Hawai‘i’s bowl hopes end as North Dakota State rallies for 21-13 win
The Sporting Tribune
Host · Writer
HONOLULU — Hawai‘i held North Dakota State to 183 yards, the fewest the Rainbow Warriors have allowed all season, and took a six-point lead into the fourth quarter. The Bison erased it with a drive that lasted more than eight minutes, then turned an interception into a touchdown to end Hawai‘i’s bowl hopes with a 21-13 victory Saturday night at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
DJ Scott scored on a 1-yard run with 8:34 remaining, capping a 16-play, 77-yard drive that began late in the third quarter. Drew Klein’s extra point put North Dakota State ahead 14-13. On the ensuing Hawai‘i possession, Ray James Jr. intercepted Micah Alejado on third-and-4 and returned it 49 yards for a touchdown. Klein’s second extra point in just over two minutes stretched the lead to eight with 6:27 to play.
The Rainbow Warriors (3-7, 2-5 Mountain West) had two more possessions to try to tie the game. Alejado found Titan Lacaden for 24 yards on the first, moving Hawai‘i into North Dakota State territory, but the drive ended on downs. Hawai‘i got the ball back with 2:31 left and converted a fourth-and-6. An intentional grounding penalty and a third-down sack by Keenan Wilson left the Warriors facing fourth-and-19, and the Bison held again.
North Dakota State (8-2, 5-2) turned both of Alejado’s interceptions into touchdowns in the first meeting between the programs. Logan Larson set up the first score with a first-quarter interception he returned to the Hawai‘i 11. Two plays later, Nathan Hayes hit Mekhi Collins for a 7-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Hawai‘i’s first five possessions ended in four punts and the interception. The Warriors took over at their own 41 with 2:09 left in the half, and Alejado completed four passes to Kainoa Carvalho on the drive. The last went for 13 yards on third-and-14, leaving Hawai‘i a yard short of the first down. DeVon Rice took a direct snap, faked a reverse and followed a block from Sitani Mikaele around the edge for a 15-yard touchdown with four seconds left. Sean Olvera-Harle’s extra point tied the game at 7.
The Warriors forced a punt to open the second half and drove 41 yards in eight plays to set up Olvera-Harle’s 28-yard field goal. Hawai‘i’s defense later forced the Bison to punt from their end zone, giving the Warriors a short field for a 33-yard kick that made it 13-7 with 2:16 left in the third quarter.
Linebacker Jamih Otis and safety Kona Moore each had seven tackles for Hawai‘i and combined for five tackles for loss. Hayes completed 13 of 20 passes for 97 yards, and Scott finished with 35 yards on 13 carries. The Bison managed just 86 rushing yards but used their longest scoring drive of the night to take the lead for good.
Alejado completed 31 of 47 passes for 231 yards, and Carvalho led Hawai‘i with seven catches for 63 yards. The Warriors finished with 262 yards of offense, including 31 on the ground, and gave up five sacks. James led North Dakota State with 10 tackles in addition to his interception return.
Hawai‘i plays its final road game Saturday against Nevada in Reno. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. Hawai‘i time on FS1. The Warriors close the season at home against Sacramento State on Nov. 28.
