Honolulu, HI -- (Sports Network) - Mardy Gilyard caught the go-ahead 69-yard touchdown pass from Tony Pike with 4:42 remaining in the fourth quarter as 13th-ranked Cincinnati closed out its regular season by rallying for a 29-24 win over Hawaii.
This year's Big East champions came back for the final 19 points, all in the fourth quarter, to get the victory.
Gilyard caught seven passes for 136 yards for the Bearcats (11-2), who have won their last six games and will learn which bowl they'll play in on Sunday. Pike completed 13-of-21 passes for 108 yards and was picked off twice as Cincinnati set a school record for wins in a season.
Greg Alexander connected on 28-of-42 passes for 275 yards with a pair of TDs and was intercepted once for the Warriors (7-6), who will stay home and play in the Hawaii Bowl.
Alexander's 16-yard TD pass to John Medeiros gave the Warriors a 24-10 lead with 12:36 left, but the Bearcats then rallied.
Brandon Underwood picked off Alexander and his 20-yard return for a touchdown had Cincy within 24-17. Jake Rogers then kicked a 44-yard field goal with 8:19 remaining, and after a mishandled kickoff left the Warrior near their own goal line, Hawaii made a crucial mistake. Daniel Libre fumbled the ball on a handoff, but recovered in the end zone for a safety, making it 24-22 with 4:59 remaining.
Gilyard then caught the ball on the right side of the field, escaped a tackler and raced down the right sideline to the end zone.
The Warriors punted the ball back to the Bearcats, but Cincinnati was able to run out the remaining time, thanks mostly to a pass interference penalty near the goal line on a 3rd-and-14 play.
Rogers kicked a 53-yard field goal in the first quarter, and Delbert Ferguson caught a one-yard TD pass from Pike with 3:09 left in the second.
Dan Kelly's 28-yard field goal made it 10-3 at the half.
Hawaii then scored a pair of TDs in the third, on David Farmer's one-yard TD plunge and on Alexander's two-yard pass to Malcolm Lane.
Game Notes:
Isaiah Pead had 74 yards rushing for the Bearcats...Michael Washington had seven receptions for 64 yards for Hawaii...The Warriors had a three-game win streak broken...Cincinnati outgained Hawaii, 139-45 in rushing yards.
