Mistakes on and off the field plagued the University of Hawaii football team in its 51-31 season-opening loss today against California in a nonconference game played at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia.

Before kickoff, rookie Rainbow Warriors head coach Nick Rolovich suspended three key players — linebacker Jerrol Garcia-Williams, safety Daniel Lewis and tight end Tui Unga — because of disciplinary reasons. UH officials declined to say what led to the action or whether the players are still in Sydney.

Down two key defenders, Cal wore out Hawaii thanks in part to senior transfer quarterback Davis Webb. He threw for 441 yards and four touchdowns against an overmatched defense that yielded 630 yards. UH countered with 482.

Hawaii senior quarterback Ikaika Woolsey had his moments, completing 17 of 34 passes for 234 yards and one score. He also threw one pick as Hawaii committed three turnovers and a couple of costly penalties that led to points.

Hawaii tried a little trickery on the opening kickoff of the season with an onside attempt, but it was recovered by California at the Hawaii 48-yard line. The Bears had to convert a fourth-and-1 during the six-play drive but eventually scored on a 34-yard draw play by senior tailback Khalfani Muhammed. Matt Anderson added the PAT to give Cal a 7-0 lead with 13:56 left in the first.

The Rainbow Warriors drew even on an eight-play, 83-yard scoring drive of their own on which Woolsey found a nice rhythm of run and pass that culminated with a 39-yard pitch-and-catch from Woolsey to wideout Marcus Kemp, with Rigo Sanchez adding the PAT to make it 7-7 with 7:39 remaining.

Cal regained the lead on its next drive, moving 61 yards on 10 plays, including a key fourth-and-3 conversion that led to a 17-yard touchdown pass from Webb to Chad Hansen. Anderson added the PAT to make it 14-7 Cal at the 5:13 mark of the first.

The Warriors wasted little time scoring their second touchdown of the season, as Diocemy Saint Juste ran to the end zone on a quick trap play. He navigated the 53-yard run to perfection as Hawaii made it 14-14 on Sanchez’s PAT with 3:50 left in the first. Saint Juste managed 118 yards on 14 carries, including a 53-yard touchdown run, but he also put the ball on the ground twice.

Cal exited the first with a 17-14 lead the Bears wouldn’t relinquish on a 29-yard field goal by Anderson with 1:36 to go.

As high scoring as the first quarter was, with a combined 31 points, no one scored in the second until Anderson hit his second field goal of the game at the four-minute mark. The 22-yarder extended Cal’s lead to 20-14, but was something of a moral victory for Hawaii, Despite the grueling 18-play, 87-yard drive that took 7:12 off the clock, the Rainbow Warriors kept the Bears out of the end zone on a big third-and-5 play.

A fumble on the ensuing kickoff by Hawaii’s Keelan Ewaliko led to a quick-strike touchdown from Webb to Hansen. The 34-yard play was the second time the twosome hooked up in the game, as Cal extended its advantage to 27-14 with 3:43 left.

And the Golden Bears weren’t done yet against a tiring Hawaii defense. A combination of missed tackles, bad penalties and turnovers plagued UH in the first half and Cal took advantage. With seven seconds left, Webb bulled in from 3 yards out to culminate an eight-play, 85-yard back-breaking drive. Anderson made the PAT to give Cal a big 34-14 lead at the half.

It was more of the same in the second half.

Hawaii took the opening kickoff in the third and moved quickly up the field. Down by 20, the Rainbow Warriors needed points and in a hurry. The eight-play drive stalled at the Cal 25, setting up a 42-yard field goal by Sanchez to cut the deficit to 34-17 with 11:50 left. It was the first field goal of the season for the senior.

Cal responded with another physical drive that ended when Webb found Melqui Stovall all alone on a 14-yard scoring strike. It was the third touchdown pass of the game for Webb and Anderson added the PAT to make it 41-17 with 8:18 left.

The scoring drive was nine plays for 73 yards. Cal also had scoring drives of eight plays for 85 yards and 18 plays for 87 yards against a tiring defense in the first half. The UH offense did its part to keep the defense on the sidelines on the ensuing offensive series, once again moving the ball into Cal territory, converting a key fourth-and-1 one play to keep the chains moving.

It set up a 4-yard scoring run by Steve Lakalaka, who accounted for 58 yards on nine carries on the 15-play, 84-yard drive. Sanchez hit the PAT to cut the lead to 41-24 with 2:04 remaining.

The fourth quarter saw each team score some points. Anderson hit a 25-yarder, his third field goal of the game, to make it 44-24 with 10:08 left. Webb threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Veasy and UH running back Paul Harris had a 15-yard touchdown run to round out the scoring.