Aggie offense shows up big in Hawaii, still no win
Those who like an offensive show probably liked the USU-Hawaii football match-up Saturday night-even if it did end Sunday at 1:32 a.m. Mountain Standard Time.
The Aggies scored more points than they have since November 2003, but another fiery start was quickly doused by the 16th-ranked Warriors, who came away with a 52-37 victory.
Though coming in as 39-point underdogs, the Aggies scored first and were tied at 10 with the Warriors after one quarter. The Warriors bounced right back with the arm power of Heisman-Trophy candidate Colt Brennan for 21 points in both the second and third quarters.
The Aggies fall to 0-6 for the first time since 1984, have dropped 12 consecutive games, and are now 1-43 playing against ranked teams. The Warriors improved to 6-0.
“I feel like every game we play we’re making progress,” Aggie wide receiver Kevin Robinson said in a response to some fans’ prediction that the team will give up after the loss. “We’re getting closer and making the games interesting. This team is not going to give up. We’re a whole team, we’re a whole unit. It’s a team. It’s a team sport.”
In the first half the Aggies were fueled by a 100-yard kickoff return by Kevin Robinson for a touchdown and two field goals from Peter Caldwell.
The most critical play on the Aggies’ first drive of the game came on a fourth-and-one from the Warrior 36-yard line. Aggie senior quarterback Leon Jackson III kept the ball and took advantage of a wide hole made by the offensive line and scampered 30 yards for a first down. The Aggies, however, had to settle for a field goal.
Brennan then led an eight-play, 81-yard drive for the Warriors that ended in a one-yard touchdown run from Kealoha Pilares to take a 7-3 lead.
That was followed up by Robinson’s 100-yard return.
The Warriors’ other field goal came after a spirited defensive effort by the Aggies. USU had stopped the hosts on a third-and-eight from the USU 37-yard line. Warrior kicker Daniel Kelly then came in and nailed a 54-yard field goal that had enough distance to be a 65-yard kick.
The Aggies’ lone three points of the second quarter were again on a field goal from Caldwell (this time from 36 yards out) which came at the end of a 10-play, 52-yard drive. It gave the Aggies their final lead of the game at 13-10.
Within seconds the Warriors were back in the lead thanks to a Malcolm Lane 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Two minutes later, Brennan connected with wide receiver Davone Bess for a 22-yard touchdown reception. On the Warriors’ final drive backup, quarterback Tyler Graunke found the end zone on a one-yard run that had to be reviewed.
Graunke replaced Brennan after he was hit hard by Aggie sophomore linebacker Paul Igboeli with 52 seconds remaining in the first half. Brennan returned in the second half for one series before limping off the field for the final time of the night. Brennan finished 19-of-25 passing for 219 yards.
Graunke didn’t miss a beat for the Warriors. He ended up completing 9-of-11 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns.
The third quarter highlight for USU was a 77-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Robinson that cut the score to 27-45 for Hawaii.
Each of the Warriors’ third-quarter scores were on pass completions-the first for 36 yards, the second for 20, and the third for 72 yards.
Caldwell hit a 47-yard field goal with 5:21 left in the fourth quarter, and Jase McCormick found Xavier Bowman in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown pass with 27 seconds remaining.
Jackson finished the game 14-of-21 passing for 161 yards. He also collected 55 yards on the ground. Speight had 71.
-samuel.hislop@aggiemail.usu.edu