Honolulu, HI – Hawai'i turned a pair of second-quarter screen passes into touchdowns, then kept several Portland State threats out of the end zone on its way to a hard-fought 23-3 win at Clarence T.C. Ching Complex.
 
Known for the Run-and-Shoot offense, Hawai'i's defense has been particularly good this season. That defense showed up in the first half, thwarting drives by the Vikings deep into UH territory with an interception, a fourth-and-one stop inside the five-yard line, and another fourth-down stop at the 29.
 
In all, PSU had 230 yards of total offense, as it dropped to 0-4 on the season. The good news was the Vikings' defense, which had its best outing against an FBS program, holding the Rainbow Warriors to 357 yards and only the two touchdowns.
 
It was Homecoming for the University of Hawai'i and so it was fitting that John-Keawe Sagapolutele started at quarterback again for the Vikings. Sagapolutele is an Ewa Beach native and spent two years in the Hawai'i program. He transferred to PSU in the off-season.

Sagapolutele had the Vikings moving early on, completing nine of his first 12 passes for 73 yards. But his 13^th pass was picked off by the Rainbow Warriors' Elijah Palmer, terminating the Vikings' second drive of the game.
 
That was the only big play of the first quarter as the period ended scoreless with each team having 80 yards of offense.
 
Hawai'i finally took the lead on a 16-yard screen pass to Cam Barfield at the 13:09 mark of the second quarter. Later in the quarter, another screen pass to Barfield beat the Vikings as quarterback Luke Weaver delivered the 31-yard score.
 
On Portland State's next series, a 26-yard completion from Sagapolutele to Cru Newman was the feature play. The Vikings drove all the way to the Hawai'i three-yard line, but a fourth-and-one play came up a foot short and the Rainbow Warriors took over.
 
At halftime, the Rainbow Warriors led 14-0, but had only out-gained the Vikings, 177-150. Sagapolutele was 16-22 passing for 141 yards. PSU's running game managed just nine yards, in part due to a pair of Hawai'i sacks.
 
Portland State finally capitalized on a drive in the third quarter with a 25-yard field goal by Mathias Uribe. Kansei Matsuzawa also made a field goal for the Rainbow Warriors and the score was 17-3 at the end of the third.
 
Matsuzawa added two more fourth-quarter field goals for the final scoring.
 
Despite the loss, PSU's defense was solid.
 
"The improvement from week one until now and how they showed up here against an FBS opponent and gave us a chance by keeping us in the game, I'm just proud of them. They made a difference tonight," said Vikings Coach Bruce Barnum.
 
PSU allowed a season-low 357 yards and 23 points, while forcing 18 incompletions in the passing game. The Vikings also had a season-high eight pass breakups and made two sacks.
 
Cornerback Bryson Ross had a team-high seven tackles and a pass breakup. Nickelback Pierce Walker made five stops with three pass breakups. The other cornerback, Dionte Thornton, had four tackles and two pass breakups.
 
On offense, the Vikings struggled with the run, but Sagapolutele acquitted himself well among the hometown fans. He was 23-35 passing for 189 yards.
 
"John was productive. He saw the field really well," said Barnum. "We had some youthful mistakes and pressure that clogged him up at times. We have to get more production out of the run game. But I was happy with how John distributed the ball."
 
Wide receiver Zachary Dodson-Greene had nine receptions for 78 yards to lead PSU. It was the most catches by a Viking in 20 games.
 
"I've seen vast improvement in all phases from game one to four, but we have to keep improving," said Barnum, pointing toward conference play in two weeks.
 

GAME NOTES

• This was the Vikings third game at Hawai'i since joining the Big Sky Conference. PSU won 45-20 in 2000 and lost 49-35 in 2021.
• Hawai'i had wins over Stanford and Sam Houston State but was PSU's first unranked opponent of the season.
• Hawai'i's stingy defense was allowing only 143 passing yards per game and 289 yards total prior to playing the Vikings.
• PSU's defense did not allow a touchdown over the last 39 minutes of the game, forced three three-and-outs and six total punts.
• FR QB Cru Newman had 120 all-purpose yards, gaining 11 rushing, 38 receiving, 53 on kick returns and 18 on punt returns.
• Portland State has a bye week coming up. The Vikings open Big Sky Conference play on Sept. 27 at Hillsboro Stadium, hosting nationally-ranked Northern Arizona.