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MARCO GARCIA / SPECIAL FOR THE STAR ADVERTISING
Hawaii wide receiver Tylan Hines gains yards in the second quarter of Saturday’s game against the Northern Iowa Panthers.
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MARCO GARCIA / SPECIAL FOR THE STAR ADVERTISING
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors wide receiver Dekel Crowdus (6) catches the ball over Northern Iowa Panthers defensive back Robbie Peterson Jr. (4) during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday in Manoa.
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MARCO GARCIA / SPECIAL FOR THE STAR ADVERTISING
Ezra Evaimalo (52), defensive lineman for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, nearly pulls down Northern Iowa Panthers quarterback Aidan Dunne (10) in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game on Saturday in Manoa.
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MARCO GARCIA / SPECIAL FOR THE STAR ADVERTISING
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors wide receiver Nick Cenacle (3) celebrates with fans after scoring a touchdown against the Northern Iowa Panthers in the second quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday in Manoa.
On “Disco Night,” the Hawaii football team found its rhythm on Saturday with a 36-7 victory over Northern Iowa at the Ching Complex.
A crowd of 9,678 saw the Rainbow Warriors rebound from two straight losses to defeat an FCS opponent for the 22nd consecutive time. The Warriors improved to 2-2. Since only an FCS win counts for bowl eligibility, the Warriors, who previously defeated Delaware State, must win five of their final eight regular-season games to qualify for postseason play.
The Warriors seemed to be making all the right moves. For the first time this season, running backs coach Anthony Arceneaux worked from the coach’s booth, where he relayed his observations to head coach Timmy Chang on the sidelines. Chang and Arceneaux were teammates at Saint Louis School. After a year as a receiver, Tylan Hines switched back to running back, where he excelled as a freshman in 2022. And the Warriors used the shovel pass, the run-pass option and a trick play on the point-after attempt.
The most noticeable difference, however, was the comeback of Brayden Schager. Schager appeared to be healthy again after dealing with ankle problems in back-to-back losses to UCLA and Sam Houston, and he was a pain for the Panthers’ defense. Whether in the pocket or evading pressure, Schager completed 35 of 43 passes for 374 yards and four touchdowns. His first 12 passes were reliable.
In the third quarter, Schager was forced out of coverage, ran up the field, and grabbed the football with both hands as he raced past two would-be tackles and toward safety JJ Deril. Both fell in a heap; Schager was the first to get up.
The Panthers, ranked 19th in the FCS Coaches Poll, started with a strong running attack, averaging 245.3 yards per game and 5.9 yards per carry. They were held to 72 yards, an average of 3.1 yards per carry, and lost two fumbles. Tye Edwards, who averaged 115.7 yards in the first three games, was held to 13 yards on eight carries.
The Warriors dominated the first half and built a 22-7 lead.
In the first two quarters, Schager was 22-for-27 passing for 283 yards. After catching his first 12 passes, Schager’s 13th pass fell short. But the next three were successful, including his third scoring pass – a 20-yard pass to slotback Nick Cenacle for a 22-0 lead with 9:10 left in the half.
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