Hawai‘i holds off 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 Saturday night, getting contributions from all three phases to beat New Mexico State 29-19 at Clarence T.C. Ching Complex. The Rainbow Warriors earned their first win of the season and remained unbeaten against the Aggies in the islands.

Sophomore quarterback Micah Alejado recorded his first 300-yard passing game of the season and sixth of his career, completing 33 of 45 passes for 346 yards. Hawai‘i scored in all four quarters and set season highs in points, yards and first downs.

“What you saw out there was the Run-N-Shoot,” Alejado said. “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.”

Tama Uiliata and Audric Harris delivered breakout performances for the Rainbow Warriors, each surpassing 100 receiving yards for the first time in his college career.

After being held without a catch on three targets last weekend, Uiliata led Hawai‘i with a career-high 10 receptions for 107 yards on 11 targets. He also threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Frank Abreu late in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory.

“I think [Uiliata] is one of the best Waipahu football players that ever came out of that high school,” head coach Timmy Chang said. “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 the best game of his college career, finishing with four catches for 105 yards in his first collegiate start. Reunited with Alejado, his high school quarterback, the Washington transfer delivered Hawai‘i’s longest offensive play of the season when he turned a first-quarter pass into a 55-yard gain to set up a score.

The defense set the tone on the game’s opening drive. Wynden Ho‘ohuli forced a fumble, and Jamih Otis recovered it for Hawai‘i’s first takeaway of the season.

It was the first of three turnovers forced by the Rainbow Warriors. New Mexico State quarterback Trey Hedden also threw two interceptions after halftime, and the Aggies’ offense did not score in the second half.

Hawai‘i quickly turned the opening takeaway into points, scoring a touchdown on its first possession for the first time this season. Alejado completed all five of his passes for 50 yards on the drive before running back DeVon Rice scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 7-yard run 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 to its lead four minutes later. After the defense forced a quick punt, the offense moved back into the red zone before settling for Sean Olvera-Harle’s 32-yard field goal and a 9-0 advantage.

Another defensive stop gave the Rainbow Warriors a chance to extend their lead early in the second quarter. Rice hurdled a defender on an 11-yard touchdown run, capping a six-play, 71-yard drive that made it 16-0.

New Mexico State answered with a touchdown drive sustained by two third-down conversions. Senior running back James Jones finished it with a 2-yard scoring run after a defensive pass interference penalty against Hawai‘i in the red zone.

The Aggies pulled within three points with just over a minute remaining in the first half when Hedden connected with wide receiver TK King for a 33-yard touchdown, giving the crowd of 11,807 reason to feel uneasy.

Hawai‘i responded by driving into field-goal range before the break. Olvera-Harle connected from a career-long 42 yards to send the Rainbow Warriors into halftime with a 19-13 lead.

When Titan Lacaden returned the second-half kickoff 69 yards into New Mexico State territory, Hawai‘i appeared poised to build on its advantage. Instead, the Aggies delivered a game-tying defensive touchdown.

Alejado took a hard hit on a third-down scramble and fumbled. New Mexico State defensive back De’Marcus Peters scooped up the ball and returned it 84 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 19.

A banged-up Alejado returned to the field and led another scoring drive, shaking off the hit and turnover. Olvera-Harle’s third field goal of the night put Hawai‘i back in front, 22-19.

Defensive back Jaylon Edmond added his first interception as a Rainbow Warrior late in the third quarter, and Hawai‘i’s defense came through again early in the fourth, forcing a turnover on downs near midfield.

Starting in New Mexico State territory, the Rainbow Warriors drove into the red zone before facing fourth-and-5. Chang elected to go for it, and following an Aggies timeout, he reached into the playbook for a direct snap to Uiliata.

The receiver rolled right and delivered Hawai‘i’s only touchdown pass of the night, finding Abreu for a 7-yard score that stretched the lead to 29-19 with 5:41 remaining.

Chang pointed to analytics in explaining his decision to pursue a touchdown instead of a short field goal.

“Three points doesn’t really do anything for you,” Chang said. “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.”

Otis intercepted Hedden on the ensuing possession for his second career interception, allowing Hawai‘i to force New Mexico State to use its timeouts and run down the clock.

Hedden finished 19 of 35 for 256 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Jones led the Aggies’ rushing attack with 78 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, breaking tackles throughout the night.

Rice finished with 59 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, becoming the first Hawai‘i running back to score multiple rushing touchdowns in a game since Dedrick Parson had three against Nevada in 2022.

Redshirt freshman Kai Kai Carvalho also made the most of his first career start, catching nine passes for 82 yards.

Hawai‘i enters its first bye week of the season before traveling to Wyoming to face the Cowboys on Sept. 26.

“We’ll get these guys all healed up [and then] we’ve got a tough game ahead of us,” Chang said.