LIHU‘E — Colin Kaepernick threw two touchdown passes and rushed for a pair of scores, leading Nevada to a 31-21 victory over Hawai‘i, Saturday in Reno, Nev. Hawai‘i jumped out to a 14-0 lead behind two Bryant Moniz passing touchdowns,
LIHU‘E — Colin Kaepernick threw two touchdown passes and rushed for a pair of scores, leading Nevada to a 31-21 victory over Hawai‘i, Saturday in Reno, Nev.
Hawai‘i jumped out to a 14-0 lead behind two Bryant Moniz passing touchdowns, but was unable to hold the Nevada run game in check. Vai Taua had 127 yards on the ground and caught a touchdown pass for Nevada (5-3, 4-0 WAC).
Kaepernick passed for 184 yards and ran for 114 more for the nation’s top running attack, which gained 312 yards.
Kaepernick became only the sixth player in FBS history to score 200 points and throw for 200 points in a career.
Nevada scored 28 unanswered points after falling into that 14-0 hole to win its fifth consecutive game.
Hawai‘i’s Moniz hit Kealoha Pilares with an 18-yard touchdown strike and Jovonte Taylor took a short pass from Moniz for a 71-yard score to give the Rainbow Warriors a two-score advantage just seven minutes into the game.
But Nevada answered with three touchdowns before intermission to take a 21-14 lead into halftime. Tray Session’s 40-yard reception from Kaepernick and Richard Drake’s field goal completed Nevada’s scoring.
Moniz completed 29 of 49 passes for 374 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions for Hawai‘i (2-6, 0-5), which dropped its sixth straight.
The win evened the all-time series between the two schools at 7-7.
The Warriors are now stuck in their worst losing streak — six games — since 1998.
Wide receiver Greg Salas failed to find the end zone for Hawai‘i, but did manage to extend his consecutive games with a reception to a streak of 22 games.
Taylor, who ended the day with six receptions for 109 yards, hauled in the first two touchdowns of his career.
It was again turnovers that derailed a number of Warrior possessions, as has been the story for the latter portion of the season. They have now committed at least one turnover in 32 straight contests.
The last time Hawai‘i managed to play a turnover-free ballgame was a road battle with UNLV on Sept. 15, 2007.
The 52 total points scored were relatively low considering the high-powered offenses at work. Nevada entered the game as the top-ranked rushing team in the country, averaging 320.1 yards per contest. Hawai‘i had boasted a passing average of 348.9 yards per game, good for third in the nation.
Head coach Greg McMackin and the Warriors will try to right the ship as they return to Honolulu. They will face Utah State, Nov. 7 at Aloha Stadium during Hawai‘i’s Homecoming Week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
