VIDEO: Fourth-quarter timeline of Hawaii football’s 56-26 loss to Air Force
The fourth quarter started off so well for Hawaii on Saturday night.
The Rainbow Warriors, for a moment, appeared poised to launch into full comeback mode against Air Force, opening the final period with a touchdown connection between Cole McDonald and JoJo Ward.
>> PHOTO GALLERY: HAWAII VS. AIR FORCE
But it was not to be. Air Force would score three more touchdowns and roll to 56-26 road win — dealing UH its first defeat at home in a 4-3 (1-2 Mountain West) season.
Without further ado …
UH moved the ball successfully at the end of the third, then immediately struck at the start of the fourth with McDonald capping a 10-play, 58-yard drive with a dart to Ward. However, McDonald came up incomplete on a 2-point conversion pass that would’ve brought UH within a touchdown. UH remained down nine.
Warrior World is officially on the field for the fourth quarter.#HawaiiFB gets it started with a McDonald TD pass to JoJo Ward. UH fails the 2-point conversion, however.
Air Force 35, UH 26, 14:54 4W pic.twitter.com/6kdQ29LP4c
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) October 20, 2019
Hope was short-lived. Air Force backup quarterback Mike Schmidt, who relieved injured starter Donald Hammond III to torment the Rainbow Warriors most of the night, busted loose for a 61-yard run after two moderate gains by Katin Remsberg. That put the Falcons up 16 with 13:37 left.
Air Force gets it RIGHT back with a 61-yard breakaway run by backup QB Mike Schmidt, who has absolutely gone off against #HawaiiFB tonight.
AFA 42, UH 26, 13:37 4Q pic.twitter.com/f8p1vFEF9L
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) October 20, 2019
UH, up against it at this point, has to go for it on fourth-and-10 from within its own territory. UH would finish the game 2-for-2 in fourth-down conversions.
Huge first-down pickup on fourth and 10 keeps UH’s drive going down 16 with 12 minutes left.#HawaiiFB pic.twitter.com/5QxT7ra4b2
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) October 20, 2019
But it was as if every step forward was met with one or two backward. McDonald was sacked by Demonte Meeks for a 6-yard loss back to the UH 42, and he fumbled to boot. Lineman Mosese Fifita recovered for the Falcons.
That’s short lived though, because McDonald fumbles on the next play and Air Force recovers at the UH 42. Falcons looking to drain clock now. pic.twitter.com/39u9Lwx4n5
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) October 20, 2019
The Air Force fans (of which there were quite a few) got to party on as Schmidt broke through the middle and dove across the goal line for an 18-yard score, his fourth total touchdown on the night with 7:49 left.
The Schmidt Show continues at Aloha Stadium. The QB busts through the line himself and the Falcons have sealed this road victory up 49-26 with 7:49 left.#HawaiiFB pic.twitter.com/zoSrH6LDwa
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) October 20, 2019
UH manages to move the ball upfield, into the Falcons red zone, when an incredible play happens (and disaster for UH). Senior safety Grant Theil broke up a McDonald pass, and as he came down with it, the ball bounced off his body a few times before he managed to kick it up in the air — where junior cornerback Milton Bugg III snatched it. He sprinted 92 yards for the fourth-longest pick-6 in Air Force history with 4:01 left, putting his team up 30.
Been this kind of fourth quarter for #HawaiiFB.
Air Force breaks up a McDonald pass and the prone defender bobbles it (off his backside and he kicked it up in the air) and then it’s taken by Milton Bugg III for the 92 yard pick-6.
AFA 56, UH 26 pic.twitter.com/4vyYRaXJj4
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) October 20, 2019
Ben Scruton punted it on UH’s last drive and AFA picked up a first down, allowing it to take a knee and run out the clock. The Falcons improved to 5-2 (3-1 Mountain West) in reclaiming the Kuter Trophy.
Air Force goes into victory formation and that’s that.
FINAL: AFA 56, #HawaiiFB 26
UH (4-3, 1-2 Mountain West) is dealt its first home loss of the season. pic.twitter.com/1CGIDW2sE2
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) October 20, 2019
Falcons took the Warriors out behind the wood shed for a good old fashioned whipping. Well not behind the wood shed, but on national television.