Tyler Graunke went from the abyss to the bliss in leading the Hawai'i football team to a breathtaking 36-17 victory over Weber State last night at Aloha Stadium.

Graunke entered at the start of the third quarter, when the Warriors trailed 17-7.

He then led the Warriors to touchdowns on four of their next five possessions to make it 36-17.

It was a remarkable comeback for both the Warriors, who opened with a 56-10 road loss to Florida last week, and Graunke, who did not make that trip.

Graunke was held out of team activities for most of the preseason while he tried to resolve academic issues. He fulfilled those obligations a week before the Florida game, but did not participate in passing drills until this past Tuesday.

UH coach Greg McMackin said Graunke would start next Saturday's game at Oregon State.

Inoke Funaki made his first UH start last night. But radio reports said he suffered a possible concussion in the first half.

The Warriors received the kickoff at the start of the second half, and at the start of their first possession, Graunke walked onto the field to rousing applause.

Five plays later, Graunke launched a pass to wideout Malcolm Lane, who was running a go route along the right sideline. Lane pulled in the pass to complete the 42-yard touchdown play.

Later, UH safety Keao Monteilh intercepted a tipped pass at the Weber State 35.

Three plays later, Kealoha Pilares ran 2 yards for a touchdown, giving the Warriors a 21-17 lead with 6:13 remaining in the third quarter.

The Warriors extended the lead to 29-17 on Graunke's 8-yard scoring pass to Aaron Bain, and ensuing two-point conversion to Mike Washington.

The Warriors made it 36-17 when Graunke rolled to his right on a bootleg and fired 1-yard strike to an open Bain in the back of the end zone.

It was a remarkable turnaround from a first half in which nothing seemed to go right for the Warriors.

The JumboTron game clock did not work.

It rained.

And, to punctuate the Warriors' miserable first half, the Wildcats led 17-7 at the intermission.

Little went right for the Warriors, even failing to capitalize on the Wildcats' generosity.

The Warriors' usually cool kicker, Dan "The Iceman" Kelly, missed two field-goal kicks.

Funaki, scrambling on nearly play, overthrew a wide-open Lane in the end zone.

And so it went.

The Warriors, who managed only 121 yards in offense in the first half, did not elect to add to the total, allowing the final 13 seconds of the second quarter to trickle away without a snap.

It was a surprising opening for the Warriors' 2008 home opener.

The Warriors had hoped to rebound from the Florida loss behind Funaki, a fourth-year junior making his first start of his UH career.

Funaki had won the job with his gritty scrambling, all in the fourth quarter, against Florida's quick defense. But Funaki was expected to have more time in the pocket last night, despite the injury-induced changes to the offensive lineup.

Keith AhSoon opened at left tackle, where he was a starter for all 13 games last season, in place of injured Laupepa Letuli (strained shoulder). Brysen Ginlack made his first career start, at left guard, the position AhSoon vacated.

The Warriors had a promising opening. They stopped the Wildcats' first possession, then gained the ball at the WSU 28 when punter Mike Snoy could not field the bouncing long snap.

After a 5-yard penalty, Funaki and slotback Washington teamed for a 29-yard pass play.

On the next play, Funaki rolled to his right and pitched to running back Leon Wright-Jackson, who scooted into the end zone to complete the 4-yard run.

But the Wildcats came back, closing to 7-3 on Jon Williams' 28-yard field goal with 7:39 remaining in the first quarter.

Later, the Wildcats drove to the 2. Cameron Higgins, a Saint Louis School graduate, completed a 1-yard pass to Baldwin alumnus Cody Nakamura. On the next play Trevyn Smith was knocked down by linebacker Brashton Satele, just short of the goal line. The play proved costly for the Warriors; senior defensive tackle Fale Laeli suffered an ankle injury. He was helped off the field.

On the next play, Smith scored on a 1-yard run, giving the Wildcats a 10-7 lead.

The Warriors' next possession ended in disaster, when Funaki fumbled while being sacked. The Wildcats recovered at the UH 3.

On the ensuing play, Higgins threw an inside screen to Smith, whose touchdown made it 17-7.