McDonald leads Hawaii to 38-34 win over BYU in Hawaii Bowl

Cole McDonald capped a stellar performance with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Nick Gardner with 1:17 remaining, and Hawaii beat BYU 38-34 on Tuesday night for Warriors' first 10-win season since 2010. McDonald threw for 493 yards and four touchdowns against a BYU defence that was allowing an aver of 203.8 yards passing per game.

Still, it took a late rally for Hawaii to beat BYU for first time since 2001 when both were part of Western Athletic Conference. After leing 31-24 at halftime, Cougars (7-6) shut out Warriors until final possession.

McDonald scrambled for 9 yards. He found Mardner behind defence for a 38-yard pass that at least put Hawaii in range to tie game. And n he hit Mardner on a post route, and he tumbled into end zone as Aloha Stium erupted for its home team, even though Warriors (10-5) were technically visiting team.

BYU wasted a solid game by Zach Wilson, whose far grew up in Hawaii. Wilson threw for 274 yards and ran for 72 yards and two short TDs to help Cougars rally from a 10-point deficit in first half.

BYU's last chance ended when Khoury Bethley intercepted Wilson for second time, and celebration was on.

McDonald finished 28 of 46, and he did most of his dam in first half by throwing for 331 yards and three scores. Of four touchdown drives, shortest was 40 yards. That one followed Bethley's first interception. Two plays later, McDonald found Jared Smart on a post route with a perfectly thrown pass that me it 14-0.

Wilson brought Cougars back, leing m on touchdown drives of 73, 75 and 75 yards, last one ending on Micah Simon scoring on an 11-yard reverse.

BYU still les series 23-9. This was first time schools met in a bowl game.

TAKEAWAY

Hawaii: McDonald used middle of field and was t afraid to go deep on a BYU defence that h been stubborn against pass most of year. He went over 4,000 yards passing for season.

BYU: Cougars h great balance with run (231 yards) and pass (274 yards). But y were susceptible to deep ball all game, and it cost m in end.

AIR HAWAII

Hawaii receivers Smart and JoJo Ward each went over 1,000 yards for year, joining Cedric Byrd II. This is sixth time in NCAA history that a team h three players with at least 1,000 yards receiving in a season. Hawaii has done it twice, or time in 2007. or schools are Texas Tech (2003), Tulsa (2003), Houston (2009 and Fres State (2013).