(Fresno CA)
With aspirations of a possible BCS game #22 Fresno State was looking to kick Hawaii while they were down. With all the upsets this week in College football a win against Hawaii would have moved Fresno State that much closer to a top ten spot.
Instead Hawaii upsets a BCS ranked team on the road for the first time in an incredible thriller which could have went either way. This game had it all, tons of offense, turn over’s, blocked field goals and a pair of very questionable calls that went Fresno States way, more on that later.
Ryan Mouton returned a kickoff for 90 yards for a score early in the first quarter but on the ensuing extra point, Hawaii Kicker Dan Kelly hit the upright giving Hawaii a 6-3lead.
Coming into tonight’s game Kelly was 2 of 6 on field goals and now he misses an extra point.
As it turns out Hawaii had only ten players on the field and
kicker Dan Kelly would get his opportunity to redeem himself and show us all why he is known as the Ice Man kicking four field goals including the game winner in overtime.
Junior quarterback Inoke Funaki appears to have secured the starting job with a good performance throwing the ball 17-25 for 170 yards and two TD’s and another 79 yards rushing, but more importantly he didn’t turn the ball over.
Hawaii’s defense despite giving up 522 yards came up big several times in key moments causing six turn over’s. In fact coming into tonight’s game Hawaii had the worst turn over margin in the country, giving it up 17 times while only getting 2 turn over’s, Tonight Hawaii had only one turn over, a fumble which Hawaii’s defense got back on the very next play on a fumble recovery of there own. Safety Keao Monteilh had two interceptions and senior linebacker Soloman Elimimian played like nobody’s business recording 11 tackles and a huge sack in over time.
With the game tied 29-29 in the fourth quarter Hawaii attempted a 49 yard field goal to take the lead with 5:36 left in the game, but Fresno state blocked the kick.
On the ensuing drive Fresno State had the ball at the Hawaii 38 on third and six, Fresno quarterback Tom Brandstater went to the endzone, the pass was incomplete but a phantom flag was thrown late for pass interference on Hawaii, replay showed their was no interference but Fresno was awarded a 15 yard penalty and a fresh set of downs.
However, justice was served four plays later when the Bulldogs attempted a 36 yard field goal that would of given Fresno State a 32-29 lead late in the fourth quarter but was blocked by Hawaii’s Antwan Mahaley.
In the overtime period Fresno State kicker Kevin Goessling was attempting a 35 yard field goal and missed but yet another flag was thrown against Hawaii for running into the kicker. This one was very questionable at best, none the less it gave Fresno State another attempt five yards closer but the BIG KAHUNA was watching over the Warriors tonight and Goessling’s second try was wide right.
This opened the door for Dan Kelly to kick a game winning 33 yard field goal that split the upright’s and Kelly ran of the field climbing into the stands to celebrate with Family and friends.
They will be talking about this one for a long time, what a game.
For the record Hawaii committed 10 penalties for 82 yards and Fresno State wasn’t flagged a single time, imagine that! Until next time, Russ Cannon
