University of Hawai'i at Manoa Athletics

Post-game Notes
Hawai‘i at Nevada 
Sept. 28, 2019
Mackay Stadium – Reno, Nev.
 

SERIES INFORMATION

• UH ended a five-game losing streak in Reno and picked up its first win there since 2007.
• It was only UH’s second win in Reno in 10 tries. UH improved to 10-14 overall against the Wolf Pack.
• The 51-point margin of victory was UH’s largest in 10 all-time wins over Nevada.
• Eight of the last nine meetings have been decided by double-digits.
• This marked the fourth time since 2012 that Nevada was Hawai‘i’s conference-opening opponent (2012, ’13, and ’16). UH is now 2-2 in those games.

 
STREAKS/TRENDS

• With the win, UH ended a 10-game losing streak in the state of Nevada, dating back to 2009.
• UH is tied with Auburn for the longest streak in the country at 135 games without allowing a punt block. Hawai‘i last had a punt blocked by Notre Dame in 2008.

 
TEAM NOTES

• UH’s 51-point win was its largest margin of victory in a Mountain West road game. The previous mark was 17 points at San Jose State (34-17) in 2016.
• It also marked the second-largest margin of victory ever in a conference road game (WAC & MW). The largest is 53 points (63-10 at Utah State, 2006).
• It’s the third-largest overall road win (55-0 at Redlands, 1948; 63-10 at Utah State, 2006).
• UH’s 31-3 halftime lead was its second largest ever in a road game, second only to UH’s 41-10 lead at Idaho in 2007 (per Elias Sports Bureau).
• UH’s 54 points were its most on the road since 2013 (59-56 loss at Wyoming).
• The three points were the least allowed by UH on the road since a shutout of San Jose State in 2014.
• UH went turnover-free for the first time this season, while generating a season-high three takeaways (two interceptions, fumble recovery).
• The 203 yards by Nevada was the least yards allowed by UH this season.
• UH scored 24 points in the second quarter, it’s most explosive quarter this season.
• UH built a 28-0 lead for the second straight game.
• UH owns a 4-4 mark in Mountain West openers.
• UH is 8-13 in road/neutral games under head coach Nick Rolovich, including a 7-6 mark in Mountain West road games.
• The Warriors are 5-5 in their last 10 national TV games dating back to last season. Prior to 2018, UH was 2-36 in their previous 38 nationally-televised games.

 
INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Cole McDonald completed his first seven passes and finished 25-of-30 for 312 yards and four touchdowns.
• McDonald has thrown for at least one touchdown in 17 of 18 games dating back to last season.
• McDonald has thrown for at least 300 yards in four of five games this year and has 11 such games for his career.
• McDonald moved past Dru Brown (5,273) for sixth on the school’s all-time passing yardage list and now has 5,526 passing yards for this career.
• McDonald is 105 yards behind Garrett Gabriel (5,631) for the No. 5 spot
• McDonald also moved into UH’s top five in total offense with 6,124 yards.
• Cedric Byrd II scored on touchdown catches of 36, 2, and 20 yards.
• Byrd II has found the endzone in four of five games.
• Byrd II scored multiple touchdowns in a game for the second time this season and for the fourth time in his career.
• Byrd’s 29-yard run late in the second quarter on a kneel-down fumblerooski was UH’s longest rush from scrimmage this season.
• Jason-Matthew Sharsh set career highs in receptions (9) and receiving yards (123) while finding the endzone for the first time this year with a 12-yard catch in the third quarter.
• It marked Sharsh’s first-ever 100-yard game.
• Ryan Meskell set a new career-long when he nailed a 44-yard field goal at the end of the first half.
• UH blocked its first punt of the year when Andrew Choi stuffed a Nevada punt in the second quarter that Justice Aufaga returned 2 yards for a UH touchdown.
• The last time UH scored off a blocked punt was last year vs. Navy.
• Sophomore quarterback Justin Uahinui saw his first career action and tossed a 14-yard touchdown to Robert Funkhouser late in the game, the first touchdown for both players. 
• True freshman Bubba Wa‘a made his first career start at right guard. He’s the third different player in as many games to start at right guard.
• Junior linebacker Jeremiah Pritchard returned to action for the first time in three games and got the start, finishing with a pair of tackles
• Kalen Hicks recorded his first career interception with a pick of Christian Solona in the third quarter. Hicks finished with a team-high seven tackles. 
• Ikem Okeke also snatched an interception, his second this season