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Boise State Athletics
Broncos Defeat Warriors 41-34
9/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Jared Zabransky threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns and Ian Johnson ran for 178 yards and two scores to help No. 25 Boise State hold off Hawaii 41-34 on Saturday night
The Broncos (4-0) won the Western Athletic Conference opener for both teams for their 48th win in their 50 games on their home blue turf.
Hawaii (1-2) trailed by 18 points in the second quarter, but closed to 34-27 early in the fourth on Colt Brennan's 14-yard pass to Davone Bess on fourth down.
The Warriors botched the extra-point attempt, adding that to a missed field goal try and a previous botched extra point that the Broncos returned for two points.
Hawaii was driving again for the tie when Brennan fumbled and Boise State's Gerald Alexander recovered. After a lengthy review, with Hawaii coach June Jones coming to the middle of the field, the play stood.
Boise State then had an eight-play, 55-yard drive, capped by Zabransky's 18-yard touchdown pass to Derek Schouman that made it 41-27.
Hawaii closed again to 41-34 on Brennan's 8-yard pass to Jason Rivers, his third touchdown catch of the game, with 2:59 left.
Hawaii tried an onside kick, but Boise State's Jerard Rabb recovered. The Broncos were then able to pick up a first down and run out the clock.
Boise State scored on its first two possessions, the first on Johnson's 3-yard run, and the second on Zabransky's 6-yard pass to Legedu Naanee. Kyle Stringer ran in a fake extra-point attempt after the second touchdown for a 15-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
Hawaii responded with its four-receiver, one-back offense, and consistently moved the ball. But a bad snap ended a short field-goal attempt toward the end of the first quarter.
Hawaii got its first touchdown early in the second quarter on Brennan's 26-yard pass to Jason Rivers.
The Warriors again had kicking game problems and botched the extra-point try. In the ensuing scramble, Boise State's Orlando Scandrick came up with the ball and went 88 yards for a two-point defensive conversion, repeating a feat he accomplished last season at Hawaii for the final points of a 44-41 Boise State win.
Boise had 308 yards of offense in the first half, 150 rushing and 158 passing. Hawaii had 267 total yards in the first half, 232 on passing.
