AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Dru Brown threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Kemp on the first play of the second overtime and Hawaii beat Air Force 34-27 on Saturday to end the Falcons’ 15-game home winning streak. ADVERTISING
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Dru Brown threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Kemp on the first play of the second overtime and Hawaii beat Air Force 34-27 on Saturday to end the Falcons’ 15-game home winning streak.
Jalen Rogers intercepted a Nate Romine pass on fourth down to seal it for the Rainbow Warriors, who won consecutive road games for the first time since 2010.
“When the ball went in the air, I just knew it was over,” Rogers said. “I knew I was either going to break it up or pick it.”
Brown and Kemp also connected on a 13-yard score in the first OT after Romine summersaulted into the end zone for a 5-yard score.
Luke Strebel had a chance to win it on the final play of regulation, but his 32-yard field goal attempt went wide right.
“They put me in a great spot to make a big play. Unfortunately, sometimes they don’t go your way,” Strebel said. “You look back on it and you think, ‘I make that 99 times out of 100. It’s easy.’ It’s a shame that that had to be the one.”
Brown finished with a career-high 312 yards passing for Hawaii (4-4, 3-1 Mountain West), including a 40-yard TD strike to John Ursua to tie it at 20 with 11:51 remaining. He also threw two interceptions after entering with a streak of 112 passes without a pick.
Ursua had seven catches for 108 yards and Kemp six grabs for 151.
The Falcons (4-3, 1-3) lost at Falcon Stadium for the first time since Nov. 21, 2013, against UNLV. They’ve now dropped three in a row overall after a 4-0 start.
“I don’t think we’re going to panic,” Romine said. “We know what we’re capable of.”
There was a scary moment early in the third quarter when Air Force defensive back Jesse Washington was strapped to a stretcher and taken off the field after being tackled during an interception return. The senior was on the ground for several minutes and tended to by team medical personnel. He gave two thumbs up as he was taken off the field.
Washington was traveling up the right sideline on his 27-yard interception return when Hawaii tailback Diocemy Saint Juste tackled him. Washington’s head appeared to snap back.
It rattled the Falcons.
“That’s our brother and you see him lying there with his eyes closed,” said Brodie Hicks, who had the interception that ended Brown’s string. “I’ve never been more scared in my life.”
Washington had full movement in his extremities and was taken to a hospital as a precaution, the team announced.
THE TAKEAWAY
HAWAII: Trailed three times and rallied back. The Rainbow Warriors were routed 58-7 last season by Air Force and a day later, head coach Norm Chow was fired.
“I was just so happy my team came away with the win because of last year and the score last year and the things that we went through,” Rogers said. “But things are changing.”
AIR FORCE: The Falcons couldn’t get any sort of passing game going against the Rainbow Warriors. Romine finished 1 for 10 for 20 yards.
UP NEXT
HAWAII: Hosts New Mexico next Saturday. The Lobos have won the last six over the Rainbow Warriors.
AIR FORCE: Travels to Fresno State on Friday.
