In a historic first start, quarterback Micah Alejado threw for 469 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Hawaii football team to a 38-30 victory over New Mexico at the Ching Complex. A crowd of 10,324 saw the Rainbow Warriors gain a season-high 588 yards in completing Timmy Chang’s third season as head coach at 5-7 overall and 3-4 in the Mountain West.
The outcome extinguished the Lobos’ hope for a postseason bowl. The Lobos also finished 5-7 and 3-4.
Alejado, who completed 35 of 57 passes, set single-game highs for an FBS freshman this season. Alejado has not been intercepted since his junior year at Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas. He took nine classes last fall to earn enough credits to graduate early and join the Warriors in January. Because Saturday’s game was his fourth of the season, he remains eligible to redshirt and still have four more years to play four seasons.
In the Warriors’ previous game two weeks ago, starting quarterback Brayden Schager suffered an injury to his left knee in the opening series of the second half against Utah State. An MRI showed Schager suffered a sprained knee. It was hoped last week’s bye would allow Schager a chance to at least take Saturday’s first snap to extend his streak of starts to 34. But Schager did not practice the past two weeks. Alejado, a left-handed freshman, took all the snaps with the first-team offense.
The Warriors tweaked their offense, going with quicker plays, sometimes adding a second running back to the offense, and employing more run/pass options to what has become a mashup of the run-and-shoot and Air Raid. But it was Alejado’s quick release, speed rolls out of the pocket and accuracy that set the tone.
In constructing a 21-9 lead at the intermission, Alejado was 19-for-33 for 273 yards and three touchdowns. He also intentionally threw away passes when the routes were congested and the pressure intensified, and even attempted to block a defensive end when Cam Barfield tried to cut back against the flow. Alejado directed the Warriors on a 94-yard drive, their longest of the season, for a 7-0 lead. Alejado threw to slotback Pofele Ashlock, who broke open in the left flat. After a review, the 3-yard touchdown was confirmed because Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala’s block was ahead of the line of scrimmage and ruled not to be a pick play.