Slow starts have continued dooming Hawai’i football

Slow starts have continued dooming Hawai’i football

Oct 1, 2026

Slow starts have continued dooming Hawai’i football

HONOLULU – The red light is flashing.

The alarm bells have not hit full blast and there might be many weekends remaining in the 2026 college football season, but an unexpected 1-3 start by the University of Hawai’i football team has put everyone on high-alert entering Week 5.

Hawai’i has had their fair share of bad calls and bad breaks already through just over a month of the campaign. A catch at the Farm that continues to confound, an Audric Harris touchdown snag snatched off the board after review and multiple punchout fumble recoveries called back as “incomplete passes” are just a few of the 50/50 plays that have gone against the Rainbow Warriors’ favor.

But there also has been an uncharacteristic anemic offense, brain farts on special teams and the defense running out of gas in untimely moments. Outside of the fourth quarter against Stanford and a first-half masterclass from DeVon Rice against New Mexico State, you can make the case that the offense hasn’t shown up at all this season.

Part of that falls on the departures from last year’s team, from Jackson Harris (LSU) and Brandon White (Kansas State) hitting the transfer portal to Nick Cenacle’s graduation to Pofele Ashlock’s lingering offseason injury taking away four of the best receivers previously on the roster.

Another part falls on the team not playing with enough urgency, failing to get out of the mud before they fall behind in a game and forcing the defense to get stop after stop when it’s in the middle of replacing plenty of starting pieces itself.

Hawai’i has spent 51 minutes and 37 seconds with a lead across four games this season. More than 49 of those minutes came in the team’s lone victory over New Mexico State while the other two minutes and 25 seconds with an advantage came in the fourth quarter of the opener at Stanford. The Rainbow Warriors have not held a lead in either conference game they’ve played.

The defense is not blameless, either. They’ve forced two turnovers in four games, and they both came against NMSU. They couldn’t get the stop needed after the offense magically clicked in the fourth quarter at Stanford. Wyoming’s offense (which struggled mightily in three games prior) posted season highs across the board and flat out was the more physical unit in Laramie this past weekend.

And of course, special teams has had another fair catch kickoff miscue, multiple shanked point-after attempts and the infamous “double No. 8” disaster from Wyoming weekend. The unit has also only seen one explosive return (which the offense failed to capitalize on against New Mexico State after a scrambling Alejado got lit up, fumbled and saw it returned for a touchdown the other way) across four games of opportunities.

The point? Cohesive football wins games. Forcing the defense to play from behind over 61% of the time is not setting them up for success and makes it more difficult to rush the passer and stop the run.

The offense becomes more predictable when trailing as well, forcing the team to look to the passing attack even more often than it already did. It also doesn’t help when starting field position comes inside UH’s own 30-yard line, which it has on 30 of the team’s 45 offensive possessions this year.

To be fair, the Hawai’i special teams unit has pushed other teams inside their own 30-yard line on 32 of the 45 opposing possessions that the Rainbow Warriors have faced. It’s just that other teams have scored touchdowns on six of those other 13 chances and kicked a field goal on another.

Hawai’i’s offense has scored on six of their 15 drives that started from their own 30 or beyond, but only four of those have been touchdowns and two came in the same game against New Mexico State.

That gets us back to the concept of cohesive football.

The one game that Hawai’i won? They dominated the field position battle, led for the majority of the game and forced multiple turnovers.

In the three losses? Surrendered better field position constantly, squandered more quality chances and couldn’t find a way to win the turnover battle.

It’s not as simple as “bad offensive play calling” or “special teams errors” or “the defense can’t get the big stop or make the big play” for Hawai’i.

It’s been ALL of those things.

The good news for the Rainbow Warriors is that plenty of season remains. If stories were written using only the first month of seasons, we would’ve never gotten the magical runs of the 2019 Washington Nationals, the 2007 New York Giants or 2001 Patriots, among many other great comeback stories.

It’s not to say that a Mountain West championship is still within reach or that this first month hasn’t been disappointing. Fans have every right to be upset with the results through four games for Hawai’i.

But 2026 doesn’t have to be a disaster season for the Rainbow Warriors.

They’ll get a shot to right the ship on Saturday night in the islands as old friend Luke Weaver comes to town with the San Jose State Spartans. Former Rainbow Warriors Ken Niumatololo and Craig Stutzmann will also be on the opposing sideline with hopes to hamper Hawai’i’s season even further.

