2007 Hawaii Warriors football team

UNLV (MWC)

*Previous meeting: UNLV 13 @ Hawaii 42 (2006)The 18th-ranked University of Hawai`i football team capitalized on a 28-point third quarter to knock off Charleston Southern, 66-10, Saturday night in a non-conference game in front of 37,723 at Aloha Stadium. The Warriors improved to 4-0 for the first time since the 1988 season.UH scored on its opening possession when Tyler Graunke connected with C.J. Hawthorne on a 28-yard pass. Graunke got the starting nod when head coach June Jones held out Heisman Trophy candidate Colt Brennan for precautionary reasons.Graunke finished the game, completing 22-of-36 attempts for 285 yards and three scores. The junior had career-highs in completions, attempts, yards, and touchdowns.The Bucs tied it at 5:14 in the first when Eli Byrd hit Dee Brown on a 57-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter.UH responded and scored 10 seconds into the second quarter when freshman Kealoha Pilares scooted 16 yards up the middle. The Warriors tacked on another seven late in the quarter as Graunke scrambled six yards for the score.Charleston Southern's Nick Ellis kicked a 48-yard field goal to draw within 21-10 at the half.It was all UH in the second half as the Warriors reeled off 45 straight points to turn a 11-point halftime lead into a 56-point rout. UH's Ryan Mouton took the second half kickoff 90 yards to the house. One minute later, linebacker Adam Leonard picked off Ellis' pass and returned it 36 yards for the touchdown. Graunke then hit receivers Davone Bess for a 19-yard score and Hawthorne on a 35-yard TD pass to close out the quarter.UH tacked on 17 more in the fourth quarter behind backup quarterback Inoke Funaki. The sophomore from Kahuku High School hit Aaron Bain for a two-yard scoring reception with 13:16 left in the fourth quarter. Dan Kelly booted a 28-yard field goal at the 8:57 mark and Funaki then hit Michael Washington on a 19-yarder to wrap up the scoring.The 15th-ranked University of Hawai'i football team won a shootout over Utah State, 52-37, Saturday night in a Western Athletic Conference match-up at Aloha Stadium. The Warriors improve to 6-0 and 3-0 in the WAC this season. UH quarterback Colt Brennan completed 19-of-25 for 219 yards and one touchdown before leaving the game early in the second half. The senior got dinged up on UH's final possession of the first half and succumbed to backup Tyler Graunke.Graunke led the Warriors to a touchdown at the end of the first half and directed UH downfield on three drives in the second half. The junior from Tucson, Ariz., finished the game 9-of-11 for 246 yards and three touchdowns, including one rushing."I wasn't expecting to go in that early, but I was definitely mentally ready," Graunke said. "I took my fair share of reps during the week. Lately, I have not been feeling like me, it is taking me 1-2 series to get going, but tonight I got it going from the very first play. That start (Charleston Southern) gave me a lot of confidence. We executed very well and the receivers were just amazing. I knew I was over the goal line (on the his second quarter touchdown) and that play gave us a lot of momentum heading into the second half."The game featured big plays for both teams. Each team returned a kickoff for a touchdown and UH had three drives of three plays or less while USU had a one play drive.Utah State (0-6, 0-2) got on the scoreboard on the game's opening possession with a 20-yard field goal by Peter Caldwell. The Warriors responded with an eight-play, 81-yard drive, culminating on a Kealoha Pilares touchdown from a yard out. That lead was short-lived as USU's Kevin Robinson returned the ensuing kickoff 100 yards giving the Aggies the lead back at 10-7.UH knotted the game at 10 after Dan Kelly's 54-yard field goal, the fifth longest in school history. After Caldwell's 36-yard field goal gave the Aggies the lead temporarily at 13-10, Malcolm Lane's 87-yard return on the ensuing kickoff, put the Warriors on top for good, 17-13.Following an Aggie punt, UH marched downfield and Brennan found Davone Bess on a 22-yard scoring strike. After UH's Josh Leonard recovered a USU fumble, Hawai'i drove the field for another touchdown. Graunke subbed in for Brennan and crossed the goal line with five seconds left giving UH a 31-13 halftime lead.On their opening possession of the second half, the Aggies drove downfield