Despite outscoring Oregon State 23-0 in the final quarter of play, Hawaii couldn't complete the comeback and fell short to another Pac-12 opponent at home.
The Hawaii offense opened the same way it did last week. Ikaika Woolsey and Joey Iosefa were driving the Warriors down the field, and looked like they would open the game with a TD. On first down from the Oregon State 16, Iosefa got the carry but coughed it up after a big hit from Jabral Johnson, killing their 59-yard drive.
It would only take Sean Mannion and the Beavers five plays and a little more than two minutes to drive 84 yards for the opening score of the game, with Mannion hitting Richard Mullaney over the middle for the easy 4-yard TD.
Hawaii would punt on the next three drives while Oregon State continued to dominate the 'Bows defense, scoring twice in less than six plays and three minutes on each occasion. Mannion hit Connor Hamlett in the corner of the end zone to make it 14-0 OSU, a drive where Hawaii committed three penalties to keep the Oregon State drive alive and more. Next drive, Hawaii LB Jerrol Garcia-Williams went down holding his knee while trying to make a tackle, knocking him out for the remainder of the game. Mannion left it all to Terron Ward as he would scramble in for a 32-yard touchdown to put Oregon State up 21-0 early in the second quarter.
The Warriors defense finally came through with a big interception of Mannion inside his own 20, with TJ Taimatula jumping in the lane and returning it to the Beavers 6. A big Pass Interference call moved Hawaii to the 2, and Joey iosefa pounded it in from their to put UH on the board, 21-7.
The offensive playcalling was frustrating to watch, especially when the Beavers started to pull away late in the first half. Head Coach/Norm Chow continued to go to the passing attack, despite Ikaika Woolsey being rattled by the constant Beavers pressure. It's understandable considering they were down so much, but when your QB isn't completing 50% of his throws because he's under/overthrowing his receivers, maybe let the RBs pick up some of the slack? Couldn't be much worse with a guy like Joey Iosefa or Steven Lakalaka in the backfield.
Oregon State put together two more impressive drives that ended in a Garrett Owens field goal and a two-yard Ward touchdown run to take a comfortable 31-7 lead into the locker room. So what happened with the Hawaii offense you ask?
Uhh. (NSFW) @MWCConnection pic.twitter.com/LzaRUdG7Aw
— Chris Turner (@ChrisLTurner) September 7, 2014
Gross.
Like clockwork, the Beavers marched down the field and scored again right out of the locker room, with Mannion hitting Victor Bolden for his 3rd touchdown pass of the night, putting OSU up 38-7 early in the third. Both teams traded punts till the Warriors managed to get on the board for the second time with a Joey Iosefa 1-yd score through the middle to make it 38-14 at the start of the fourth quarter.
Hawaii started to make things interesting again after blocking an Oregon State punt inside the OSU 20, and Joey Iosefa rumbled in from five yards to make it 38-20, after the failed 2-point conversion to Scott Harding. The following play, Tyler Hadden kicked it off to the Beavers and Rahmel Dockery brought it out from the one for the return. Dee Maggitt ran in on the tackle and stripped the ball out of Dockery's hands and onto the turf, where Hawaii's Lance Williams jumped on it for the recovery. Hadden came on and nailed a 33-yard FG to make it a two possession game with 11 minutes left in the game, 38-23.
After forcing a three and out, big penalties forced the 'Bows back toward midfield, moving as far back as 3rd and 40. Hawaii would end up turning the ball over on downs after an Woolsey shovel pass to Iosefa was stopped way short of the first down, and Joey went down grabbing at his leg after the play. He was able to walk off under his own power.
Hawaii would force an OSU punt and get the ball back with under three minutes left in the game. Woolsey hit Marcus Kemp for 41-yards inside their own 20 to move the chains, and you can add 15 more yards at the end of that play. After hitting Pedroza on a slant to move inside the OSU 5, Woolsey calls his own number for the score. The ensuing onside kick failed, and Oregon State went into victory formation to seal the win, 38-30 over Hawaii.
The Warriors (0-2, 0-0 MWC) are back at Aloha Stadium next weekend vs. Northern Iowa.