HONOLULU (AP) — Brayden Schager threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more TDs, Tylan Hines returned a punt 44 yards for a touchdown and Hawaii beat Delaware State 35-14 Saturday night in the season opener for both teams.
Schager was 17-of-34 passing for 203 yards and had 38 yards rushing on 10 carries.
Schager’s first touchdown run, a 15-yarder, gave Hawaii the lead for good at 21-14 midway through the third quarter. He completed three passes for 42 yards and added 21 yards rushing on the eight-play, 67-yard drive.
Dekel Crowdus caught a 29-yard touchdown pass from Schager to make it a 14-point game early in the fourth quarter and Schager capped the scoring with a 1-yard TD run with 3:44 to play.
Marqui Adams completed 17 of 28 passes for 156 yards and added 44 yards rushing on 15 carries for Delaware State. Jaden Sutton ran 12 times for 56 yards.
Schager hit Pofele Ashlock for a 16-yard gain, Landon Sims ripped off a 29-yard run before Schager hit Alex Perry for 5 yards and then Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala for an 11-yard touchdown to cap a four-play, 61-yard drive and give Hawaii a 7-0 lead with 9:35 left in the first quarter.
Hines caught a punt off the bounce at the Delaware State 44, sprinted straight up the middle of the field about 10 yards before he darted toward the left sideline and raced to the end zone to stretch the lead to 14-0 going into the second quarter.
Adams completed 5 of 7 passes for 60 and added a 7-yard run before a nine-play, 77-yard drive culminated when he scrambled for a 10-yard TD that cut Delaware State’s deficit to 14-7 with 12 seconds remaining in the first half. The Hornets had gained 24 total yards and gone three-and-out six times in its seven previous possessions.
Delaware State took the opening kickoff in the second half and went 75 yards in eight plays to tie the game at 14-14. Adams connected with Ryan Lee for a 46-yard gain to set up Sutton’s 6-yard TD run with 11:10 left in the third quarter.
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