Cooking up more Rice?

Hawaii athletic director Ben Jay said he will look into continuing the series with Rice. Saturday’s game was UH’s road end of a home-and-home that concludes with a game at Aloha Stadium in 2018.

This game allowed UH to take advantage of the Hawaii exemption that lets it play a 13th regular-season game. It’s the first time Hawaii did so since 2011.

"We both needed another nonconference game," Jay said at halftime. "It worked out well."

Hawaii used to play Rice on a regular basis when both teams were in the Western Athletic Conference from 1996 to 2005.

Late lead lost

*Hawaii led in the second half for the first time in its four games against fellow FBS teams this season when Scott Harding caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from Ikaika Woolsey to put UH ahead 14-7 at 9:24 of the third quarter.

That lead lasted more than nine minutes of game-clock time, until Rice wore down the Hawaii defense and scored three consecutive touchdowns to close the game.

Sneak on first-and-10

UH quarterback Ikaika Woolsey said he did not realize it was first-and-10 when he ran a quarterback sneak at the Rice 21 in the second quarter. He had just completed a 15-yard pass to Scott Harding.

"I looked over and I saw the ref had his fist up like it was fourth-and-1," Woolsey said. "We ran the play to get the first down and then they moved the chains and down marker."

Two plays later the drive fizzled at the Rice 22 and Tyler Hadden missed a 38-yard field goal that would’ve given Hawaii a 10-0 lead.

Harding comes through

Despite the final score, Rice was dominated on special teams, and it was mostly thanks to one man.

After the Owls defense forced a quick three-and-out on the opening drive, Hawaii punter Scott Harding used a rugby-style punt that Rice returner Bryce Callahan attempted to field and failed miserably, fumbling and giving Hawaii ideal field position that, fortunately for Rice, did not turn into points.

Rice only attempted to field one more of Harding’s seven punts after that debacle.

"I was pleased with how we defended their punt, which was a concern entering the game," Rice coach David Bailiff said.

Road Warrior

This was a long trip for the UH football team, crossing five time zones and covering nearly 4,000 miles from Honolulu to Houston.

But, time-wise, Rainbow Warriors fan Tim Cockrell’s trip was even longer. It took him 111⁄2 hours to drive from Columbus, Ga., to Houston for the game.

"This is about as close as they get," said Cockrell, who hadn’t attended a UH game since the Warriors used to play at Louisiana Tech.

Cockrell was among about 300 green-clad UH fans at Rice Stadium. Smells of traditional southern barbecue wafted through the parking lot, but so did that of huli-huli chicken.

TEAM STATISTICS

DEFENSIVE STATISTICS

HAWAII

RICE

TACKLES FOR LOSS-YARDS — Hawaii, Demattei 3-8, Malepeai 2-10, Fonua 1-9, Poti 1-6, Taimatuia 1-5. Rice, Lyons 2-8, Nordstrom 2-3, Schantz 2-2, Johnson 1-15, Callahan 1-12, Covington 1-8, Radcliffe 1-5, Baker 1-4, Klare 1-3.
SACKS-YARDS — Hawaii, Fonua 1-9, Poti 1-6, Demattei 1-4, Malepeai 1-4. Rice, Schantz 2-2, Johnson 1-15, Callahan 1-12, Covington 1-8, Lyons 1-6, Nordstrom 1-2.
INTERCEPTIONS — Hawaii, Fonua 1-19. Rice, Banks 1-28.
KICKS BLOCKED — Hawaii, none. Rice, none.
QUARTERBACK HURRIES — Hawaii, Poti, Shawley, Gener. Rice, McGaskey, Nordstrom, Covington.

FIRST PERIOD

HAWAII
» Score: Scott Harding 20-yard pass from Ikaika Woolsey. Tyler Hadden kick.
» Drive: 7 plays, 68 yards, 2:48 elapsed time.
» Time: 4:35. Score: UH 7, Rice 0.

SECOND PERIOD

RICE
» Score: James Mayden 81-yard pass from Driphus Jackson. James Farrimond kick.
» Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, 1:02 elapsed time.
» Time: 4:41. Score: UH 7, Rice 7.

THIRD PERIOD

HAWAII
» Score: Harding 24-yard pass from Woolsey. Hadden kick.
» Drive: 6 plays, 36 yards, 2:51 elapsed time.
» Time: 9:24. Score: UH 14, Rice 7.

RICE
» Score: Darik Dillard 2-yard run. Farrimond kick.
» Drive: 7 plays, 61 yards, 3:17 elapsed time.
» Time: 0:19. Score: UH 14, Rice 14.

FOURTH PERIOD

RICE
» Score: Dillard 4-yard run. Farrimond kick.
» Drive: 7 plays, 79 yards, 3:51 elapsed time.
» Time: 4:18. Score: Rice 21, UH 14.

RICE
» Score: Jordan Taylor 31-yard pass from Jackson. Farrimond kick.
» Drive: 7 plays, 57 yards, 2:43 elapsed time.
» Time: 0:12. Score: Rice 28, UH 14.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

HAWAII

RICE