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GAME DAY BLOG: Fresno State rallies for victory over Hawaii

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Fresno State quarterback Jorge Reyna throws the football against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during the first half.
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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM

Fresno State quarterback Jorge Reyna throws the football against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during the first half.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald celebrates his touchdown in the second quarter.
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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM

Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald celebrates his touchdown in the second quarter.

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                                Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald runs in for a touchdown in the second quarter.
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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM

Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald runs in for a touchdown in the second quarter.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Fresno State quarterback Jorge Reyna throws the football against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during the first half.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald celebrates his touchdown in the second quarter.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
                                Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald runs in for a touchdown in the second quarter.

Editor’s Note: This blog will be updated during the game. Bookmark this page and refresh for updates.

9:45 p.m.

Cesar Silva nails a 37-yard field goal as time expires to deliver Fresno State a 41-38 victory over Hawaii tonight at Aloha Stadium.

It was the Bulldogs’ sixth consecutive victory over the Warriors in the 50th State.

9:35 p.m.

Chevan Cordeiro scrambles and sheds a would-be tackler for a 10-yard TD to tie it at 31 with 1:08 to play.

The drive began when Darius Muasau recovered an onside kick, and was extended on a roughing penalty against an FS player.

9:25 p.m.

The Warriors close to 38-31 on Miles Reed’s 3-yard run with 2:23 to play.

The score was set up by Chevan Cordeiro’s 50-yard pass to Nick Mardner.

9:10 p.m.

The Warriors’ best drive of the second half runs out of downs.

FS stops UH short of the goal line on fourth-and-goal.

8:55 p.m.

Jorge Reyna throws a 26-yard scoring pass to tight end Jared Rice to widen the Bulldogs’ lead to 38-24 with 10:06 to play.

The Bulldogs have outscored the Warriors, 24-0, in the second half.

8:40 p.m.

It’s been all Bulldogs in the third quarter. They have scored 17 unanswered points since the halftime show, with Ronnie Rivers’ second TD of the half — from 4 yards — breaks a 24-all tie with 1:07 left in the third period.

8:30 p.m.

Cesar Silva hits a 22-yard field goal to tie it at 24 with 4:19 to play in the third quarter.

The drive was extended when Fresno converted three third-down plays — two on penalties, one on a 17-yard completion on third-and-14.

8:05 p.m.

Rivers runs deep … and fast.

Ronnie Rivers sprints 44 yards on Fresno’s opening drive of the second half to cut the deficit to 24-21 witih 13:09 left in the third quarter.

7:41 p.m.

FS kicker Cesar Silva’s attempt from 56 yards is short as time expires in the first half.

The Warriors, despite incurring seven penalties for 80 yards, leads 24-14 at the intermission.

7:35 p.m.

Cole McDonald and JoJo Ward collaborate on a 48-yard scoring pass to boost the Warriors to 24-14 with 23 seconds left in the first half.

7:30 p.m.

On the end around, Jalen Cropper goes 53 yards for a touchdown to draw the Bulldogs to 17-14 with 1:06 to play in the first half.

7:27 p.m.

Ryan Meskell drills a field goal from 50 yards to extend UH’s lead to 17-7 with 2:35 to play.

7:25 p.m.

Hawaii gets the ball back when FS quarterback Jorge Reyna is ruled to have fumbled when he was hit by rush end Kaimana Padello while preparing to throw. Darius Muasau recovered at the FS 32.

7:15 p.m.

Fred Holly goes a yard up the middle to give UH a 14-7 lead with 3:35 to play.

The drive was kept alive after Holly ran 32 yards to the FS 1. Cole McDonald pitched the ball to Holly, who could not secure the ball. The refs ruled it was an incomplete pass. After a review, the call stood, meaning the pitch did not go backward. Holly scored on the next play.

6:55 p.m.

With his receivers covered, quarterback Cole McDonald takes matters into his own legs, running 6 yards for a TD to tie it at 7 with 9:23 to play. McDonald lowered his shoulder pads and bulled past two would-be defenders en route to the end zone.

6:50 p.m.

With the corners giving cushion, the Bulldogs are essentially in a five-across zone in the secondary. UH’s deep routes are leading to dead ends. UH’s first-quarter drives ended in two punts and a fourth-down stop.

The Bulldogs lead 7-0 entering the second quarter.

6:35 p.m.

The Bulldogs fail to extend lead when Cesar Silva’s 35-yard FG attempt goes wide right. The Bulldogs still lead, 7-0, with 3:01 left in the first quarter.

6:30 p.m.

Wide receiver Jalen Cropper tosses an option pass to Dane Pope for a 36-yard touchdown, giving the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 6:29 left in the first quarter.

The drive was extended when Josh Hokit pounded his way 3 yards on a fourth-and-1 play.

6 p.m.

The Warriors win the coin toss, and decide to receive the opening kickoff.

* * * * * *

Slight change to the intros.

Most of the team ran out in unison through a cloud of green smoke, with the defense starters announced.

PREGAME

It’s rivalry day with Hawaii playing host to Fresno State today at Aloha Stadium.

This is the 52nd meeting between the teams.The Bulldogs lead the series, 28-22-1, but it’s all tied up, at 14-all, in Honolulu.

The teams are led by multi-skilled QBs — Fresno State’s Jorge Reyna and Hawaii’s Cole McDonald.

A top battle will between FS end Mykal Walker and UH left tackle Ilm Manning. Walker was one of the league’s top ends last year. He moved to middle linebacker in training camp, but has shifted back to end.

Another interesting battle: UH running back Miles Reed and FS safety Wylan Free are cousins.

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