Hawaii Gives, Nearly Takes Back Tie, 35-35

Hawaii gave up 21 points on turnovers, then just missed a chance to beat Air Force with a last-ditch field goal attempt Saturday.

The 23rd-ranked Rainbows fumbled on a deep fourth-quarter drive, forcing a 35-35 tie.

Hawaii kicker Jason Elam, who had made 20 consecutive field goals, was short and wide to the left on a 47-yard attempt as time expired.

“With four turnovers against Air Force and the penalties we had (eight for 76 yards), we’re fortunate to tie,” Hawaii Coach Bob Wagner said. “They won the turnover battle. When you lose the turnover battle against a good football team, you normally lose.”

The outcome had both coaches wishing for a tiebreaker.

“Right now, I think Hawaii is feeling pretty bad that there isn’t a tiebreaker system,” Air Force Coach Fisher DeBerry said. “I feel the same way, too.”

“I’m in favor of a tiebreaker in college football,” Wagner said. “I think it would have been great after we missed the field goal to have lined ‘em up and decided to win it.”

Rodney Lewis scored his fourth touchdown with three minutes left as Air Force secured second place in the Western Athletic Conference with a 5-1-1 record and an 8-3-1 overall mark.

The Falcons play Mississippi in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 28.

Hawaii, 9-2-1 and 5-2-1 in the WAC, already clinched an appearance against No. 22 Michigan State in the Aloha Bowl on Christmas Day.

Jamal Farmer, who rushed for a season-high 242 yards and two touchdowns, scored on a 36-yard run with 6:56 left to put Hawaii ahead, 35-28.

Air Force then drove 72 yards in nine plays and converted on fourth down when Lewis drove for a yard to the Hawaii seven.

Lewis plunged for a one-yard touchdown with 3:21 left, and Joe Wood was good on the extra point to tie it, 35-35.

Air Force capitalized on Hawaii fumbles, including a botched exchange between quarterback Garrett Gabriel and Farmer at the Air Force five-yard line with the game tied, 28-28, with 11:42 to play.

Gabriel was intercepted twice, leading to two Air Force touchdowns. Gabriel and Farmer missed on another exchange in the third quarter, leading to another Falcon score.