But SJSU comes in at 2-2 and haven’t gotten a taste of conference play yet. It’s notoriously difficult to play as the road team in Hawai’i and the Spartans are coming off a bye week where they had to chew on a 26-10 home loss to Fresno State where Weaver tossed four interceptions for an extra weekend.

San Jose State has owned the rivalry lately, winning the past five meetings against the Rainbow Warriors to keep possession of the Dick Tomey Legacy Trophy. Last year, the Spartans more-or-less killed the hopes at a conference championship appearance for Hawai’i.

If there isn’t motivation and reason to start quick this weekend, then it’s a full five-alarm fire for Hawai’i’s hopes of making a bowl game. A road date at Arizona State awaits after this week, then Mountain West favorite New Mexico comes to town before UH takes the long flight to Illinois to take on NIU on the final leg of a five-game stretch without a bye.

But that’s down the road.

Football is focusing on the here and now. If Hawai’i can handle business on Saturday and swing Timmy Chang’s first win against San Jose State, it’ll make it easier for fans to find more positives for a team that slushed through a slow start at the schedule’s beginning part.

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Wyoming whacks Hawai’i to reclaim Paniolo Trophy

Wyoming whacks Hawai’i to reclaim Paniolo Trophy

Sep 26, 2026

Wyoming whacks Hawai’i to reclaim Paniolo Trophy

Football provides the option to snatch souls or get your soul snatched.

The University of Hawai’i football team experienced the latter of the two on Saturday, seeing their losing ways in Laramie continue as Wyoming (2-2, 1-0 Mountain West) took back possession of the Paniolo Trophy with a comfortable 27-10 victory over the Rainbow Warriors.

The Cowboys racked up a season-high 387 yards as they handed Hawai’i (1-3, 0-2 Mountain West) an eighth loss in nine trips to Laramie since 1993.

QB Tyler Hughes had his best day of the young season, posting 204 yards passing while the rushing attack added 183 yards and all three of Wyoming’s touchdowns on the ground. The Cowboys also converted 6-of-12 chances on third down and won the time of possession battle by over four minutes.

Hawai’i gave up a score on the opening drive for the first time this year, seeing the Cowboys use a balance of runs and passes to the tight ends to drive 64 yards into the redzone before settling for a 28-yard field goal after five minutes of play.

The Rainbow Warriors responded in kind, kicking their own 28-yard field goal on the ensuing drive to knot the game at 3-3 through the opening quarter of play.

Wyoming re-took the lead with 10 more points in the second quarter, seeing K Erik Sandvik tack on a 23-yard field goal early in the frame before RB Markell Holman made it a 10-point lead for the hosts heading into the half with a 1-yard TD run.

Hawai’i’s offense sputtered after the game-opening 12-play field goal drive, running 15 more plays total in the first half while being forced to punt at the end of all three drives as they went into the half trailing, 13-3.

Hawaii QB Micah Alejado rolls to the left against Wyoming. | Photo Credit: Brian Bautista, HSRN

It marked the third time in four chances this season that the Rainbow Warriors went into the break without a lead, joining the slow starts from the Stanford and UNLV games.

Hawai’i’s offense took up most of the third quarter with their first drive out of halftime, taking over nine minutes to march all the way to the Wyoming 1-yard line before going for it on 4th-and-Goal and getting stonewalled to come away with no points.

The defense for the Rainbow Warriors looked as though they’d get the ball right back with good field position for the offense after forcing a punt, but two players wearing the same number on the UH return unit turned a fourth down into a fresh set of downs for the Cowboys instead.

Wyoming capitalized on the miscue from the visitors, draining the rest of the third quarter clock as they converted on a 3rd-and-15 to get into UH territory and moved into the redzone on the next play with the help of a targeting penalty against Zaden Mariteragi.

Holman opened the fourth quarter with his second touchdown of the day, taking the first snap of the final frame 18 yards to the endzone as he shook off a couple of would-be Hawai’i tacklers to make it a 20-3 lead for the Cowboys.

Hawai’i finally got a shot in the arm as tight ends Frank Abreu and Devon Tauaefa got involved offensively, helping the visitors drive 75 yards in under three minutes as Tauaefa hauled in his first touchdown since 2023 to make it a two-possession game with 12:11 to play.

