Hawai‘i Looks to Build Momentum Against UTEP Following Bye Week

Coming off its most complete performance of the season and a much-needed bye week, Hawai‘i returns to action Saturday looking to build momentum as the Rainbow Warriors travel to El Paso, Texas, for a Mountain West matchup against UTEP.

Hawai‘i (2-6, 1-4 MW) will face the Miners (1-7, 0-4 MW) at the Sun Bowl, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Hawai‘i time. The game will be televised nationally on FS1.

The Rainbow Warriors enter the final four games of the regular season with renewed confidence following a dominant 56-21 victory at Northern Illinois on October 24. The win snapped a four-game losing streak, delivered Hawai‘i its first conference victory of the season and provided a glimpse of what the team is capable of when all three phases come together.

But head coach Timmy Chang knows one strong performance won’t be enough to change the trajectory of the season.

“The intent’s gotta be there for us,” Chang said during this week’s media availability. “We wanna play good for the last four games of the season, but for us it’s one day at a time. It’s one play at a time.”

Building on an Offensive Breakthrough

After struggling to consistently turn offensive production into points, Hawai‘i delivered its most complete performance of the season against Northern Illinois, piling up 504 yards of total offense and eight touchdowns.

The Rainbow Warriors’ 56 points were their most since 2018, the highest total of the Timmy Chang era and tied a program record for a Mountain West game.

Quarterback Micah Alejado completed 22 of 32 passes for 323 yards and three touchdowns, earning Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week honors. He continues to lead the conference in passing yards per game (273.3) and total offense (276.3).

Perhaps most encouraging was Hawai‘i’s improved offensive balance. DeVon Rice rushed for 71 yards and three touchdowns, while Cam Barfield added 58 rushing yards and another score. The Warriors finished with a season-high 175 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

Hawai‘i also showed marked improvement in execution, converting nine of 15 third downs, scoring touchdowns on all six red-zone opportunities and not allowing a sack.

The challenge now is sustaining that level of efficiency following the bye week and against another conference opponent on the road.

UTEP Presents Another Road Test

Although UTEP enters Saturday with just one victory, Chang cautioned against overlooking a Miners team that has continued to compete under third-year head coach Scotty Walden.

UTEP’s lone win came in a 51-10 victory over Texas Southern on September 12. Since then, the Miners have dropped six consecutive games, including a 31-7 loss at North Dakota State in their most recent outing.

Despite the final score, Chang pointed to the Miners’ effort against one of the Mountain West’s leading contenders as evidence of the challenge awaiting Hawai‘i.

“It’s gonna be a good challenge ’cause we have to go away,” Chang said. “El Paso continues to get better. Just look at the team. They’re playing solid defense. They go to North Dakota State on the road, play them tough.”

UTEP’s offense features quarterback Raymond Moore III, who leads the Miners with 481 rushing yards and ranks among the Mountain West’s leading rushers. Wide receiver Jaden Smith has a team-high 34 receptions.

Defensively, linebacker Jayden Wilson leads UTEP with 47 tackles, while safety Esteban Guillory has added 40. Cornerback Kaleb Miles leads the team with two interceptions.

The Miners have also shown an ability to generate explosive plays, ranking among the conference leaders in gains of 70 yards or more.

For Hawai‘i, the emphasis remains on preparation and avoiding the mistakes that contributed to its difficult first half of the season.

“We just wanna make sure that we’re dialed in and we understand our game plans and we go out there and execute,” Chang said.

UTEP quarterback Raymond Moore III in action against North Dakota State on October 31, 2026, in Fargo, North Dakota. | Photo Credit: UTEP Athletics

Defense Looking to Sustain Turnover Success

While Hawai‘i’s offensive explosion against Northern Illinois drew much of the attention, its defense played an equally significant role in the victory.

The Warriors forced a season-high five turnovers, including three fumble recoveries and two interceptions, while holding the Huskies to just 266 yards of total offense.

The five takeaways were Hawai‘i’s most in a game since 2021.

The performance continued an encouraging trend for a defense that also forced three turnovers against both New Mexico State and New Mexico earlier in the season.

Creating turnovers has been closely tied to Hawai‘i’s success. Since the start of the 2025 season, the Warriors are 11-3 when forcing at least one takeaway and winless in seven games without one.

Against UTEP, maintaining that opportunistic approach could prove especially important as Hawai‘i looks to secure consecutive victories for the first time this season.

Former WAC Rivals Reunite After 22 Years

Saturday’s matchup also renews a rivalry that dates back to the schools’ days in the Western Athletic Conference.

Hawai‘i and UTEP will meet for the 32nd time and first since 2004, with the Rainbow Warriors holding an 18-13 advantage in the all-time series.

The Miners, however, have historically enjoyed the upper hand in El Paso, winning eight of the 14 previous meetings at the Sun Bowl.

The last time Hawai‘i defeated UTEP was in 2003, when Chang was still the Warriors’ starting quarterback. He threw for 426 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-15 victory in Honolulu.

The following season, UTEP defeated Hawai‘i 51-20 in El Paso in what became the final meeting between the programs for more than two decades.

The return to El Paso also comes at a significant moment for Hawai‘i football. Saturday will mark the Warriors’ first game since the passing of legendary former head coach June Jones, who guided the program from 1999 to 2007.

Jones, Hawai‘i’s all-time winningest coach, helped transform the program with his run-and-shoot offense and mentored Chang during his record-setting playing career.

Finishing the Season With Purpose

With four games remaining, Hawai‘i faces a challenging closing stretch that includes two road contests and matchups against several competitive Mountain West opponents.

The Warriors have struggled away from home under Chang, compiling a 5-21 road record during his tenure. They are also attempting to win the second game of consecutive road appearances for the first time since 2014.

Still, the victory at Northern Illinois offered a reminder of the team’s potential when it executes consistently.

Chang believes the final month will reveal plenty about his team’s commitment, resilience and willingness to continue improving despite the adversity it has faced.

“At this point in the season, it’s really about your team and how they’re mentally driven, how they stay together, how they continue to fight, continue to get better, continue to want to execute, want to do it for the guy next to them,” Chang said.

For the Warriors, the objective is straightforward: build on the momentum from their last outing, remain focused on the details and turn one encouraging performance into sustained improvement.

“We want to be mentally sharp,” Chang said. “But physically, we gotta know that we’re gonna have to go out there and dominate.”

Game Information
Hawai‘i (2-6, 1-4 MW) at UTEP (1-7, 0-4 MW)
Saturday, November 7, 2026 | 4:30 p.m. HT
Sun Bowl | El Paso, TX
TV: FS1

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