RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Louisiana Tech's Michael Johnson slammed Hawaii's Jason Rivers to the turf in the fourth quarter of last night's game.

Hurts so good

UH overcomes its many injuries
to make Chang’s record-breaking
game a memorable win

The stadium-half-empty pessimists can call it a who-cares college football game between two mediocre mid-major teams in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Next Up UH returns to the road to take on Fresno State on Friday night in a nationally televised game on ESPN at 7:30. Stars of the Game Tim Chang, Hawaii The quarterback was 26-for-42 for 285 yards and four touchdowns. Ryan Moats, Louisiana Tech The running back had 38 carries for 228 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Key Matchup Hawaii QB Tim Chang vs. Louisiana Tech running back Ryan Moats Tim Chang bounced back from a terrible performance at Boise State to throw four touchdown passes and one interception on a 26-for-42 effort for 285 yards. He was often pinpoint accurate, throwing over and between defenders. Chang spread his TD passes one apiece to each starting receiver. Moats did as he pleased with Hawaii's defense in the first three quarters, darting and slashing for 217 of his 228 yards and two touchdowns. But his first-quarter fumble gave UH a touchdown, and he was a non-factor in the fourth quarter. Say What? "I know sometimes the young guys feel left out, but it's a team situation. When it comes to game time, we don't have young guys and old guys, we just have a defense, we just have a team," Mel Purcell Hawaii defensive end

The stadium-half-full optimists saw college football history, and the home team slowed one of the nation's best running backs just enough to pull out a win ... and maintain those faintly flickering bowl hopes.

The smallest Aloha Stadium crowd of the season (announced at 27,948 turnstile) looked on last night as Hawaii's Tim Chang and Louisiana Tech's Ryan Moats kept the thrills coming and the calculators clicking, much as they did last year in Ruston, La.

And the outcome was somewhat similar. The Warriors won again, 34-23 this time, allowing Chang, his teammates, coaches, family and fans to celebrate his breaking of the NCAA career passing-yardage record without feeling guilty about it.

"I'm glad we just won and are still in bowl contention," said Chang, who was also offered a football scholarship from Cal, among other schools five years ago. "It's great being home, it's a special feeling.

"I stayed home to accomplish something great, and it's very special to have great friends who appreciate something like that."

I'm glad it's out of the way," UH coach June Jones said of the record he helped promote from two years ago. "It's something he'll be more proud of 15 to 20 years from now."

Hawaii improved to 4-4 and 4-3 in the Western Athletic Conference, while LaTech fell to 4-5 and 3-2. UH needs to win three of its remaining four games for a bowl bid.

Chang passed for four touchdown passes -- including one that put him past Ty Detmer for the yardage record -- and Moats rushed for 228 yards and two scores.

"It was back and forth and I really thought we were going to win. I 100 percent had the feeling we would win," Bulldogs coach Jack Bicknell said.

GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii's Tim Chang celebrated the Warriors' 34-23 victory over Louisiana Tech with teammates last night at Aloha Stadium.

But -- as it did in the 44-41 win at LaTech last year -- UH's defense stiffened when it needed to. This time, a young, injury-decimated group did it with big third-down plays, like Mel Purcell's fourth-quarter sack, and goal-line stands, like the one at the 2-yard line with time running down and the Bulldogs still close enough to dream.

Hawaii built a 27-13 first-half lead as Chang threw touchdown passes to Jason Rivers, Gerald Welch and Britton Komine, and the defense pitched in with a TD on Abraham Elimimian's 21-yard fumble return.

The 7-yard scoring pass to Rivers gave Chang the record, as Chang found him wide open crossing through the end zone at 9:27 of the first quarter.

"It was a matter of calling the right play at the right time, and Coach called the right play," said Rivers, who finished with eight catches for 137 yards.

"Timmy breaking the record helped them spirit-wise, but they always give us a good game. I like playing Hawaii because they play so hard. Such a spirit," said Moats, who showed quite a bit himself, playing with a tender ankle.

For every big play Chang and his receivers made early, Moats answered. He opened the scoring with a 2-yard run, completing a six-play, 61-yard drive in which he accounted for all the forward progress in five consecutive carries.

Moats' 15-yard run closed the gap to 19-13, but Tony Akpan blocked the extra-point attempt.

"I envisioned one of those Marshall Faulk games, for 380 (yards)," Jones said. "He's gonna get his yards, but we made the plays in critical times.

After the break, LaTech narrowed the margin to 27-20 with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Tramissian Davis from Matt Kubik in the third quarter.

The Bulldogs drove toward the UH end zone again at the end of the period, but had to settle for Danny Horwedel's 22-yard field goal, after Darrell Tautofi stopped Moats for a 3-yard loss on third down.

"He got gassed out," Bicknell said. "Out there it was humid. There's no excuses. He was just plain too tired and needed a break."

Chang then hooked up with Chad Owens for a 14-yard TD pass with 11:58 left in the game. The 11-point lead wasn't too comfortable with Moats around, but the UH defense contained him enough the rest of the way.

"Hawaii's defense did a great job stepping up," Bicknell said.