Cougars lose fourth straight bowl game
Dana Holgorsen paced the Toyota Stadium sideline after Hawaii returned a third-quarter kickoff for a touchdown.
He stopped and put his hands on his head. One can only imagine what was said behind his black gaiter.
“Glad 2020 is over,” Holgorsen said after the Cougars couldn’t overcome a 21point deficit in a 28-14 loss to Hawaii in the New Mexico Bowl on Thursday.
Nothing was normal, and nothing came easy, all the way until the end for the Cougars. Eight games were interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Even the bowl was relocated from Albuquerque to Frisco in suburban Dallas because of COVID-19 guidelines in New Mexico.
Clayton Tune threw three first-half interceptions, two leading to Hawaii touchdowns, and the Cougars’ offense got off to another slow start. Sixteen players missed the game for undisclosed reasons, including four wide receivers.
It added up to a 3-5 record, the second consecutive losing season under Holgorsen.
“I’m sick to my stomach, and I’m tired of it,” said Holgorsen, who is 7-13 in two seasons. “We played spurts of good football. Just still inconsistent, and that’s not going to get it done. I’m glad 2020 is over. We have to keep working hard, and hopefully 2021 will be better.”
Even with a big deficit, the Cougars finally found some offensive rhythm and pulled to within 21-14 on a pair of touchdown catches by Nathaniel Dell and Christian Trahan in the third quarter.
And then Hawaii regained the momentum in the spanofabout12 seconds.
Calvin Turner caught the kickoff at the 8-yard line, took off toward the right side, broke a tackle and avoided a diving kicker Bubba Baxa for a 92-yard score.
“We had all the momentum just like we did (two) weeks ago against Memphis,” Holgorsen said of a 21point comeback that fell short 30-27 on a field goal as time expired. “We go out there and just squander it away. I’m (mad). I’m tired of it.”
Linebacker Deontay Anderson said the return “killed us.”
Tight end Christian Trahan added: “That was almost like a dagger.”
Since winning the 2015 Peach Bowl, the Cougars have lost four straight bowl games by an average of 25 points.
The game can be summed up like this for UH: One bad half, one good quarter, and nothing else down the stretch.
UH was without wide receiver Marquez Stevenson, who opted-out of the bowl earlier in the week, along with Keith Corbin, Jeremy Singleton and Bryson Smith
for undisclosed reasons. Before the game, Holgorsen said UH would be without more than a dozen players because of opt-outs, injuries, COVID-19 and academics.
Offensively, UH had 87 yards total offense and punted six times in the first half. The final three possessions were three-and-out series that produced 6 yards.
After falling behind 21-0, UH showed some life on its first two drives after half-
time. The cougars went ona 17-play, 75-yard drive that consumed more than seven minutes, capped off by a seven-yard touchdown catch by Dell.
UH outgained Hawaii 220-35 in the second half. But the Cougars couldn’t convert when it mattered most, finishing with an interception, punt and two failed fourth-down attempts to end the game.
Even without its two best defenders — defensive end
Payton turner and line backer Grant Stuard opted-out to prepare for the NFL draft — the Cougars allowed only 267 yards and did not give up an offensive touchdown in the second half.
“Proud of our fight, proud of us coming out there and doing things the right way when it comes to football … just glad it’s over,” Holgorsen said.