Hawaii TE Devon Tauaefa celebrates after scoring his first touchdown since 2023. | Photo Credit: Brian Bautista, HSRN

The defense got the ball back for the Rainbow Warriors with just under eight minutes remaining, but a 54-yard field goal try by Sean Olvera-Harle sailed wide-right and left Hawai’i down by 10 with 4:36 left in regulation.

Wyoming drove home the dagger three minutes later as RB Samuel Harris nearly went untouched on an 18-yard dash to paydirt, putting the game out of reach to reclaim the Paniolo Trophy.

QB Micah Alejado completed 28-of-44 passes for 226 yards and one touchdown, taking three sacks in the loss for the Rainbow Warriors.

RB DeVon Rice had the most productive day for Hawai’i, posting a career-high 75 yards rushing on 12 attempts. The sophomore back also tacked on two catches for 11 yards out of the backfield.

Hawai’i returns to action next weekend to host old friend Luke Weaver and San Jose State on Saturday, October 3 in the islands. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. HT on K5 or the MW+ app.

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Hawai‘i heads to Wyoming looking to retain Paniolo Trophy

Hawai‘i heads to Wyoming looking to retain Paniolo Trophy

Sep 25, 2026

Hawai‘i heads to Wyoming looking to retain Paniolo Trophy

Hawai‘i returns from its first bye week of the season with a rivalry trophy in tow and another opportunity to get its season moving in the right direction.

The Rainbow Warriors (1-2, 0-1 Mountain West) travel to Laramie to face Wyoming (1-2, 0-0) Saturday at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 9 a.m. HT on The CW. Hawai‘i currently owns the Paniolo Trophy after defeating the Cowboys 27-7 in Honolulu last season.

Hawai’i Defensive Tackle Luther McCoy holds up the Paniolo Trophy after the Rainbow Warriors’ win over Wyoming in 2025. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

For head coach Timmy Chang, the week off came at an opportune time. Hawai‘i entered the bye following its first victory of the season, a 29-19 win over New Mexico State in which the Warriors posted season highs with 29 points, 420 yards of offense and 21 first downs while forcing three turnovers.

The challenge now is carrying that momentum away from home.

“I appreciate the bye week because we get to rest up, we get to recover,” Chang said. “But we really get to look at ourselves, analyze, correct…really dive into who we are, what can we be better at, and then what are we good at.”

Chang said he liked how his team approached the week, particularly with a significant stretch of the schedule ahead.

Quarterback Micah Alejado echoed that sentiment, describing the bye as anything but a week off. Practices remained demanding as Hawai‘i attempted to avoid some of the mistakes it made coming out of open weeks last season.

The sophomore enters Saturday after his strongest performance of 2026, completing 33-of-45 passes for 346 yards against New Mexico State. Alejado leads the Mountain West at 264.7 passing yards per game and ranks fourth nationally with 27 completions per game.

Micah Alejado rolls to his left while escaping a defender during Hawai’i’s 29-19 victory over New Mexico State. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Tama Uiliata also emerged as a major piece of the passing attack against the Aggies, catching 10 passes for a career-high 107 yards while also throwing a touchdown. Running back DeVon Rice added two rushing scores as Hawai‘i showed its most complete offensive performance of the young season.

Wyoming presents a different challenge.

The Cowboys have leaned much more heavily on the ground, averaging 153.3 rushing yards compared with Hawai‘i’s 77.0, while UH enters with a significant advantage through the air at 269.3 passing yards per game to Wyoming’s 153.0.

Quarterback Tyler Hughes has been a significant part of Wyoming’s rushing attack. He ran for a career-high 78 yards in last week’s 24-10 loss at Central Michigan and leads the Cowboys with 156 rushing yards through three games.

Hawai‘i will also have to account for Wyoming’s tight ends.

Jake Wilson leads the Cowboys with nine receptions for 117 yards, while sophomore Kyle Frendt is coming off a career-best performance with four catches for 95 yards against Central Michigan.

Wyoming TE Jake Wilson | Photo Credit: gowyo.com

“Their tight ends have been very productive,” Chang said. “They’re going to run block. They’re going to block on the perimeter, and then they’re going to catch the ball.”

Whether it comes on screens, play-action or shots down the seam, Chang called the position a “weapon” Hawai‘i must be prepared to defend.

The Warriors could get some help on that side of the ball with the potential return of defensive lineman Lester Lagafuaina.

