Hawaii receiver Ryan Grice-Mullins scoots into the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown pass from Colt Brennan in the first quarter. Grice-Mullins caught seven passes for 111 yards. Scott Morifuji | The Honolulu Advertiser

UH quarterback Colt Brennan started hot, going 9-for-9 with two touchdown passes, and hardly cooled off until he was replaced in the third period with the Warriors comfortably ahead.

Brennan completed 18 of 27 passes for 229 yards in the first half. He was intercepted twice, once on a deflected pass. He finished 24 of 35 for 296 yards.

Both of Brennan's first-period scoring passes were 7-yarders, one to Ryan Grice-Mullins and the other to Davone Bess.

The UH defense thwarted two UNLV first-quarter drives into Warrior territory, holding on fourth-down plays.

Brennan finished the quarter completing 12 of 15 for 121 yards. He was intercepted on a deflected pass. Another pass was dropped.

The Warriors took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards on six plays for a touchdown, with Brennan throwing to Grice-Mullins for a score.

Brennan was 4-for-4 on the drive for 45 yards. He also scrambled for 16.

On UNLV's first possession, the Rebels drove to UH's 32. But Leonard Peters, playing with injured ribs, knocked down a pass on fourth down.

Brennan then drove UH 68 yards in six plays with Davone Bess catching a touchdown pass.

In the second period, UH went on a nine-play, 70-yard drive for another score and a 21-0 lead. Nate Ilaoa took a pitch from Brennan off an option for the score.

UH made it 28-0, driving 93 yards on eight plays with Brennan capping the march with a 1-yard run for a score.

Early in the third period, Peters returned an intercepted pass 33 yards for a touchdown to help make it 35-0.

UH then drove 96 yards on 12 plays for another score with Ilaoa going untouched for a 7-yard score that made it 42-0.

David Peeples helped UNLV break through by scoring on a 1-yard run with 3:51 left in the third.