At the beginning of the year the Las Vegas oddsmakers set the win total for the University of Hawaii football team at a meager 5 1/2. Given the degree of difficulty of this year’s schedule it might have been a wise bet to take the under and live to see another day.

But Rainbow Warriors quarterbacks Cole McDonald and Chevan Cordeiro have spent most of this season defying the odds trying to overcome a porous defense that is among the worst in the country, and so many stupid penalties and untimely turnovers that have plagued this program all season.

Such was the case again tonight as UH blew a 10-point halftime to fall behind by 14 only to catch up with 1:08 remaining in the game only to lose on a last-second drive that resulted in a 37-yard field goal by Cesar Silva as time expired. The kick gave Fresno State a 41-38 win in a key Mountain West Conference game before a sparse Aloha Stadium crowd of 17,583 that Hawaii had a chance to win despite all the mistakes.

The loss dropped Hawaii to 5-4 for the season and 3-3 in MWC play. The Bulldogs are to 4-5 overall and 2-2 in league action. Hawaii hosts San Jose State next Saturday. Fresno State heads home for a game with Utah State.

FINAL: Fresno State 41, #HawaiiFB 38

Bulldogs nail a 37-yarder as time expires. Cordeiro-led UH rally is for naught and the Rainbow Warriors (5-4, 2-3 MWC) hopes of a West Division title are effectively dashed by their longtime rival. pic.twitter.com/Kd0b2hAtwy

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— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) November 3, 2019

And yes, Hawaii is still under the win total for the season despite McDonald, who completed 21 of 42 passes for 275 yards and one touchdown, and Cordeiro, who hit five of nine passes for 71 yards and one score. Cordeiro also ran for the game-tying score from 10 yards out to tie it, but it wasn’t enough as the Bullogs rallied for the win.

McDonald also ran for another in a key moment in the first half as UH tried to overcome another slow start, but couldn’t sustain much offensively in the second half until the late stages of the fourth quarter with Cordeiro coming off the bench to lead the charge.

Trailing 31-24 after getting outscored 17-0 in the third, Hawaii tried to get back in it with the passing game, but this wasn’t always one of McDonald’s best nights as he threw a pick early in the fourth quarter, putting UH in a world of trouble. The Bulldogs converted the miscue into a 26-yard touchdown pass from Jorge Reyna to Jared Rice to put the game out of reach. Silva hit the PAT to make it 38-24 with 10:04 remaining in the game. Reyna hit 17 of 27 passes for 188 yards and one touchdown. Rivers ran the ball 19 times for 103 yards and two scores. The Bulldogs managed 514 yards offensively. UH countered with 555.

The Warriors scored a touchdown late on a 3-yard run by Miles Reed to pull within 38-31 with 2:13 remaining, and then recovered the onside kick at the Bulldogs’ 49 with backup quarterback Cordeiro in control.

#HawaiiFB coach Nick Rolovich talked about the decision he has to make at quarterback looking ahead and his team’s copious penalties against Fresno State. pic.twitter.com/W4lPXPURUs

— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) November 3, 2019

Trailing by 10 to start the third quarter, Fresno State got the ball first and went quickly down the field to score on a 44-yard touchdown run by Rivers as Silva hit the PAT to make it 24-21 with 13:09 remaining in the quarter. After holding Hawaii on downs, Fresno State took over at its own 26 and marched steadily down the field toward another score. Several UH penalties helped the Bulldogs along the way, but eventually they settled for a 22-yard field goal by Silva to make it 24-24 with 4:19 remaining in the third.

And the Bulldogs weren’t done yet. After forcing a UH punt, Fresno once again moved through the UH defense as if it wasn’t even there, going 62 yards on six plays with Rivers scoring from 4 yards out. Silva hit the PAT to make it 31-24 with 1:07 remaining in the quarter.

Fresno State struck first with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Cropper to fellow wide receiver Zane Pope on a trick play midway through the opening quarter to make it 7-0 with 6:29 remaining. Silva made the PAT, but wasn’t as fortunate on his next effort.

On the ensuing series, Hawaii was stopped at its own 30 on a failed quarterback sneak on fourth down needing a single yard. But the Hawaii defense held, forcing a 35-yard field-goal attempt that Silva pushed wide right.

#HawaiiFB defensive end Kaimana Padello addressed some of his team’s shortcomings against Fresno State. pic.twitter.com/ctnsoqhv1w

— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) November 3, 2019

Trailing 7-0 after one, Hawaii began the second period with the ball and a new-found enthusiasm as the Rainbow Warriors went 82 yards on nine plays, the last 6 on a bruising keeper by McDonald with 9:23 left in the second quarter. Ryan Meskell hit the PAT to even things up at 7 to get the fans back in it.

After the defense forced a pair of three-and-outs, the UH offense was on the move again as the clock ticked steadily toward intermission. A 32-yard run by Fred Holly III set up a first-and- goal from the 1. Two snaps later UH converted on a run inside by Holly and Meskell hit the PAT to make it 14-7 UH with 3:35 remaining in the half. The drive was 84 yards on 11 plays as momentum had definitely traded places on the field.

Hawaii forced a fumble on the ensuing series that resulted in a 50-yard field goal by Meskell as the ball just cleared the cross bar. It gave UH a 17-7 advantage with 2:37 remaining in the second quarter. But Fresno State responded with a 52-yard touchdown run by Cropper to cut the margin to 17-14 with 1:06 remaining in the half. Facing third-and-5, the Bulldogs ran a little misdirection that caught the Warriors sleeping. Silva hit the PAT to cut the lead to three.

That was short-lived, however, as UH responded with a late touchdown of its own as McDonald threw a 48-yard strike to a wide-open JoJo Ward. Meskell made the PAT to extend UH’s lead to 24-14 with 23 seconds remaining. Thanks to a pair of 15-yard penalties, the Bulldogs got a shot at a 56-yard field goal that Silva left short in the humid Honolulu air.

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