Lagafuaina has been sidelined since suffering an injury in Hawai‘i’s Week 0 game at Stanford but was back on the practice field this week and appears poised to return against Wyoming.

Chang stopped short of guaranteeing the availability of players returning from injury, but acknowledged the possibility of getting several contributors back.

DL Lester Lagafuaina lines up against Stanford in Week 0 of 2026 | Photo Credit: Brian Bautista

“There’s a potential for these guys to come back,” Chang said. “If they do come back, it’ll be nice as we get some of our playmakers back on both sides of the ball.”

Lagafuaina’s presence would provide size up front, but Chang also pointed to the energy he brings to the group.

“Lester’s a guy in our program that just loves being a Warrior, being a team player,” Chang said. “His energy is going to be contagious, but his play on the field is going to be more valuable.”

Hawai‘i will need that energy in one of the program’s traditionally difficult road environments.

The Rainbow Warriors are just 4-9 all-time in Laramie and have won only once in their last eight trips there. However, last season provided evidence this group can handle similar conditions. Hawai‘i won at both Air Force and Colorado State in 2025, earning victories in a pair of high-altitude cities.

Saturday is also Wyoming’s Homecoming game, adding another element to the atmosphere at War Memorial Stadium.

RB Cam Barfield rushes against Air Force during Hawaii’s 44-35 win in 2025. | Photo Credit Brian Bautista

Chang said the Warriors have prepared for the altitude and crowd noise but don’t want either to become a mental hurdle.

“In the Mountain West, you just deal with the elements and environment that you’re presented,” Chang said. “Mentally, it doesn’t matter. We just got to roll the ball out there and go play.”

Then there is the trophy.

Saturday marks the 30th meeting between the programs and the 28th time they will compete for the Paniolo Trophy. Wyoming leads the all-time series 17-12 and the trophy series 17-10, but Hawai‘i reclaimed the hardware last November behind a defense that did not surrender an offensive point in the 27-7 victory.

The trophy is already packed for the trip to Laramie.

Hawai‘i’s objective is making sure it gets packed again for the flight home.

“That thing’s going to be out there in Wyoming,” Chang said, “and we want it to come back here.”

Hawai‘i at Wyoming
Saturday, Sept 25, 9:00 a.m. HST
Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium
TV: The CW

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Hawai’i handles New Mexico State behind big nights from Uiliata, Harris

Hawai’i handles New Mexico State behind big nights from Uiliata, Harris

Sep 13, 2026

Hawai’i handles New Mexico State behind big nights from Uiliata, Harris

HONOLULU – It didn’t have to be perfect. Heck, it didn’t have to be pretty.

But it needed to be a win.

The University of Hawai’i football team bounced back from a slow start to the 2026 season on Saturday night, using contributions from all three phases to hold off New Mexico State for a 29-19 victory inside Clarence T.C. Ching Complex and remain perfect all-time in the islands against the Aggies.

Sophomore QB Micah Alejado tallied his first 300-yard game of the year and sixth of his career, completing 33-of-45 passes for 346 yards in the win as the offense found a way to score in all four quarters on the way to posting season highs in points, yards and first downs.

“What you saw out there was the Run-N-Shoot,” Alejado said of the offensive success. “Guys being on their Ps and Qs and coming out being ready to play. We found out a lot about ourselves these past two weeks and I think that’s the result you get … When your back is against the wall, you have to figure out what you’re going to do.”

Micah Alejado rolls to his left while escaping a defender during Hawai’i’s 29-19 victory over New Mexico State. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Tama Uiliata and Audric Harris had breakout performances for the Rainbow Warriors as each wideout eclipsed the century mark in yards for the first time in their careers.

After being held without a catch last weekend and getting three total targets, Uiliata led the team with a career-high 10 receptions and 107 yards on 11 targets while also tossing a 7-yard touchdown to TE Frank Abreu late in the fourth quarter to help seal the win for Hawai’i.

“I think [Uiliata] is one of the best Waipahu football players that ever came out of that high school,” head coach Timmy Chang said after the sophomore’s big performance. “We fully trust him in all these positions because that’s what we saw when we recruited him … Tama is just a special player and we’re lucky he chose Hawai’i to be his home.”

