University of Hawaii football team wins first game on campus 49-35 over Portland State
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Hawaii players celebrated after senior Pita Tonga (49) intercepted a pass in the first quarter against Portland State at Clarence T.C. Ching Complex on the UH campus.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Hawaii defensive back Nalu Emerson hauls in a pass for a touchdown over Portland State safety David Joseph.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Hawaii quarterback Chevan Cordeiro cuts between Portland State safety Xavier Bell (2) and defensive lineman Kennedy Freeman (46) during the first half.
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM
Hawaii running back Dedrick Parson celebrates in the end zone after a touchdown against the Portland State Vikings during the first half.
The University of Hawaii football team bounced back from an ugly season-opening loss with touchdowns on its first four drives in a 49-35 win over FCS member Portland State tonight.
It was the first UH football game played on campus at Clarence T.C. Ching Complex. Fans were not allowed to attend due to COVID-19 protocols regarding large gatherings.
They would have had a lot of reasons to make noise in person, as UH lit up the scoreboard with four touchdowns in the first quarter.
Quarterback Chevan Cordeiro threw touchdown passes to Nick Mardner and Jared Smart and senior Calvin Turner took his first official rushing attempt of the season 34 yards to the house, running from one sideline to the other in another highlight-reel play to add to his resume.
>> PHOTOS: Hawaii hosts Portland State in home opener
>> GAMEDAY BLOG: Hawaii faces Portland State
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Dedrick Parson added a 17-yard scoring run with 22 seconds left in the quarter to push UH’s lead to 28-0.
Hawaii held a comfortable lead until allowing two touchdowns in eight seconds late in the third quarter.
After a touchdown pass from Davis Alexander to Beau Kelly, Turner, who muffed two punts earlier in the game that were recovered by UH, allowed the ensuing kickoff to bounce through his legs.
The ball rolled all the way into the end zone and was recovered by Tyreese Shakir for a Vikings touchdown.
PSU forced a turnover on downs at midfield and had the ball with a chance to make it a one-possession game.
It failed to convert on a fourth down and Hawaii’s Dae Dae Hunter ran 59 yards for a touchdown to put the game away with 9:58 remaining.
Cordeiro finished 18-for-25 for 305 yards and three touchdowns but was picked once and fumbled the ball away once inside the PSU 5.
Hunter rushed for 128 of Hawaii’s 268 total ground yards.
Alexander, who made an 11-yard TD pass to Nick Bennett for the final score with 1:13 remaining, threw for 400 yards and three TDs for the Vikings, who are four years removed from an 0-11 season.