on a 12 play drive and an eight-yard run by Derrvin Speight. Graunke connected with C.J. Hawthorne on two plays, including a 36-yarder for a 38-20 UH lead.Graunke drove the Warriors again and found David Farmer on a 20-yard shuffle pass giving UH a 45-27 lead. On USU's next possession, Leon Jackson found Kevin Robinson on a 77-yard pass and catch but the Warriors responded just as quickly as Graunke connected with Rivers on a 72 yard reception.Junior linebacker Soloman Elimimian led the Warrior defense with a career-high 20 tackles."Everyone played well," Elimimian said. "I just utilized my speed tonight and tried to go from sideline to sideline. I'd give the Defense a "C" tonight. We definitely could have played better, 37 points are just too much. Guys can't do what they want to do, it's a team concept. Teams like Utah State are much tougher to beat than a ranked team because they played with nothing to lose."The 14th-ranked University of Hawai`i football team defeated New Mexico State, 50-13, Saturday night, in a Western Athletic Conference game in front of a season-high 41,218 on Homecoming at Aloha Stadium. Hawai`i improves to 8-0 on the year and 5-0 in the WAC, while New Mexico State falls to 4-5 and 1-3. The 8-0 start marks the best for UH since 1973 and are one of only five undefeated teams in the country.Heisman Trophy candidate Colt Brennan became the school's all-time career touchdown leader after throwing six against the Aggies. He has 119 in his career and surpassed Timmy Chang's previous mark of 117. In addition, Brennan ranks second all-time in NCAA and WAC history and trails former BYU quarterback Ty Detmer's record of 121."I was obviously happy with the result, but we're going to have to play better the next few games," UH head coach June Jones said. "Colt was not at his best tonight, but six touchdowns is still pretty good. I hope the week off gets him and the team healthy and ready for Fresno."After tossing an interception on his first pass attempt, Brennan drove the Warriors 65 yards in five plays, hitting Jason Rivers on a 16-yard touchdown pass to put UH on top 6-0. Place kicker Dan Kelly missed the extra-point attempt, snapping his streak of 50 straight this season and 69 consecutive over the past two years.Brennan finished the game completing 29-of-46 for 425 yards. He surpassed the 400-yard mark for the fourth time this season and the 17th time in his career."What I learned last year is that don't pay any attention to records or stats," Brennan said. "This offense and this team is not about that but about the 'W' - that is our mentality."Hawai`i struck again in the first quarter as Brennan found Ryan Grice-Mullen on a fade route in the left corner of the end zone to put UH up 13-0.In the second quarter, Myron Newberry returned a short NMSU punt 29 yards to the Aggie 12 to set up a 27-yard field goal by Kelly. The UH defense held the Aggies on a fourth-and-three at the UH 47, then two plays later Brennan hooked up with Grice-Mullen down the right sideline for a 42-yard score to make it 23-0.The Aggies' Paul Young added a 34-yard field goal as UH went into the locker room with a 23-3 halftime lead.NMSU scored on its opening possession of the second half, marching 58 yards on 11 plays, capped by a 41-yard field goal by Young.UH took the ensuing kickoff and drove 61 yards in five plays with Brennan completing a 23-yard scoring pass to Davone Bess. The TD pass by Brennan was his 117th of his career, tying him with Chang.The Aggies reached the end zone for the first time on their next possession as Chase Holbrook hit Wes Neiman on a 19-yard score.Brennan became UH's all-time leader on the Warriors' next possession when he hit Grice-Mullen on an 11-yard score. Brennan then orchestrated a 10-play, 95-yard drive with 6:56 left in the fourth quarter, connecting with Bess on a 12-yard pass play for a 43-13 Warrior lead.UH defensive back JoPierre Davis picked off Holbrook late in the fourth quarter and returned it 57 yards for the final margin.Grice-Mullen finished the game with a career-high 195 yards receiving while Bess tied the UH mark for career touchdowns after reaching the endzone twice. He now has 38, tying him with former UH quarterback Michael Carter and receiver Chad Owens."If you ask me during the game, I never know the numbers" Grice-Mullen said. "I may know how many touchdowns. My objective is to just go out and play the game