Harris also had his best game of his college career, racking up multiple long receptions on the way to a 105-yard night on four catches in his first collegiate start. Reunited with his high school QB in Alejado, the transfer from Washington recorded the longest offensive play of the season for the Rainbow Warriors in the opening quarter as he took an Alejado pass 55 yards to set up a score.

WR Audric Harris celebrates after a big catch-and-run. | Photo credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

The defense set the tone early for the Rainbow Warriors, forcing a fumble on the game’s opening drive as Wynden Ho’ohuli punched the ball out and Jamih Otis hopped on top of it to secure the team’s first forced turnover of the season.

It was one of three turnovers by the New Mexico State offense, also seeing QB Trey Hedden toss a pair of interceptions after halftime as the Aggies failed to score a point on offense after the midway break.

The early takeaway by Hawai’i quickly turned into points as Alejado and the offense scored a touchdown on their game-opening drive for the first time this year. Alejado went 5-of-5 on the scoring drive, passing for 50 yards before RB DeVon Rice scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 7-yard scamper to the front right pylon.

“I think the biggest thing for the coaches was just re-evaluating and being very detailed in what we were doing out there,” Chang said. “We can give [our guys] a chance to execute. That’s what I think happened on the first drive was more execution happening consistently.”

Hawai’i added on four minutes later as the defense forced a quick punt and the offense glided back into the redzone before settling for a 32-yard field goal from Sean Olvera-Harle, giving a 9-0 lead to the Rainbow Warriors before the first quarter ended.

It didn’t stop there for the hosts after forcing another fast punt, taking the first possession of the second quarter back to paydirt as Rice hurdled a defender to cap off an 11-yard scoring run and 6-play, 71-yard scoring drive that made it a 16-0 lead for Hawai’i.

The defense bent briefly in the second quarter, allowing the Aggies to get on the board after a pair of third down conversions kept a possession alive. Senior RB James Jones capped off the scoring drive with a two-yard push, capitalizing on a defensive pass interference call against the Rainbow Warriors in the redzone.

New Mexico State drew within a field goal with just over a minute left in the first half after a beautiful throw from Hedden dropped directly into WR TK King’s hands for a 33-yard touchdown, bringing a slight level of uneasiness to the 11,807 fans taking in the game at T.C. Ching Complex.

Hawai’i did not flinch, buckling down to drive the field and tack on another three points before the break as Olvera-Harle hit on a career-long 42-yard field goal to send his team into the locker room with a 19-13 lead.

After Titan Lacaden returned the third quarter’s opening kickoff 69 yards to set up the offense inside NMSU territory, it looked like the Rainbow Warriors might roll over the Aggies.

The visitors had other plans, hammering Alejado on a third-down scramble to force a fumble that was scooped up for an 84-yard score by Aggies DB De’Marcus Peters to tie the game at 19.

QB Micah Alejado stays down in pain after getting his helmet knocked off and fumbling at the start of the 3rd quarter. | Photo credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Hawai’i again responded as a banged-up Alejado trotted back onto the field and shook off the hit (and fumble) to lead a go-ahead scoring drive that ended in Olvera-Harle’s third made field goal of the night, giving the Rainbow Warriors a 22-19 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

DB Jaylon Edmond gave UH a boost to finish out the third quarter with his first interception as a Rainbow Warrior and the defense stepped up again at the start of the fourth as they forced a turnover-on-downs out at midfield.

Buoyed by the sturdy performance from the defense, Hawai’i’s offense bought some breathing room after starting in plus territory. After getting into the redzone and being faced with a 4th-and-5 decision, Chang and the Rainbow Warriors rolled the dice and went for the kill shot.

Coming out of a timeout by NMSU, Chang reached deep in the playbook and dialed up a direct snap to Uiliata, who rolled to his right and delivered UH’s lone touchdown pass of the night to Frank Abreu to put the Rainbow Warriors up by 10 with 5:41 left to play.

Chang pointed to analytics for his decision to go for a touchdown on fourth down rather than kicking a short field goal.

“Three points doesn’t really do anything for you,” Chang said about not kicking while up by three points with under six minutes to play. “A decision like that, you go for it [and] get it, we’re in a good position … and if you don’t get it, at least you’ve got them pinned down in that area, try to make it a long field to score.”

It didn’t matter anyway as LB Jamih Otis jumped another Hedden pass on the next drive for his second career interception, allowing Hawai’i to waste NMSU’s timeouts and drain the majority of the clock on the way to the team’s first win of the season.

