HONOLULU — University of Hawai'i quarterback Brayden Schager threw a career-high four touchdown passes and key defensive stops in the fourth quarter helped the Rainbow Warriors notch their first win of the season with a 31-20 victory over UAlbany on Saturday at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex.
 
Schager completed 23 of 40 passes for 266 yards and threw for at least three touchdowns for the third straight game. Wide receiver Steven McBride finished with seven receptions for 72 yards and two touchdowns, the second giving the Warriors the 11-point cushion with 3:20 left in the game.
 
Several Warriors contributed breakout performances to the breakthrough victory. Wide receiver Jonah Panoke finished with four receptions for 47 yards in his season debut and caught Schager's first touchdown pass of the game. Jalen Walthall also posted his first two receptions of the season, including a 34-yard touchdown in the third quarter to break a 17-17 tie.
 
Running back Jordan Johnson saw his first action of the season and led the Warriors with 76 rushing yards on 11 carries. Nasjzae Bryant-Lelei added 35 yards on his first eight carries of 2023.
 
With the Warriors protecting a 24-20 lead going into the fourth quarter, UAlbany twice started drives in UH territory. But linebacker Isaiah Tufaga came up with a stop on fourth down at the UH 17 to thwart a threat. On the Great Danes' next possession, linebacker Noah Kema scooped up a fumbled option pitch and returned it 41 yards to set up UH's final scoring drive of the game.
 
UH finished with 379 yards in total offense while holding UAlbany to 239 and extended its winning streak against Football Championship Subdivision opponents to 20 dating back to 2001. Safety Peter Manuma led the Warriors with eight tackles and defensive lineman Ezra Evaimalo had three of UH's nine tackles for loss, including two sacks.
 
UH's special teams set up the game's first score when Karsyn Pupunu blocked a punt on UAlbany's opening possession and Kema recovered at the 12. The Warriors took the lead on Matthew Shipley's 25-yard field goal. 
 
UAlbany quarterback Reese Poffenbarger scored on a 41-yard keeper to give the Great Danes the lead at the 7:56 mark of the first quarter.
 
Schager connected with Pofele Ashlock on a 53-yard completion to the UAlbany 17, but the drive ended with an interception on third-and-10. The UH defense responded with its first takeaway of the season when freshman nickleback Elijah Palmer intercepted a deep pass down the left side.
 
The Warriors then put together a nine-play drive sparked by Tylan Hines' 18-yard run. Panoke's first reception of the season covered 14 yards and Bryant-Lelei picked up 15 on his first carry. On third-and-goal, Schager hit Panoke on a slant to the right for a 4-yard touchdown. Shipley's PAT pushed the Warriors ahead 10-7 with nine seconds left in the first quarter.
 
UAlbany reclaimed the lead on a 35-yard interception return by Larry Walker Jr., at the 11:35 mark of the second quarter.
 
Three possessions later, UH faced a third-and-23 when Schager lofted a throw down the left side to McBride for a 30-yard touchdown and the Warriors took a 17-14 lead with 3:43 left in the half.
 
UAlbany maintained possession for the remainder of the half in a drive that was extended by a penalty after a sack on third down. After a completion to the UH 19, UAlbany was granted a timeout with two seconds left and a 46-yard field goal send the teams into halftime tied at 17-17.
 
On UH's second possession of the second half, Panoke made a leaping snag for a 24-yard reception on third-and-12 and Johnson converted another third down with a 15-yard burst up the middle. UH faced fourth-and-6 at the UAlbany and Schager connected with Walthall down the right side for a 34-yard touchdown to give the Warriors the lead again.
 
UAlbany's third interception of the game set up a 32-yard field goal and UH took a 24-20 lead into the fourth quarter.
 
UH converted Kema's fumble return into a five-play drive with McBride twisting to snag a back-shoudler throw for his second touchdown pass of the game, and fifth of the season, to stretch the lead to 11 with 3:20 remaining.
 
UH linebacker Nalu Emerson's first career sack and another by Evaimalo stuffed UAlbany's final possession and the UH offense ran out the clock.
 
The Warriors head on the road to face their third Power 5 conference opponent of the season when they take on No. 13 Oregon (2-0) on Sept. 16 in Eugene, Ore (2 p.m. HT, Pac-12 Network).