JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Utah State's Tony Pennyman lost his helmet as Hawaii's defense piled on during the first half of last night's game at Aloha Stadium.

Warriors wake up

Hawaii torches Utah State for 50 points in WAC win

Maybe the Warriors just need to schedule more Aggies -- but only if they play like those from Utah State and New Mexico State.

Hawaii pasted USU 50-23 last night at Aloha Stadium, a month after a rout of another group of Aggies, the ones from Las Cruces, N.M.

UH (4-6) completed its Western Athletic Conference season at 4-4, and can finish even overall with home wins over Wisconsin and San Diego State. But the way the Warriors' rebuilding season has played out, UH might expect to go 1-1 the rest of the way; Hawaii has met the expectations of prognosticators all season, winning when favored, losing as the underdog.

Last night was no exception, as the Warriors played like 13- to 17-point favorites, and the Aggies performed like, well, major underdogs.

The smallest home crowd of the Hawaii football season saw it; Military Night drew 22,456 through the turnstiles. A total of 27,892 tickets were issued.

"We've got Wisconsin in two weeks," said UH quarterback Colt Brennan, who passed for 386 yards and two touchdowns to Davone Bess in three quarters. "Let's just pack the house and go for it. Get two wins, have some fun, send the seniors out the right way."

Utah State fell to 2-7 and 1-5 in its first season of WAC play.

The UH defense allowed its fewest points since fashioning a shutout at Idaho on Sept. 24, but defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville was disappointed with big-play lapses in the second half after the Warriors allowed only a field goal in the first 30 minutes.

"The first group played real well -- their hitting and intensity changed the game," Glanville said. "But I was disappointed with mental errors with groups two and three."

It was that kind of game; the Warriors were clearly better, and the score would have likely been more lopsided if not for UH's mass substitutions in the fourth quarter.

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii QB Colt Brennan ran away from Utah State's Jarrett Bush, below, and Brian Soi in the first quarter of last night's game at Aloha Stadium.

UH piled up 579 yards, the most since 628 in a 49-28 victory over New Mexico State on Oct. 15.

Dan Kelly kicked a 46-yard field goal to give UH a 3-0 lead and Justin Hamblin responded with a 50-yarder to tie it.Then Kelly put the Warriors back ahead with a 31-yarder that was set up by a 53-yard run by Nate Ilaoa -- the longest rush of the season for Hawaii -- to complete the first-quarter scoring.

UH expanded the lead to 13-3 after Brennan found Bess in the right corner of the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown completion. A 24-yard catch-and-run from Brennan to Ilaoa fueled the seven-play, 73-yard drive.

"We started slow, but we got it going," UH coach June Jones said. "I'm not sure why we started slow, but we settled down and did what we had to do."

A big defensive play seemed to spur the Warriors.

A crushing sack and forced fumble by Kila Kamakawiwo'ole of Leon Jackson and recovery by Lono Manners gave UH the ball at the Utah State 21. It was the defensive play of the game, and three more Hawaii touchdowns in the final 7:44 of the second quarter followed.

"I didn't see the quarterback," said Kamakawiwo'ole, who has eight sacks this year. "I didn't know I hit him so hard and he fumbled the ball. I heard the crowd screaming and I didn't know what was going on."

After two pass interference penalties on the Aggies, David Farmer scored on a 1-yard run and the Warriors led 20-3 with 5:55 left in the first half.

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii's Mikhail Kafentzis dove for extra yardage ahead of Utah State's Jake Hutton, left, and Brian Soi during the first quarter of last night's game.

After the Aggies' fifth possession in a row without a first down, Hawaii scored again, on a 1-yard run by Brennan with 3 seconds left in the half. Brennan's 31-yard completion to Ryan Grice-Mullen was the big play of the 64-yard drive. The Warriors led 34-3 at the break.

"The whole game was in the second quarter. All you have to do is add it up," Utah State coach Brent Guy said. "We turned the ball over and gave up the big plays. One bad play happens and we let three happen. Missing that field goal (in the first quarter) was a good example. We could have tied it up."

USU scored on its first possession of the second half, as backup quarterback Jerod Walker kept on an option play and ran 46 yards for a touchdown. The one play covered more yards than the Aggies rushed for in the entire first half (39).

Utah State kept the momentum on the next kickoff, as the Aggies penned in return man A.J. Martinez and the Warriors started at their own 6. They failed to score for the first time in five offensive possessions.

But USU generated nothing on its next try, and the Warriors came back with a 62-yard touchdown, Brennan to Bess. UH led 41-10.

"I don't know if I've ever been around a kid that makes the plays he makes," Jones said of Bess. "I've coached eight or nine All-Pro (receivers). They couldn't make the plays he makes."

The Aggies then scored on Lynwood Johnson's 5-yard run, but Ikaika Alama-Francis blocked the PAT try and Manners returned it 95 yards for two points and a 43-16 lead.

The Warriors cleared their bench on both sides of the ball in the fourth quarter. UH's Tyler Graunke hit Aaron Bain for a 32-yard TD, and Walker completed the scoring with a 3-yard pass to Kevin Robinson with 28 seconds left.

"It was a fun night to be out there," Jones said.

Not for everyone.

"Any time you give up a play for over 20 yards, we call it a big play and they had a lot more than us," Guy said.

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii's Ryan Keomaka broke up a pass intended for Utah State's Tony Pennyman in the second quarter of last night's game at Aloha Stadium.

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii receiver Davone Bess celebrated with quarterback Colt Brennan after the two connected for a first-half touchdown last night against the Aggies.

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Hawaii's Ryan Grice-Mullen barely hung on to the ball after a hit from Utah State's Jarrett Bush last night.

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM The Warriors defense swarmed Utah State quarterback Jerod Walker in the first half at Aloha Stadium.