Hedden finished the night completing 19-of-35 passes for 256 yards and one touchdown while tossing two interceptions. RB James Jones had the best showing for the Aggies, tallying 13 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown while forcing his own fair share of broken tackles throughout the loss.

DeVon Rice finished the night with 16 carries for 59 yards and two rushing touchdowns, becoming the first UH running back to have multiple rushing scores in the same game since Dedrick Parson had three against Nevada in 2022.

Kai Kai Carvalho also turned in a big night at the office as the redshirt freshman received his first career start, totaling nine catches for 82 yards in the victory for the Rainbow Warriors.

Hawai’i now gets a chance to reset as the team enters a bye week for the first time this season, soaking in the win for an extra weekend before heading to Wyoming on September 26 to close out the first month of the season against the Cowboys.

“We’ll get these guys all healed up [and then] we’ve got a tough game ahead of us,” Chang closed out saying in his postgame press conference before the bye.

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Three players to watch for in Hawaii-New Mexico State’s Week 2 matchup

Three players to watch for in Hawaii-New Mexico State’s Week 2 matchup

Sep 9, 2026

Three players to watch for in Hawaii-New Mexico State’s Week 2 matchup

HONOLULU – Well, that start was less than ideal.

Two weeks, two losses and plenty of questions have appeared through the young start of the 2026 season for the University of Hawai’i football team. Seven-ish quarters of offensive ineptitude and plenty of doubters popping their heads out of the woodwork, who knew?

By no means did the first half-month of the 2026 campaign close the chance at a good year for Hawai’i, but after an offseason filled with hype about the potential ceiling of this group, you can understand some of the noise.

The only way to quiet down the outside though is to put up results, which Timmy Chang, Micah Alejado and the rest of the Rainbow Warriors still have plenty of ability to do. The team certainly isn’t panicking with a chance to get into the win column and enter a bye week to get closer to 100% before an important stretch of conference games and a visit to Arizona State.

If Hawai’i is to break out of the winless club this weekend, who are some of the guys who could lead them there?

Here are a few names to keep eyes on for UH’s second straight home game.

WR Audric Harris

He was so close.

The transfer from Washington looked to have his first Rainbow Warrior touchdown late in the third quarter against UNLV on a strike over the middle from backup QB Bjorn Jurgensen, but a review of the play saw the officials overturn the call on the field as an incomplete pass.

Tough break aside, Harris started to look more comfortable in his second week of game action in the green and white. As Hawai’i desperately looks for a pass catcher to emerge as Pofele Ashlock works back from an injury, Harris has an opportunity to cement himself as a key cog of the offense with his high school compadre and QB, Micah Alejado.

Plus, a pass catcher from the transfer portal practically always breaks out for Timmy Chang’s Rainbow Warriors. Steven McBride, Jackson Harris and Dekel Crowdus are a few that come to mind that went from Power 4 programs to big-time roles for Hawai’i.

Why shouldn’t another Harris be next?

DB Jeremiah Hughes

Another pickup from the transfer portal, Hughes quietly had a nice couple of weeks to start his Hawai’i career. While he didn’t get the official “start” against Stanford, Hughes graded out as the third-best defender (via PFF) while playing 29 snaps (17 in run defense, 12 in coverage).

That number jumped up to 58 of 65 possible defensive snaps in Week 1 against UNLV, seeing the junior defensive back out of Bishop Gorman grade amongst PFF’s top three defenders for the Rainbow Warriors again with contributions against both the run and pass.

New Mexico State’s defense fancies itself on creating turnovers, taking the ball away in 18 consecutive games. Hawai’i has had an overall solid showing from the defense this season, but the Rainbow Warriors are still looking for their first takeaway of the year.

The Aggies won’t be afraid to attack downfield, so there will be some chances for Hawai’i’s defense. With Hughes continuing to rise up the ranks with solid play against the pass and run, could he be the one to force a turnover this week with his first interception of his college career?

PK Sean Olvera-Harle

Do yourself a favor and take a peek at the way the game ended the last time Hawai’i hosted New Mexico State if you have some confusion about why a place kicker might find his way on the “players to watch” list.

Olvera-Harle had his own fair share of ups and downs over the opening two weekends as the starting kicker for Hawai’i. Taking over for the first consensus All-American in program history, the junior had plenty of pressure already on his shoulders heading into the season.

