Box Score

HONOLULU - The 14th-ranked University of Hawai`i football team defeated New Mexico State, 50-13, Saturday night, in a Western Athletic Conference game in front of a season-high 41,218 on Homecoming at Aloha Stadium.

Hawai`i improves to 8-0 on the year and 5-0 in the WAC, while New Mexico State falls to 4-5 and 1-3. The 8-0 start marks the best for UH since 1973 and are one of only five undefeated teams in the country.

Heisman Trophy candidate Colt Brennan became the school's all-time career touchdown leader after throwing six against the Aggies. He has 119 in his career and surpassed Timmy Chang's previous mark of 117. In addition, Brennan ranks second all-time in NCAA and WAC history and trails former BYU quarterback Ty Detmer's record of 121.

"I was obviously happy with the result, but we're going to have to play better the next few games," UH head coach June Jones said. "Colt was not at his best tonight, but six touchdowns is still pretty good. I hope the week off gets him and the team healthy and ready for Fresno."

After tossing an interception on his first pass attempt, Brennan drove the Warriors 65 yards in five plays, hitting Jason Rivers on a 16-yard touchdown pass to put UH on top 6-0. Place kicker Dan Kelly missed the extra-point attempt, snapping his streak of 50 straight this season and 69 consecutive over the past two years.

Brennan finished the game completing 29-of-46 for 425 yards. He surpassed the 400-yard mark for the fourth time this season and the 17th time in his career.

"What I learned last year is that don't pay any attention to records or stats," Brennan said. "This offense and this team is not about that but about the 'W' - that is our mentality."

Hawai`i struck again in the first quarter as Brennan found Ryan Grice-Mullen on a fade route in the left corner of the end zone to put UH up 13-0.

In the second quarter, Myron Newberry returned a short NMSU punt 29 yards to the Aggie 12 to set up a 27-yard field goal by Kelly. The UH defense held the Aggies on a fourth-and-three at the UH 47, then two plays later Brennan hooked up with Grice-Mullen down the right sideline for a 42-yard score to make it 23-0.

The Aggies' Paul Young added a 34-yard field goal as UH went into the locker room with a 23-3 halftime lead.

NMSU scored on its opening possession of the second half, marching 58 yards on 11 plays, capped by a 41-yard field goal by Young.

UH took the ensuing kickoff and drove 61 yards in five plays with Brennan completing a 23-yard scoring pass to Davone Bess. The TD pass by Brennan was his 117th of his career, tying him with Chang.

The Aggies reached the end zone for the first time on their next possession as Chase Holbrook hit Wes Neiman on a 19-yard score.

Brennan became UH's all-time leader on the Warriors' next possession when he hit Grice-Mullen on an 11-yard score. Brennan then orchestrated a 10-play, 95-yard drive with 6:56 left in the fourth quarter, connecting with Bess on a 12-yard pass play for a 43-13 Warrior lead.

UH defensive back Jo Pierre Davis picked off Holbrook late in the fourth quarter and returned it 57 yards for the final margin.

Grice-Mullen finished the game with a career-high 195 yards receiving while Bess tied the UH mark for career touchdowns after reaching the endzone twice. He now has 38, tying him with former UH quarterback Michael Carter and receiver Chad Owens.

"If you ask me during the game, I never know the numbers" Grice-Mullen said. "I may know how many touchdowns. My objective is to just go out and play the game and get a win. We've been in the system 3 or 4 years now with the same quarterback and things are becoming second nature and go out and have fun."

The Warriors are idle next week before hosting WAC rival Fresno State, Nov. 10, at 6:05 p.m. HST.

-UH-