Tulane Enjoys Island Holiday

Hawaii’s high-flying offense never really took off Wednesday, especially after starting quarterback Timmy Chang went to the sideline with an injured thumb in the second quarter.

Although Hawaii built a 14-point lead early, Lynaris Elpheage returned one punt for a touchdown and set up the go-ahead score to lead Tulane to a 36-28 victory over Hawaii in the inaugural Hawaii Bowl on Wednesday night at Honolulu.

Trailing 14-6 in the third quarter, Elpheage, who was voted the game’s outstanding player, scored Tulane’s first touchdown with a 60-yard punt return.

Elpheage ran back Hawaii’s next punt 56 yards, giving Tulane the ball at the Hawaii 17. That set up the go-ahead touchdown, a one-yard run by quarterback J.P. Losman. Elpheage returned four punts for 143 yards.

The Green Wave (8-5) came in as a double-digit underdog but threatened to turn the game into a rout when Mewelde Moore scored on a 25-yard run late in the third period to make it 26-14. Moore rushed for 116 yards in 30 carries, 94 yards coming in the second half. He also had six receptions for 80 yards.

Hawaii (10-4) came back behind reserve quarterback Shawn Withy-Allen, who threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes. Withy-Allen’s 57-yard scoring pass to Justin Colbert to made it 26-21 with 13 minutes 26 seconds remaining.

But Losman, a Venice High graduate who completed 20 of 39 passes for 240 yards, scored his second rushing touchdown, a three-yarder, to extend the lead to 34-21.

Withy-Allen, who completed 18 of 31 passes for 239 yards, and Colbert, who had nine receptions for 158 yards, combined on a 31-yard scoring play to narrow the gap with 5:12 left. But Tulane put the game out of reach when Roxie Shelvin sacked Withy-Allen in the end zone for a safety to make it 36-28 with 3:02 left.

Tulane, which had not played since Nov. 23, appeared sluggish in the first half and mustered only 172 yards in total offense. But Elpheage got the Green Wave started with his returns.

Hawaii took a 14-0 lead in the first half behind short scoring runs by Thero Mitchell and Josh Galeai, but Tulane scored 26 consecutive points -- including 20 in the third quarter.

Two field goals by Seth Marler got Tulane going, closing Hawaii’s lead to 14-6.

Hawaii, the nation’s top passing offense, was without Chang for most of the game after he injured the thumb on his throwing hand in the second quarter. Chang completed 14 of 21 passes for 124 yards.

Chang entered the game with 4,350 yards passing and 25 touchdowns.