He made his first PAT in the Stanford game before shooting one wide on his second try. He drilled his first career Division I field goal attempt in the first half against UNLV, had one drift wide-right on his second attempt and bounced back to calmly cash in his third try against the Rebels – finishing the day as the lone Rainbow Warrior to score in the home opener.

While he (hopefully) won’t be the lone UH player to score on Saturday against New Mexico State, he still could be a key cog in the Rainbow Warriors picking up the team’s first win of the season against an Aggies squad that competed against Florida State in their opener before demolishing Mercyhurst out of the FCS last weekend.

While it may not come down it a last-second field goal against NMSU this time, every point will absolutely matter for an offense that hasn’t been able to get out of its own way so far this season. The best way to avoid needing late-game heroics? Take care of business during the first three quarters and allow the defense to protect a lead for the first time this season by capitalizing with points each time down the field.

Olvera-Harle could end up as the highest-scoring player this weekend for Hawai’i between FG attempts and PATs. He could also make the math hard for the hosts if he doesn’t have his best leg forward for the weekend.

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Hawai‘i Football Looks to Get Back on Track Against New Mexico State

Hawai‘i Football Looks to Get Back on Track Against New Mexico State

Sep 9, 2026

Hawai‘i Football Looks to Get Back on Track Against New Mexico State

Hawai‘i returns home Saturday looking for its first win of the season as the Rainbow Warriors host New Mexico State at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.

After opening the year with losses to Stanford and UNLV, the focus for Hawai‘i is straightforward: clean up the mistakes, protect the quarterback and find some consistency offensively.

Head coach Timmy Chang said following Tuesday’s practice that quarterback Micah Alejado was given a rest day but is expected to be ready to go Saturday. Backup Bjorn Jurgensen took the majority of the reps in his place.

Hawai’i QB Micah Alejado huddles with the offense in their game against Stanford on August 29, 2026 | Brian Bautista, Special to HSRN

Chang said the biggest emphasis this week is execution across all three phases, with Hawai‘i especially needing to get going faster and more consistently on offense. Against UNLV, the Rainbow Warriors moved the ball at times but managed just six points and failed to capitalize on multiple scoring opportunities.

For Hawai‘i, that starts up front.

Alejado spent much of last week under pressure, and the offensive line struggled to consistently give him enough time to work through his reads. Whether it is Alejado or Jurgensen behind center, improved pass protection will be one of the biggest keys against the Aggies.

The receiving corps will also need to help. Hawai‘i left several potential big plays on the field against UNLV, and the offense has yet to consistently generate the explosive downfield plays it hoped to feature this season.

New Mexico State presents its own set of challenges.

The Aggies enter at 1-1 after opening with a loss at Florida State before responding with a 51-point performance against Mercyhurst. In that win, New Mexico State totaled 553 yards of offense, including 236 on the ground.

Defensively, the Aggies have developed a knack for creating takeaways. New Mexico State has forced at least one turnover in 18 consecutive games and has recorded an interception in 14 of those contests. Safety Nick Session already has two interceptions this season, including a pick-six against Mercyhurst.

That makes ball security another major point of emphasis for Hawai‘i.

Hawaii K Matthew Shipley prepares to take a 24 yard field goal in the Rainbow Warriors’ last meeting with New Mexico State on September 23, 2023. The field goal was good and UH secured a 20-17 comeback win. | Photo Credit: Paul Brecht | HSRN

The Rainbow Warriors have historically controlled the series, holding an 11-1 advantage over New Mexico State and a 7-0 record against the Aggies in Honolulu. But the last meeting in Hawai‘i was far from comfortable. In 2023, UH erased a 14-point second-half deficit and won 20-17 on a Matthew Shipley field goal as time expired.

Saturday may also carry a little more weight than a typical non-conference game.

With a bye week coming next, a win would give Hawai‘i a chance to reset with some positive momentum before returning to Mountain West play. Another loss would leave the Rainbow Warriors at 0-3 and potentially still searching for answers offensively.

For UH, the path is not overly complicated: protect the quarterback, finish drives, take care of the football and create a few explosive plays.

The opportunity is there. Now Hawai‘i has to take advantage of it.

Hawai‘i vs. New Mexico State
Saturday, Sept 12, 6:00 p.m. HST
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex
TV: K5 / Mountain West+

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