With seven seconds left in the 4th quarter senior place kicker Scott Enos kicked the game-winning field goal from 31 yards out, giving the Warrior football team (1-1) a 31-28 win over Army at Michie Stadium on Saturday.
“It’s great to win a game like that, especially on the road, and I’m really proud of them.” Hawaii head coach Greg McMackin said.
The score was set up by an Army fumble forced by senior defensive lineman Kamalu Umu and recovered by senior safety Mana Silva with 61 seconds.
Junior quarterback Bryant Moniz then completed a pass near the right sideline to sophomore wide receiver Royce Pollard that drew a controversial 15-yard unsportsman-like conduct call against Army, which placed the ball in Army territory.
Moniz found Pollard again on the next play along the right sideline for 31 yards which set up Enos’ field goal attempt.
“To take it back and get the field goal, it’s a thrill for our guys,” McMackin said.
Moniz threw three touchdown passes early to give UH a 21-0 lead by the middle of the second quarter.
But the Army Black Knights (1-1) responded with methodical 13-play drive capped off by Malcolm Brown’s four-yard touchdown run.
After halftime, they continued their comeback by scoring rushing touchdowns on three more unanswered clock-eating drives in the third quarter. They controlled the pace of the game and managed to posses the ball for 24:24 minutes of the 30 minutes in the second half.
Army forced a fumble on each of the Warriors first two possessions in the third quarter.
“I’m proud of how our team took some shots early and bounced back and kept believing and battled,” Army head coach and UH alumni, Rich Ellerson said.
For the Warriors, McMackin was confident Hawaii was going to score on their final drive.
“There was no doubt that we were going to march down the field,” he said. “Our offense executed a couple of great plays, got us down within field goal range, then Scott Enos kicked it through and it was a dream come true.”