Hawaii’s road woes continue in 31-13 loss to Sam Houston
HUNTSVILLE, Texas >> Hunter Watson threw three touchdown passes, including two to Qua’Vez Humphreys, and Jay Ducker rushed for 148 yards to boost Sam Houston to a 31-13 victory over Hawaii today at Bowers Stadium.
The Bearkats (2-1), who ascended to FBS status last year, controlled the clock (20 minutes, 1 second to 9:59 in the first half) and then the Rainbow Warriors. Nearly all of the Warriors’ few bright moments were dimmed by mistakes. The Warriors committed 14 penalties for 122 yards, and center Sergio Muasau was ejected after twice being called for personal fouls.
Two years ago, Watson was on the third string for Division II Arkansas-Monticello. He then led Iowa Western College to the junior college national championship last year.
Ducker rushed eight times for 23 yards in the Bearkats’ first two games. But in the Bearkats’ home opener, he had an 86-yard run to set John Gentry’s 3-yard scoring run to extend the advantage to 24-10.
The Warriors had difficulty maintaining consistency against the Bearkats, who used a mix of blitzes and eight-defender coverages.
In dropping to 1-2 overall, the Warriors lost for the 12th time in 13 road games during head coach Timmy Chang’s 29-game UH tenure.
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The Warriors cut a 17-3 halftime deficit to 24-13 on Kansei Matsuzawa’s second field goal a 27-yarder with 1:15 left in the third quarter.
But they squandered a chance to further slice into the Bearkats’ advantage. After Brayden Schager and Pofele Ashlock collaborated on a 5-yard scoring play to whittle UH’s deficit to 17-10, the Bearkats went 92 yards in five plays for a touchdown. Ducker’s 86-yard dash set up the TD.
The Warriors then advanced to the Bearkats’ 10. But back-to-back holding penalties led to a second-and-goal situation from the 30.
The Warriors compiled numerous self-inflicted mistakes in absorbing a 17-3 deficit at the intermission.
The Warriors’ final two drives of the first half exemplified their woes. After the Bearkats took 8 minutes, 10 seconds to extend their lead to 14-3 with 5;14 left in the half.
But on the second play of their ensuing possession, UH’s Schager threw high toward an open Spencer Curtis. Defensive back Caleb Weaver intercepted at the UH 41. Seven plays later, Christian Pavon hit a field goal from 26 yards to increase the Bearkats’ lead to 17-3.
The Warriors drove to midfield, and kept the drive alive when Schager gained the needed yard on a fourth-and-1 with a “tush push.” But a holding penalty and then facemask infraction moved the Warriors out of field-goal range.
On their opening drive, the Bearkats drove 75 yards for a touchdown, with the final 7 yards coming on a toss from Watson to Humphreys in the right corner of the end zone.
After stalling on their first possession, the Warriors got the ball back when Elijah Robinson forced a fumble that Elijah Palmer recovered on the Bearkats’ 29. But a personal foul on center Muasau pushed back the Warriors 15 yards and, soon after, Matsuzawa was wide left from 41 yards.
