Hawaii multi-purpose standout Calvin Turner broke loose for 252 total yards and two long touchdowns to help propel the Rainbow Warrior football team to a 28-14 win over Houston in the New Mexico Bowl Thursday in Frisco, Texas.
Hawaii quarterback Chevan Cordeiro threw three touchdown passes, including a 75-yarder to Turner, and the Warriors — a 10 1/2-point underdog entering the program’s third appearance in a mainland bowl game — held off a Cougar rally in the second half to cap Todd Graham’s first season as head coach at 5-4.
Along with his 75-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, Turner scored on a 92-yard kickoff return after Houston closed to 21-14 in the third quarter and accounted for 60 yards rushing, 88 receiving and 104 on kick returns. Turner said last week he would wait until after the bowl game to decide whether to return to the Warriors next season.
Houston quarterback Clayton Tune was without three starting receivers and passed for 216 yards and two touchdowns. But the Hawaii defense came down with three interceptions and finished with five sacks.
The New Mexico Bowl was re-located to Texas due to COVID-19 restrictions in the Albuquerque, N.M., area.
Hawaii shed its tendency for slow starts this season by jumping out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on the way to giving Graham the 100th win of his head coaching career.
Along with pitching a shutout in the first half, the Warriors defense set up the game’s first two touchdowns, pressuring Tune into interceptions that the Hawaii offense converted into scores.
Hawaii defensive lineman DJuan Mathews batted Tune’s second throw of the day and linebacker Penei Pavihi snagged the loose ball to set up the UH offense at the Cougars’ 8. After a Cordeiro 5-yard run, the sophomore found freshman running back Dae Dae Hunter flaring out of the backfield for a 3-yard touchdown pass.
Houston punt returner Marcus Jones’ 23-yard return gave Cougars the ball at the Hawaii 40 to start their third possession. But Tune was hit by cornerback Cortez Davis as he released the ball, which fluttered into the hands of Michael Washington for the Warriors’ second interception of the opening period.
On the next play, Cordeiro fired a dart over the middle to Turner, who broke away from a defender then burst away from the rest of the Cougars secondary for a 75-yard touchdown sprint. The quick strike matched the Warriors’ longest play of the season, also a Cordeiro-to-Turner connection against San Diego State.
About midway in the second quarter, Hawaii faced a third-and-4 at its 41 when Cordeiro escaped pressure and broke loose for a 52-yard gain. Cordeiro converted another third down by flipping a pass to Jonah Laulu, a starting defensive tackle who lined up at tight end, for a 4-yard score and Hawaii took a 21-0 lead into halftime.
An energized Houston offense took the opening kickoff of the second half and put together a 17-play, 75-yard drive that consumed nearly half of the third quarter. Tune finished off the march with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Nathaniel Dell to break up the shutout.
After Hawaii went three-and-out, Tune drove Houston 83 yards in just five plays and hit Christian Trahan for a 26-yard score and the Cougars closed to 21-14 with 3:45 left in the third quarter.
But Turner answered for the Warriors, taking the ensuing kickoff and weaving through the Houston coverage team and sprinting away for a 92-yard touchdown return.
The Warriors stunted the Cougars momentum when linebacker/safety Khoury Bethley, who finished with 14 tackles, tipped a pass and linebacker Darius Muasau came down with Hawaii’s third interception of the game.
Turner opened the fourth quarter by converting on a fourth-and-1 near midfield, but the drive ended with a missed field goal when Matthew Shipley’s 49-yard attempt fell short.
Houston moved to the Hawaii 25 with under 4 minutes, but a fourth-down sack effectively sealed Hawaii’s second straight bowl win.
