McDonald throws for 319 yards, 4 TDs; Hawaii beats Rice
HONOLULU -- Cole McDonald threw for 319 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Cedric Byrd, to help Hawaii beat Rice 43-29 on Saturday night and improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2007.
McDonald was 22 of 33 on Saturday and has passed for 1165 yards and 13 touchdowns with no interceptions this season. Fred Holly III had 17 carries for 100 yards and two scores and John Ursua had nine receptions for 133 yards and a TD.
McDonald hit Ursua for a 6-yard touchdown and Byrd for a 10-yard score on Hawaii's first two possessions to make it 14-0. Rice (1-2) trimmed its deficit to 36-29 when Shawn Stankavage hit Aaron Cephus for a 19-yard touchdown with 1:48 to play but Hawaii recovered the ensuing onside kick and, on the next play from scrimmage, Holly ran 46 yards for a TD to cap the scoring 13 seconds later.
Stankavage finished 20-of-31 passing for 299 yards and two touchdowns with one interception for the Owls. Emmanuel Esukpa had 17 carries for 104 yards and a score.
Game Information
2024 American Athletic Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Army | 7-0 | 9-0 |
| Tulane | 7-0 | 9-2 |
| Navy | 5-2 | 7-3 |
| Memphis | 5-2 | 9-2 |
| East Carolina | 4-2 | 6-4 |
| South Florida | 3-3 | 5-5 |
| UTSA | 3-3 | 5-5 |
| Charlotte | 2-4 | 3-7 |
| North Texas | 2-4 | 5-5 |
| Rice | 2-4 | 3-7 |
| Temple | 2-4 | 3-7 |
| UAB | 1-5 | 2-8 |
| Tulsa | 1-5 | 3-7 |
| Florida Atlantic | 0-6 | 2-8 |
2024 Mountain West Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Boise State | 6-0 | 9-1 |
| Colorado State | 5-0 | 7-3 |
| UNLV | 4-1 | 8-2 |
| Fresno State | 3-3 | 5-5 |
| San José State | 3-3 | 6-4 |
| New Mexico | 3-3 | 5-6 |
| San Diego State | 2-3 | 3-7 |
| Utah State | 2-3 | 3-7 |
| Hawai'i | 2-4 | 4-7 |
| Wyoming | 2-4 | 2-8 |
| Air Force | 1-4 | 3-7 |
| Nevada | 0-5 | 3-8 |
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