GAME DAY BLOG: University of Hawaii falls to Boise State in Mountain West Championship
STEVEN ERLER / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
The University of Hawaii team practices on the Albertsons Stadium field before facing the Broncos in the Mountain West Championship.
Editor’s Note: This blog will be updated during the game. Bookmark this page and refresh for updates.
UPDATE: Final
Boise State beats Hawaii, 31-10, to win the Mountain West title.
1:40 p.m.
Miles Reed scores on a 21-yard run to cut UH’s deficit to 31-10 with 12 minutes to play.
Reed rushed for 59 yards during the eight-play, 75-yard drive.
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>> Click here for photos from the Hawaii-Boise State game
1:30 p.m.
The Broncos don’t waste any time — again — as Jaylon Henderson scores on a 5-yard run to increase the lead to 31-3 with 18 seconds left in the third quarter.
The drive was set up when nose tackle Sonatane Lui stripped the ball free from Cole McDonald.
The Broncos score two touchdowns in 49 seconds in the third quarter. They ended the second quarter with two touchdowns 53 seconds apart.
1:24 p.m.
The Broncos extend their lead to 24-3 lead with 1:09 left in the third quarter.
On third-and-goal from the 4, the Broncos all moved to the right and Khalil Shakir, on a reverse, took the pitch and ran around the vacated left side for his second TD of the game.
1:12 p.m.
The Warriors’ second drive of the second half ends with their first punt of the game.
The Warriors have been undone by five false starts.
1:01 p.m.
The Warriors’ opening drive of the second half advances to the BSU 5.
But two dropped passes and a fourth-down pass that was wide of slotback Lincoln Victor ended the scoreless drive.
The Broncos still lead, 17-3, with 9:12 left in the third quarter.
12:27 p.m.
The Broncos come right back and score on a 36-yard TD pass from Jaylon Henderson to John Hightower with 14 seconds left in the half.
Hightower soared for the catch, made a spin move, and raced into the end zone.
It’s 17-3 entering the intermission.
12:17 p.m.
The Broncos take a 10-3 lead on Jaylon Henderson’s 36-yard scoring pass to Khalil Shakir with 1:07 left in the first half. The drive was preceded by Kekoa Nawahine’s interception of Cole McDonald in the end zone.
12:05 p.m.
Kekoa Nawahine intercepts Cole McDonald’s 36-yard pass in the end zone, giving possession back to the Broncos with 3:44 left in the first half.
It’s still 3-3.
12 p.m.
No harm, no foul.
UH forces a punt following its failed attempt at the BSU 1.
The Warriors will have the ball at their 30 with 5:10 left in the second quarter of a game tied at 3.
11:51 a.m.
The Warriors appeared to take a 6-3 lead on Ryan Meskell’s apparent 21-yard field goal. But the Broncos were offsides, and head coach Nick Rolovich accepted the penalty, moving the ball to the 1. On fourth-and-goal, quarterback Cole McDonald’s keeper was inches short of the goal line. Nose tackle Sonatane Lui and Rile Whimpey combined on the stop.
11:40 a.m.
It’s all tied at 3 after one quarter.
The Warriors face a second-and-1 from their 34 when play resumes.
11:33 a.m.
Smart move by BSU marketing folks. They’re selling 2020 season tickets.
11:30 a.m.
The Broncos’ 15-play drive ends with Eric Sachse’s 34-yard field goal with 30 seconds to play in the first quarter.
UH linebacker Jeremiah Pritchard was offsides on the play, but the Broncos declined the penalty, which would not have resulted in a first down. Never take points off the board, as the saying goes.
11:14 a.m.
Hawaii takes a 3-0 lead on Ryan Meskell’s 47-yard field goal with 6:44 left in the first quarter.
The drive was kept alive on Cole McDonald’s two-yard pass to Cedric Byrd on fourth-and-1. An offsides penalty moved Meskell’s FG attempt from 52 yards to 47.
11:11 a.m.
Hawaii holds. In four games, UH has forced three opening punts.
Boise State wins the toss and elects to receive the opening kickoff.
This is the fourth game in a row the Warriors will open on defense. In the past three games, UH has allowed one TD but forced two punts on the first drive.
11 a.m.
Unlike the usual intros, this time all the Boise State players carried a hammer while running onto the field.
Let’s goooooooo!#HawaiiFB #LiveAlohaPlayWarrior pic.twitter.com/oUSpBmugGg
— Hawaii Football (@HawaiiFootball) December 7, 2019
PREGAME
Oh, the Warriors have won football titles before. But this is the first time in the program’s history the Warriors will be playing in a championship game.
The Warriors are zip-for-seven in games played at what is now known as Albertsons Stadium. But Boise Stat lost the last time it hosted a MW title game.
The Broncos are in all black. The Warriors are in white jerseys with black pants.
