Andy Heiser passed for 169 yards and Damon Fine kicked four field goals for Nevada (6-5, 4-3 in the WAC), which snapped a three-game losing streak and is bidding for its first winning season since 1998.

Tim Chang passed for 269 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown to Chad Owens, but threw two costly interceptions for Hawai'i, (6-4, 5-2), including Kennard's return for a touchdown that put Nevada ahead for good 18-14 with 6:06 left in the third quarter.

Linebacker Daryl Towns had an interception and recovered a fumble for Nevada while Carl LaGrone, Craig Bailey and J.D. Morschek each recorded sacks with help from Jorge Cordova.

Talib Wise ran for 78 yards and Chance Kretschmer added 73 yards rushing and scored Nevada's only offensive touchdown on a 1-yard run in a game that saw both teams score consecutive touchdowns in a pair of 11-second stretches in the seesaw third quarter.

Trailing 6-0 at the half, Abraham Elimimian intercepted Heiser to set up Chang's TD pass to Owens followed by Justin Ayat's extra point to make it 7-6 at 10:48 in the third quarter.

Heiser fumbled on the next play from scrimmage and Travis LaBoy scooped up the ball and ran 16 yards for another score to put Hawai'i ahead 14-6 at 10:37.

Nevada responded with an 80-yard drive capped by Kretschmer's 1-yard TD run at 6:17. Trailing 14-12, the Wolf Pack tried a 2-point conversion but LaBoy pressured Heiser into an incomplete pass.

On the next play from scrimmage, LaGrone Jr. tipped Chang's pass high in the air and Kennard Jr. - whose father played in the NFL - grabbed it and ran 11 yards for a touchdown. A 2-point pass failed again to leave Nevada ahead 18-14 with 6:06 left in the third.

On the next series, Hawai'i's John West ran 19 yards before he was hit by Keone Kauo and fumbled to Towns at Hawai'i's 31.

Nine plays later, Fine made a 25-yard field goal to make it 21-14 at 1:58 in the third. He earlierhit from 28 and 42 yards. His fourth of the game from 23 yards put Nevada ahead 24-14 with 11:08 left in the game.

Owens has 12 catches for 164 yards to tie Hawai'i's single game record for receptions he already shares with Walter Murray and Craig Stutzmann.