Brayden Schager throws 4 TD passes to help Hawaii beat Albany 31-20

Updated Sep. 10, 2023 3:24 a.m. ET

Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) — Brayden Schager completed 23 of 40 passes for 266 yards and four touchdowns to help Hawaii beat Albany 31-20 Saturday night.

Schager threw a 34-yard scoring strike down the right sideline to Jalen Walthall, who made a one-hand finger-tips catch as he dragged a defender into the end zone to give the Rainbow Warriors a 24-17 lead with 6:10 left in the third quarter.

Schager threw a 4-yard touchdown pass that capped a nine-play, 74-yard drive and gave Hawaii a 10-7 lead with 7 second left in the first quarter and, after Albany's Larry Walker Jr. returned an interception — one of three thrown by Schager on the day — 35 yards for a touchdown in the second, connected with Steven McBride for a 30-yard touchdown strike before John Opalko kicked a 47-yard field goal to make it 17-all as time expired in the first half.

Opalka added a 32-yard field goal with 3:32 left in the third quarter that trimmed the deficit to 24-20 but Schager found McBride for another TD, this time from 12-yards out, to cap the scoring with 3:20 remaining in the fourth.

McBride finished with seven receptions for 72 yards for Hawaii (1-2). Jahlil Johnson added 11 carries for 76 yards rushing.

Reese Poffenbarger was just 10-of-31 passing for 93 yards with an interception but scored on a 41-yard run midway through the first quarter that gave Albany (1-2) a 7-3 lead.

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