LAS VEGAS — For the second consecutive week, the University of Hawai'i fell behind 7-0 to start a football game.

The difference was "this time we were confident we could stop 'em," said defensive tackle Michael Lafaele. "We took some punches in the beginning but we bounced back."

Unlike the previous week's game at Louisiana Tech where UH fell behind 14-0 and didn't take a lead until the third quarter, the defense did not permit the Rebels another score until the final 4 minutes, 25 seconds of a 49-14 Warrior victory.

"It is too bad they got that one," UH coach June Jones said. "Our defense really played well."

Quarterback Colt Brennan said, "We knew they (the defense) would come back. We were smiling (on the sidelines). We wish the cameras had caught our faces. We even turned back to the fans when they were all fired up, talking trash, and told them: 'The bad news for you is there are four quarters left to go in the game.' "

Not that there would be long to wait.

"We made some adjustments after feeling them out that first drive," said Greg McMackin, UH defensive coordinator. "We went to an eight-man front because they wanted to run it more than I thought they would."

McMackin said his defense, "is a really smart group, they can adjust easily. We were a little tight at first — give UNLV credit — but we shut them down after that."

Said Lafaele: "This time it was good to look at the scoreboard."

BRENNAN'S ANKLE INJURY MOST SERIOUS FOR UH

Jones said Brennan was the most seriously injured of UH players who are all expected to be available for Saturday's game against Charleston Southern.

"He likes to run around and scrambled so much I'm hoping it (the sprained right ankle) isn't going to be a problem," Jones said. "If he was just like me and couldn't run around then it wouldn't be an issue. But because he can run around, it may linger."

BRENNAN'S 300-YARD STREAK COMES TO END

Last night's game ended a streak of 14 consecutive games of passing for 300 yards or more by Brennan.

He had 298 yards, completing 26 of 32 attempts before leaving the game after three quarters.

The last time Brennan did not pass for 300 yards or more came against UNLV last year at Aloha Stadium where he exited with 296 in the third quarter of a 42-13 victory.

But Brennan had an NCAA record-setting 29th game of passing for 200 yards or more.

WARRIORS PERFORM HAKA WITHOUT PUNISHMENT

This time the University of Hawai'i's version of haka went unpunished.

The Warriors performed it at the far end of the Sam Boyd Stadium in front of a Hawai'i-filled rooting section before the game after the Rebels had left the field for the locker room.

The Warriors replicated the haka after the game in celebration of their victory.

This was a new version of the haka from the one performed at UH's first two games.

Last week's haka drew a 15-yard penalty at Louisiana Tech, igniting a storm of controversy.

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