Warriors Bounce Back to Beat Louisiana Tech, 34-23
Recap Date: 11/06/04
HONOLULU - It took 48 games and 2,174 pass attempts, but University of Hawai'i quarterback Timmy Chang made history at Aloha Stadium Saturday night by becoming the most prolific passer in college football, accumulating 15,303 yards to surpass Ty Detmer's record of 15,031 set in 1991.
Chang finished the game 26-of-42 for 285 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception.
A crowd of 32,879 witnessed one of the greatest moments in UH football history when Chang completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jason Rivers, five-and-a-half minutes into the first quarter.
The celebration began immediately after the play, when the referee handed the game ball to Chang, who held it up to acknowledge the standing crowd.
Chang then ran to the opposite end of the field and present the ball to his father, Levi Chang, who was working as television timeout coordinator.
And by the way, Hawai`i (4-4, 4-3 WAC) defeated Louisiana Tech (4-5, 3-2 WAC), 34-23, in the Western Athletic Conference contest.
The feat seemed to have sparked the Warrior Defense which stopped Moats on 3rd-and-3 on the next possession, and then forced a fumble that landed in the hands of cornerback Abraham Elimimian, who took it 21 yards for a touchdown to put Hawai`i ahead 13-7.
Tech blocked a Warrior punt and got the ball back on the Hawai`i 25-yard line, but the Warrior defense again, stopped Moats and a 29-yard field goal try by Danny Horwedel sailed wide right.
And then Chang got going, completing five of his next six attempts and finding Gerald Welch for a 17-yard touchdown to put the Warriors up, 19-7, midway though the second quarter.
Tech cut the lead to 19-13 when Moats scored on a 15-yard run. But the Warriors struck back quickly. Chang fired three more strikes, the last to Britton Komine for a 19-yard score to give the Warriors a 27-13 lead at halftime.
The Bulldogs took advantage of a fumbled punt return to cut the lead to seven (27-20). Quarterback Matt Kubik found Bulldogs receiver Tramissian Davis in the endzone for a 8-yard touchdown.
Chang's first miscue came in the third quarter, tossing a pick to Bulldog cornerback Tramon Williams. The turnover led to a 22-yard field goal by Horwedel, which cut the Warrior lead to four at 27-23 at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
But Chang kept firing away, orchestrating a 9-play, 82-yard drive, capped by a 14-yard touchdown toss to Chad Owens, to put Hawai`i up, 34-23 with 11:58 to play. The Warrior defense kept Moats and the Bulldogs out of the endzone on two n more possessions to seal the deal.
Rivers led all receivers with eight catches for 137 yards and one TD. Louisiana Tech running back Ryan Moats finished the game with 38 carries for 228 yards and two scores. Hawai`i Safety Leonard Peters led all tacklers with 12 tackles.
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