HONOLULU — The Hawai'i football team battled through rainy conditions in a 38-6, season-defining victory over San Diego State at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex. With the win, UH snapped its five-game losing skid to the Aztecs and improved to 4-2 in the Mountain West and 7-3 overall.
The Rainbow Warriors (7-3, 4-2 MW) ran out of the tunnel before kickoff and never looked back. The 'Bows dominated in all three phases of the game, sparked by a defense that forced four takeaways, while holding SDSU standout running back Lucky Sutton to 78 rushing yards - his second-lowest total this season. On offense Hawai'i controlled the tempo from start to finish, holding the ball for 32 minutes and totaling 386 yards, surpassing the 350 yard mark and 30 points for a fifth straight game.
Micah Alejado threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns - marking his fifth-straight game with at least three touchdowns.
Jackson Harris hauled all three of those touchdowns in the first half and finished the game with seven receptions for 130 yards. He became the first receiver to record 100-plus receiving yards against SDSU (7-2, 4-1 MW) in 25 games. Harris recorded his fifth consecutive 100-plus yard game.
After a field goal by SDSU kicker Plascencia put the Aztecs up 3-0, Alejado found Harris in the back of the endzone for a 9-yard touchdown. Hawai'i would get the ball back before another touchdown connection between the two, this time for 34 yards, putting the 'Bows in front 14-3.
The Aztecs responded with another field goal, but UH answered back when Harris hauled in his third receiving touchdown of the game, a 35-yard ball perfectly placed by Alejado, to make it 21-6.
Hawai'i carried its momentum into the break and blew the game open immediately out of halftime. On the second-half kickoff,
Cam Barfield electrified the Ching Complex crowd with an 86-yard kick return touchdown putting the 'Bows up 31-6.
Moments later, the defense delivered another game-breaking highlight as
Elijah Palmer jumped a route and took it 53 yards for the team's third defensive touchdown of the season.
Hawai'i's defense flew around all night, applying constant pressure on Aztec quarterback Jayden Denegal. The 'Bows racked up four sacks and a late fourth-quarter fumble recovery that sealed the dominant performance.
Jackie Johnson III (sack, fumble recovery) and
Jalen Smith (7 tackles, 2.0 TFLs) led the stifling defense. SDSU entered the contest with the nation's No. 2 scoring defense (10.0 ppg allowed), but the 'Bows more than tripled that average by the final whistle.
Kansei Matsuzawa remained perfect on the season, breaking the school single-season record with his 22nd make of the year while extending his made field goal streak to 23 straight makes.
With the win, Hawai'i snapped SDSU's Mountain West unbeaten run and handed the Aztecs their first conference loss of the season. The 'Bows have now won four of their last five.
The Rainbow Warriors will next play at UNLV on Nov. 21 (5:30 p.m. HT, FS1).
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