Home cooking: Hawaii rolls in first game on campus
There’s no place like home.
Playing on campus for the first time in school history, a hot start propelled the University of Hawaii football team to a 49-35 victory over Portland State Saturday night. Nick Mardner put the ‘Bows on the board less than five minutes after the opening kickoff at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex, hauling in a 23-yard rainbow from junior quarterback Chevan Cordeiro in the back left corner of the end zone to give Hawaii the early momentum
The ‘Bows scored three more first-quarter touchdowns to build an early 28-0 lead. While Portland State eventually did get their offense on track, a pattern of mistakes – Hawaii turned the ball over three times on the night – helped the Vikings to close the gap to 14 points. Hawaii’s secondary struggled to contain the Vikings’ aerial attack, allowing Portland State quarterback Davis Alexander to throw for 400 yards.
Cordeiro bounced back from a rough outing in last week’s season opener against UCLA, throwing for 305 yards and three touchdowns on 18 of 25 passing and added 66 yards on the ground. Hawaii’s sophomore running back Dae Dae Hunter led all rushers on the night with 126 yards, 59 of which came on a fourth-quarter touchdown run.
Hawaii’s offense benefited from a number of big plays, highlighted by a dazzling 34-yard scoring run by Calvin Turner Jr. that saw the senior running back reverse course nearly 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage and outrace Portland State’s defense to reach the end zone.
The 49 points marked the most Hawaii has scored in a game under head coach Todd Graham, besting last year’s high of 39.
The ‘Bows (1-1) will hit the road next Saturday as they travel to Corvallis, Oregon to take on the Beavers of Oregon State. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. HST at Reser Stadium.
