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UH turnovers lead to 49-17 loss to WKU

Western Kentucky running back Davion Ervin-Poindexter gets around the Hawaii defense during the first half of the Hilltoppers’ 49-17 win over the Rainbow Warriors on Saturday night. AP photos

HONOLULU (AP) — The University of Hawaii turned over the ball six times overall — leading to 28 points for Western Kentucky — and the Rainbow Warriors fell to 0-2 with a 49-17 loss to the Hilltoppers on Saturday night at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex.

UH quarterbacks Brayden Schager and Joey Yellen combined to throw five interceptions — four by Schager — and the Rainbow Warriors were also hurt by 12 penalties for 109 yards.

Austin Reed threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score for Western Kentucky.

Reed capped a 10-play, 68-yard drive with a 5-yard TD toss to Dalvin Smith to put the Hilltoppers (2-0) up 7-3 early in the second quarter. On Hawaii’s ensuing possession, Juwon Jones picked off Schager and returned the ball 38 yards for a score and a 14-3 lead.

Western Kentucky capped off a 21-point second quarter with Reed’s 47-yard scoring strike to Joshua Simon and the Hilltoppers led by 11 at halftime.

Hawaii wide receiver James Phillips can’t pull in a pass while being defended by Western Kentucky’s C.J. Jones during the second half Saturday.

WKU upped its lead to 28-10 after three quarters when Reed hit Jaylen Hall for a 17-yard score. Kye Robichaux pushed the Hilltoppers’ advantage to 35-10 with a 7-yard TD run early in the final period. Reed and Davion Ervin-Poindexter had short scoring runs after that.

Reed completed 22 of 31 passes for 271 yards with one interception.

Schager finished with 230 yards on 22-of-33 passing for the Rainbow Warriors. Backup QB Yellen completed 4 of 11 passes for 36 yards with a pick. Dedrick Parson and Nasjzae Bryant-Lelei had short TD runs.

Next up for the Rainbow Warriors is a trip to the Big House to take on No. 8 Michigan on Saturday.

W. Kentucky 0 21 7 21–49

Hawaii 3 7 0 7–17

First Quarter

HAW–FG Shipley 40, 11:46.

Second Quarter

WKU–Da.Smith 5 pass from Reed (Narveson kick), 13:23.

WKU–J.Jones 38 interception return (Narveson kick), 11:36.

HAW–Parson 9 run (Shipley kick), 7:40.

WKU–Simon 47 pass from Reed (Narveson kick), 2:52.

Third Quarter

WKU–Hall 17 pass from Reed (Narveson kick), 7:37.

Fourth Quarter

WKU–Robichaux 7 run (Narveson kick), 12:35.

HAW–Bryant-Lelei 1 run (Shipley kick), 9:18.

WKU–Reed 2 run (Narveson kick), 5:58.

WKU–Ervin-Poindexter 2 run (Narveson kick), 5:20.

A–9,346.

WKU HAW

First downs 24 20

Total Net Yards 412 360

Rushes-yards 29-141 35-94

Passing 271 266

Punt Returns 1-12 1-0

Kickoff Returns 1-23 5-90

Interceptions Ret. 5-100 1-0

Comp-Att-Int 22-31-1 26-44-5

Sacked-Yards Lost 0-0 2-11

Punts 3-41.667 4-43.75

Fumbles-Lost 1-1 1-1

Penalties-Yards 7-72 12-109

Time of Possession 25:52 34:08

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–W. Kentucky, Robichaux 7-49, Reed 9-43, Ervin-Poindexter 9-42, Mathison 1-6, Moses 2-1, Sanders 1-0. Hawaii, Bryant-Lelei 13-64, Parson 15-29, Schager 1-17, Cooper 2-2, (Team) 1-(minus 1), Scott 1-(minus 6), Yellen 2-(minus 11).

PASSING–W. Kentucky, Reed 22-31-1-271. Hawaii, Schager 22-33-4-230, Yellen 4-11-1-36.

RECEIVING–W. Kentucky, Davis 5-78, Moses 4-22, Corley 4-12, Da.Smith 3-36, Hall 2-25, Simon 1-47, Burt 1-25, Beljan 1-19, Mathison 1-7. Hawaii, Parson 4-27, Walthall 3-53, C.Phillips 3-30, Murray 3-22, J.Phillips 3-22, Scott 3-18, Panoke 2-32, Johnson 2-26, C.Hines 1-16, Mokiao-Atimalala 1-13, Bryant-Lelei 1-7.

MISSED FIELD GOALS–W. Kentucky, Narveson 26.

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