7

UNI
UNI

2-2, 0-0

36

Winner

Hawaii
HAW

2-2, 0-0

7

36

Winner

Score per quarter

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	F
UNI UNI	0	7	0	0	7
HAW Hawaii	15	7	7	7	36

Match Summary: Football | 09.21.2024

HONOLULU – The University of Hawaii football team started fast and finished strong in a convincing 36-7 victory over Northern Iowa on Saturday night at the Clarence TC Ching Athletic Complex.

UH scored the first three touchdowns of the game on their first three drives and then finished off the Panthers by scoring the final two touchdowns of the night.

Brayden Schager tied his personal best of four touchdown passes, completing 35 of 43 passes for 374 yards with two interceptions. Nick Cenakel finished with a career-high two touchdown receptions and had a career-high 63 yards on nine catches. Pofele Ashlock caught Schager’s first touchdown pass along with 74 yards on 10 receptions, while Jonas Panoke caught the other with 60 yards on four catches. Dekel Crowdus caught three passes for a personal best of 83 yards.

UH’s offensive line also stepped up, accounting for 149 yards against UNI. Landon Sims scored the first rushing touchdown by a UH running back this season.

The Rainbow Warriors came out of the blocks like a shot, reaching the endzone on each of their first three offensive drives of the game. The UH defense stepped up on the game’s opening drive. Caleb “C-Bo” Brown tackled Amauri Pesek-Hickson, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Jamih Otis before it went out. The offense did its part, driving 69 yards on six plays to reach the end zone. Schager completed the drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Panoke down the left sideline.

After another defensive stop, Schager connected with Ashlock for a 6-yard touchdown pass to cap a 75-yard drive. Schager completed five passes for 79 yards on the drive, including a 59-yard completion to Crowdus to get the ‘Bows into the redzone. After the score, UH ran a trick play on the PAT. Sims took a direct snap and threw a jump pass to the snapper Hunter Higham in the end zone to give Hawai’i a 15-0 lead.

Schager made it three touchdowns in three drives when he found Cenacle for a 20-yard score. Schager threw his back foot for the touchdown pass down the left sideline to cap off a seven-play, 80-yard drive.

Northern Iowa avoided a shutout with a touchdown drive in the second quarter. The Panthers drove 72 yards on eight plays, with quarterback Aidan Dunne finishing with a 3-yard quarterback keeper for UNI’s only score of the first half.

Just as they had in the first half, the Rainbow Warriors claimed the first score of the second half. On UH’s second offensive drive of the second half, the ‘Bows used a balanced offensive attack on a methodical 11-play scoring drive. UH ran the ball five times, while Schager threw six passes, including a 1-yard touchdown pass to Cenacle to make it 29-7, Hawai’i. Schager tied his career high with his fourth touchdown pass, while Cenacle did the same with its second touchdown reception of the game.

The Warriors’ defense forced them into their second turnover of the game early in the fourth quarter. Peter Manuma knocked the ball out of Layne Pryor’s hand, and the ball was recovered by Deliyon Freeman. Following the interception, Sims scored on a 6-yard touchdown run to cap a 74-yard UH drive. Sims’ touchdown run was the first score by a Hawaii running back this season.