and get a win. We've been in the system 3 or 4 years now with the same quarterback and things are becoming second nature and go out and have fun." Dan Kelly's 45-yard field goal with 11 seconds left lifted No. 12 Hawai'i past Nevada, 28-26, in a Western Athletic Conference game in front of 22,437 at Mackey Stadium tonight.Hawai'i got the ball back with 2:16 remaining in the fourth quarter, trailing 26-25. Quarterback Tyler Graunke marched the Warriors 61 yards in 11 plays to set up Kelly's heroics.The Wolf Pack tried to ice the junior kicker twice. UNR called a timeout just before the snap on the first try as Kelly's kick split the uprights. The kicker and special teams personnel regrouped and duplicated the feat once more, this time it counted.Nevada had one last chance but the hail mary attempt was intercepted by Jacob Patek on the final play of the game.The Warriors extended their win streak to 11-game, tying the longest in school history. UH also finished 5-0 on the road this season and extended their road win streak to eight straight dating back to last season. Lastly, the Warriors extended their WAC win streak to 14 games.Heisman Trophy candidate Colt Brennan did not start the game. Instead, Graunke got the nod. Head Coach June Jones rotated the two quarterbacks along with Inoke Funaki on the opening drive.The Warriors (10-0, 7-0 WAC), who won in Reno for the first time in four tries, took the opening kickoff and drove 50 yards in 11 plays, capped by a Kelly 45-yard field goal.After UH punter Tim Grasso pinned Nevada at their own 3 yard line, defensive lineman David Veikune sacked Wolf Pack quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the endzone to give UH a 5-0 lead and its first safety of the season.UH made it 12-0 after sustaining another long drive of 64 yards highlighted by a 3-yard touchdown pass from Graunke to Jason Rivers.Nevada (5-5, 3-3 WAC) cut the deficit to 12-7 after Kaepernick hit Luke Lippincott on a 7-yard scoring strike.Graunke then orchestrated a four-play 80-yard drive with the quarterback calling his own number from 7-yards out. A 53-yard pass play from Graunke to C.J. Hawthorne on the first play of the drive set up the touchdown.The Wolf Pack responded with a 41-yard field goal by Brett Jaekle to go into the locker room at halftime with UH out in front, 19-10.Nevada took the second half kickoff and traveled 52 yards with Jaekle booting his second field goal of the game, a 42-yarder.The Wolf Pack took its first lead of the game, 20-19, on their next possession with a 17-play drive covering 90 yards elapsing eight minutes and 20 seconds with Kaepernick bootlegging over from three yards out.UH recaptured the lead, 25-20, as Graunke connected with Ryan Grice-Mullen for a 22-yard scoring strike. The Warriors went for two, but Graunke's attempt was batted down.After both teams exchanged punts, Nevada then put together a 51-yard drive highlighted by a 45-yard pass play before Lippincott plunged over the left side from 5 yards. The two-point pass attempt was no good giving the Wolf Pack a slim, 26-25 lead with 8:27 left in the fourth quarter.On UH's next possession, Graunke was sacked and fumbled the ball giving Nevada good position from the UH 44-yard line. Two plays later, defensive lineman Keala Watson popped UNR wide receiver Arthur King Jr. and made him cough up the ball with Watson recovering at the UH 47.The Warriors were stopped on a fourth down play when Graunke tried to thread it to Rivers on the left sideline.The UH defense held Nevada's offense and forced them to punt to give UH one last try.]
MVP=Georgia DE Marcus Howard
Attendance=74,383cite web |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/02/sports/ncaafootball/02sugar.html?ref=ncaafootball |title=Georgia Runs Over Hawaii in Sugar Bowl, 41-10 |author=Thamel, Pete |accessdate=2008-01-18 |date=2008-01-02 |work=New York Times]
Anthem=Bonerama
Halftime=Both school bands, AllState Sugar Bowl Band
US Network=FOX
US Announcers=Thom Brennaman and Charles Daviscite web |url=http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=750671 |title=Rivals.com Bowl Viewer's Guide |author=Fox, David |accessdate=2007-12-17 |date=2007-12-13 |work=Rivals.com]
Ratings=7.9cite web |url=http://starbulletin.com/2008/01/05/sports/story01.html |title=SMU ponying up big bucks |author=Reardon, Dave |accessdate=2008-01-15 |date=2008-01-05 |work=honolulustarbulletin.com]

