FRISCO, Texas — Hawaii football coach Todd Graham capped his first season with some final words to his players as they prepared to fan out in different directions for the holidays: “Make sure you spend this Christmas season with the people you love and let them know you love them.”
Good spirits were in the air after the Rainbow Warriors earned the first of what Graham thinks can be more championships to come.
Chevan Cordeiro threw three first-half touchdown passes, Calvin Turner broke the New Mexico Bowl record with a 92-yard kickoff return had another long scoring play to help Hawaii beat Houston 28-14 on Thursday. The game was moved to Frisco from its usual location in Albuquerque because of COVID-19 restrictions in New Mexico. UH is 2-1 is mainland bowls.
Hawaii (5-4) took a 21-0 lead into halftime in giving Graham his 100th career victory. He previously coached at Rice, Tulsa, Pittsburgh and Arizona State.
The Rainbow Warriors have a winning record for the third season in a row, the first time they’ve done that since 2001-04.
“It’s been my great honor to work with you and coach you and we really have made incredible progress,” Graham said. “Great building block. We have laid the foundation, and we laid the culture that’s going to win us championships, and we were champions today.”
Turner, a senior multipurpose standout, accounted for 252 yards, including his kickoff return late in the third scoring to derail the Cougars (3-5) after they cut their deficit to seven. He was named the game’s most outstanding offensive player.
“I do feel like I’ve earned my spot in the National Football League,” he told the media after the game.
Hawaii (8-6 in bowls and 2-0 against the Cougars) was outgained by 40 yards (307-267) but collected three interceptions — the first two leading to a 14-0 lead — and five sacks.
Sophomore linebacker Darius Muasau, the Mountain West’s leading tackler, finished with nine tackles, a sack and an interception to take home defensive most outstanding honors
“Our deal was to push the quarterback off his spot, try to pressure him and confuse him,” Graham said. “We talked about batting the ball. We gave him four or five different looks.”
Cordeiro completed 15 of 23 passes for 136 yards and had eight carries for 33 yards. Houston’s Clayton Tune was 20 of 38 for 216 yards with two touchdowns and the three interceptions.
Hawaii raced to a 21-0 lead in the first half, with Cordeiro throwing scoring passes of 3 yards to Dae Dae Hunter, 75 yards to Turner, and 4 yards to Jonah Laulu.
Houston rallied with two touchdowns in the third quarter, with Tune throwing a 7-yard scoring pass to Nathaniel Dell and a 26-yarder to Christian Trahan.
But Turner had the answer, catching the ball between the hashes and cutting to the right sideline before weaving back across the field and into the end zone for the game’s final score.
“They had just scored a touchdown,” Turner said, “so I was thinking I needed to come up with a big play.”
The Cougars, who played just their second game since mid-November, have consecutive losing seasons for the first time in almost 20 years.
“I was sick to my stomach,” Houston coach Dana Holgorsen said. “We played spurts of good football, but that’s not going to get it done. I’m glad 2020’s over.”
Graham was singing a different tune.
“You are blessed,” he told his team.
Hawaii 14 7 7 0 — 28
Houston 0 0 14 0 — 14
First Quarter
HAW—Hunter 3 pass from Cordeiro (Shipley kick), 10:43.
HAW—C.Turner 75 pass from Cordeiro (Shipley kick), 3:35.
Second Quarter
HAW—Laulu 4 pass from Cordeiro (Shipley kick), 8:05.
Third Quarter
HOU—Dell 7 pass from Tune (Witherspoon kick), 7:39.
HOU—Trahan 26 pass from Tune (Witherspoon kick), 3:45.
HAW—C.Turner 92 kickoff return (Shipley kick), 3:29.
A—2,060.
HAW HOU
First downs 11 20
Rushes-yards 34-131 38-58
Passing 136 249
Passes 15-23-0 21-43-3
Return Yards 103 55
Punts-Avg. 8-38.4 7-43.7
Fumbles-Lost 1-0 0-0
Penalties-Yards 3-40 5-25
Time of Possession 26:56 33:04
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Hawaii, C.Turner 12-60, Hunter 12-44, Cordeiro 8-33, (Team) 2-(minus 6). Houston, Car 15-47, Porter 9-30, C.Smith 3-5, Holgorsen 1-(minus 8), Tune 10-(minus 16).
PASSING—Hawaii, Cordeiro 15-23-0-136. Houston, Tune 20-38-3-216, Holgorsen 1-5-0-33.
RECEIVING—Hawaii, C.Turner 4-88, Smart 3-33, Hunter 3-9, Laulu 2-4, Stovall 2-1, Eletise 1-1. Houston, Dell 6-112, Trahan 5-88, Porter 4-3, Sawyer 3-24, Bradley 2-14, Street 1-8.
MISSED FIELD GOALS—Hawaii, Shipley 49.