Hawaii football team still have pulse in Mountain West Conference title chase
Oct. 25—The University of Hawaii football team travels to Logan, Utah, this week for the first leg of its drive to remain alive.
The Rainbow Warriors are 1-2 against Mountain West Conference opponents, sitting at fifth place in the six-team West Division. But the Warriors still have a pulse in their title hopes if they win their next five games—all against MWC teams—to close the regular season. Each team plays an eight-game league schedule.
In the Warriors' best-case scenario to claim the West championship :—The Warriors would need to beat Utah State, San Diego State, UNLV, Colorado State and Wyoming. Three of those games are on the road—and in elevation.—San Diego State (3-0 ) also would need to lose to Fresno State or Boise State.—Fresno State (3-1 ), whose lone league loss was against UH, would need to lose to Boise State or New Mexico.—Nevada (2-1 ), which beat UH, would have to lose two against three opponents (UNLV, Air Force and Colorado State ).—San Jose State (2-2 ), which also defeated the Warriors, would have to lose to Wyoming, Utah State or Fresno State.
The Warriors broke even, at 4-4, after Saturday's nonconference victory over New Mexico State. In that game, backup running back Dedrick Parson rushed for three touchdowns, freshman quarterback Brayden Schager completed 86.2 % of his passes, Calvin Turner overcame an injured figure to score on a 75-yard dash, and linebacker Darius Muasau and defensive back Khoury Bethley each had a pick-6.
"I'm excited to get back on the winning track, " UH coach Todd Graham said, "and onward to Utah State."
The Aggies are atop the Mountain Division at 3-1.
The Warriors are wishful that three starters—quarterback Chevan Cordeiro, running back Dae Dae Hunter and linebacker Penei Pavihi—will be available this weekend. Cordeiro, who is not fully healed from an upper-body injury, was ruled out during pregame warmups. Schager is 2-1 as a starter. Hunter's absence opened the way for Parson, a transfer from Howard, to make his first FBS start.
Graham said the Warriors will work on tightening their defense—there were breakdowns on NMSU running back Juwan Price's two long touchdowns—and repairing punt-return play. Against NMSU, Turner did not field a punt that bounced from the UH 22 to the 8. The Warriors' ensuing drive stalled, and their punt gave the Aggies possession at the UH 40.
"There's a lot of hidden yardage there—hundreds of yards this season that we've got to eliminate, " Graham said.
The Warrior lost a fumble when a punt short-hopped returner Koali Nishigaya.
"That's our job as coaches, get guys prepared, " Graham said. "We've got to do a better job of that. ... We've just struggled to have someone who's a natural catching punts. We've struggled with that."—For more Hawaii football, visit the.