The 2008 Allstate Sugar Bowl Game was an American college football bowl game. It was part of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) for the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, and was the 74th Sugar Bowl. It was played on January 1, 2008, in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans.

Because the SEC champion (LSU) was slated to participate in the BCS National Championship Game, the number-five Georgia Bulldogs were selected to host the number-ten, WAC champion Hawaiokinai Warriors, the last undefeated major college football team going into the bowl season. [The FOX BCS Selection Show on December 2, 2007]

The Warriors were only the third team not in any of the six BCS conferences (not counting major independent Notre Dame) to play in a BCS game. Boise State qualified for the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, and Utah made the same game two years earlier. Both teams won their respective games.

coring Summary

Pre-game
*Hawaii wins the toss, selects to receive.

First Quarter
*UGA Touchdown, by Knowshon Moreno, rush for 17 yards. Brandon Coutu makes PAT. (9:49) 7-0 UGA
*UH Field goal, by Dan Kelly, 42 yards. (4:26) 7-3 UGA
*UGA Touchdown, by Moreno, rush for 11 yards. Coutu makes PAT. (1:02) 14-3 UGA

Second Quarter
*UGA Field goal, by Coutu, 52 yards. (9:36) 17-3 UGA
*UGA Touchdown, 11-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Sean Bailey, Coutu makes PAT. (8:05) 24-3 UGA

Third Quarter
*UGA Fumble recovery, touchdown by Marcus Howard. Coutu makes PAT. (8:57) 31-3 UGA
*UGA Touchdown, by Thomas Brown, 1 yard rush. Coutu makes PAT. (1:40) 38-3 UGA

Fourth Quarter
*UGA Field goal, by Coutu, 45 yards. (14:37) 41-3 UGA
*UH Touchdown, pass from Tyler Graunke to Ryan Grice-Mullen, 16 yards. PAT made by Dan Kelly. (10:38) 41-10 UGA [ [http://sportsline.com/collegefootball/gamecenter/playbyplay/NCAAF_20080101_GA@HI NCAA Football Full Play-by-Play - Hawaii vs. Georgia] Retrieved 2 January 2007.]

Aftermath

With Hawaii's defeat, the 2007-08 college football season ended with no undefeated teams, something that had not happened since the 2003-04 season. This is also the second time in the BCS era that this has occurred.

Georgia DE Marcus Howard was named the MVP of the Sugar Bowl Game, the first time in its history that a purely defensive player has received the honor.

With the win, Georgia Head Coach Mark Richt became the first head coach in Georgia history to win more than one Sugar Bowl (his previous victory was over Florida State University following the 2002 season). Vince Dooley and Wally Butts won one Sugar Bowl each, with Dooley's only win securing the 1980 National Championship. Dooley lost four other Sugar Bowl games.

On January 8, Hawaii Head Coach June Jones left Hawaii to become the head coach at Southern Methodist University. He signed a five-year contract. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3185600 ESPN - Jones says challenge of rebuilding SMU led him to leave Hawaii - College Football ] ]

Rankings

Mario Cox: Dismissed from the team on October 30, 2007. He had played in five games this season. [http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3087546 more]

2007 WAC standings

External links

* [http://www.hawaiiathletics.com/sport.html?p=3 University of Hawaiokinai Athletics - Football]
* [http://blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com/index.php?blog=9/ The Warrior Beat - by Stephen Tsai]
* [http://www2.ncaa.org/portal/media_and_events/ncaa_publications/records_books/fall/football/index.html NCAA.org - Football records]