirstBank Stadium.
 
Quarterback Brayden Schager thew for a career-high 351 yards and three touchdowns and directed a pair of fourth quarter scores to pull the Rainbow Warriors (0-1) to within seven. After Hawai'i took over possession with 2:14 remaining, Schager's pass was picked off by De'Rickey Wright and the Commodores (1-0) ran out the clock.
 
Hawai'i saw its road losing streak extend to seven but not before its new-look Run-and-Shoot offense put up 391 yards of total offense and its attacking defense limited Vanderbilt to 297 yards. Three of the Commodores' touchdowns came from a kickoff return for touchdown and two drives starting inside the Hawai'i 40.
 
After Vanderbilt opened up a 35-14 lead early in the fourth quarter, Schager started the UH rally with a 3-yard touchdown to Pofele Ashlock. He connected again with Ashlock on a 50-yard reception that led to a 1-yard scoring run by Dalen Morris. Schager completed 8-of-11 for 121 yards on those two drives.
 
Ashlock, a redshirt freshman from Euless, Texas, finished with seven catches for a team-high 127 yards.
 
AJ Swann threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns for the Commodores.
 
In the first quarter, a bad punt by Hawai'i gave the Commodores a short field leading to a touchdown and a 6-0 lead. The Warriors quickly marched downfield and capped an eight-play, 75-yard drive with a 9-yard touchdown from Schager to Steven McBride. Schager completed all five passes on the drive for a 7-6 lead.
 
But that lead was short-lived and on the ensuing kickoff, Vanderbilt responded with a 97-yard kickoff return by Jayden McGowan to retake the lead. The Commodores forced another UH punt and then marched for another score and a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter.
 
UH bounced right back and Schager found McBride on a 45-yard touchdown on 4^th and 4, closing the deficit to 21-14. The Warriors stopped the Dores on fourth down and then marched downfield again to the Vanderbilt 1. Solo Vaipulu rumbled 23 yards on his first career reception. But a UH penalty negated a touchdown and on the next play, Schager's pass was intercepted in the end zone.
 
Vanderbilt tacked on another touchdown in the third quarter and scored again early in the fourth quarter after a 32-yard touchdown pass from Swann to London Humphreys for a 35-14 lead.
 
After Morris' touchdown pulled Hawai'i to within a score, UH then appeared to recover the ensuing onside kick but Nick Cenacle was ruled out of bounds before securing the loose ball. The Warriors forced the Dores to punt but Schager threw his second interception to end the game.
 
The Warriors return to Honolulu for their home opener against Stanford, Friday, Sept. 1 in a nationally televised game on CBS Sports Network. Kick-off is 5:00 p.m.