Leighland Tagawa | SL

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Leighland Tagawa | SL

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Turnovers proved costly for the University of Hawaii, who dropped to 0-2 on the season after a 49-17 defeat at the hands of visiting Western Kentucky.

Austin Reed threw for 271 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 43 yards and another score for the Hilltoppers, who improved to 2-0 on the season.

The Hilltoppers defense intercepted five passes and added a fumble recovery while keeping the Rainbow Warriors from scoring a touchdown through the air through two games played.

In a near carbon copy of the Vanderbilt game a week ago, Hawaii took the early lead, this time a 40 yard field goal off the foot of Matthew Shipley at the 11:45 mark of the first, but Western Kentucky broke through in the second quarter, scoring on a 5 yard pass from Reed to Dalvin Smith to take the lead and then padding the margin to 14-3 on a Juwuan Jones 38 yard interception return with 11:36 until halftime.

Hawaii responded with a drive capped off by a Dedrick Parson run from nine yards out to pull the Rainbow Warriors to within four points at the 7:40 mark of the second, but the Hilltoppers added third score of the quarter on Reed pass to Joshua Simon from 47 yards away to make it 21-10 at the intermission.

After the break, Western Kentucky tacked on another score, this one from 17 yards to Jaylen Hall, Reed's third passing touchdown of the day, to make it 28-3 at the 7:37 mark of the third.

Kye Robichaux punched another score in from seven yards out to extend the lead to 35-3 at the 12:35 mark, and while Hawaii was able to respond with a Nasjza Bryant-Lelei plunge from a yard out at the 9:18 mark, the Hilltoppers added two more scores, both two yard dives, one by Reed and the other Davion Ervin-Poindexter, to put the game on ice.

Western Kentucky outgained Hawaii 412 to 361 in total offense, averaging 8.7 yards per pass attempt and 4.9 per rush. No pass catcher caught more than five passes or gained more than 80 yards for either team (led by Daewood Davis five reception for 78 yards), and Bryant-Lelei led all rushers with 64 yards on 13 carries.