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University of Hawai'i at Manoa Athletics

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Gang tackle at SDSU
Russ Cannon
24
Hawaii HAW 2-3 , 0-1
27
Winner San Diego State SDS 2-3 , 1-0
Hawaii HAW
2-3 , 0-1
24
Final
27
San Diego State SDS
2-3 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
HAW Hawaii 3 7 7 7 24
SDS San Diego State 3 14 3 7 27

Game Recap: Football |

San Diego State Out-Duels Rainbow Warriors in MW Opener

SAN DIEGO -- In an exciting back-and-forth affair, the University of Hawai'i football team fell just short in a 27-24 setback to San Diego State in the Mountain West opener for both teams Saturday at SnapDragon Stadium.

Marquez Cooper rushed 30 times for 109 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score midway through the fourth quarter. The win snapped the Aztecs's three-game losing streak while giving SDSU (2-3, 1-0) their fifth straight win in their series versus the Rainbow Warriors.

UH (2-3, 0-1) lost despite a gritty effort by senior quarterback Brayden Schager who threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns while connecting with 11 different players. He also gained better than 50 yards and picked up key first downs on the ground.

However it wasn't quite enough in a game that was tight throughout. The teams traded points in the first half before the Aztecs took a 17-10 lead into the break after a 16-yard connection from Danny O'Neil to Louis Brown IV with just eight seconds left. 

The Aztecs extended their lead to 20-10 with a 43-yard field goal midway through the third quarter. But UH responded strong with touchdowns on each of their next two possessions. Schager found Pofele Ashlock for a 6-yard touchdown to make it a 20-17 lead late in the third. It marked the fourth straight game the sophomore receiver found the endzone.

UH then took its first lead of the game, 24-20, at the 9:39 mark after Schager directed a 14-play, 89-yard drive that was punctuated by a 23-yard catch and run by Nick Cenacle.

The lead was short-lived as SDSU answered with an eight-play, 87-yard drive in less than three minutes. A 48-yard bomb from O'Neil to Nate Bennett help fuel the game-winning drive that was capped by Cooper's 2-yd scoring run with 7:30 left. 

There was no quit in the Rainbow Warriors who converted on a 4th-and-18 on a Schager to Ashlock pass play on the ensuing possession. But the 'Bows were not able to convert on their next fourth-down scenario, a 4th-and-5 from the SDSU 31 yard line. and the Aztecs ultimately were able to run down the majority of the clock thereafter.

Ashlock finished with eight catches for 77 yards and a touchdown. UH senior lineman Elijah Robinson had a career-high 11 tackles and had three of UH's 10 tackles for loss as the Warriors limited the Aztecs to just 2.9 yards per carry on the ground. 

UH will return home for a showdown with nationally-ranked Boise State next Saturday, Oct. 12. Kickoff is 5 p.m. at the Ching Complex.

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