QB Micah Alejado's stunning performance ends New Mexico's season in Hawaii

Bowl bid denied.

Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado shined as the lights went out on New Mexico’s season with a 38-30 loss to Hawaii on Saturday night at Clarence T.C. Ching Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Despite a spirited second-half rally, UNM was never able to overcome a 21-9 halftime deficit. The loss ended a two-game win streak and ensured that the Lobos’ (5-7, 3-4) postseason drought will continue.

“They really wanted to play one more,” head coach Bronco Mendenhall said in a postgame press conference. “They worked really hard. They’re absolutely disappointed.”

Alejado completed 37 of 57 passes for 469 yards and five touchdowns in his first career start, the best outing of any freshman quarterback in Hawaii history. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Honolulu native got the nod after senior Brayden Schager suffered a knee injury two weeks prior, ending his school record streak of 33 starts.

A former three-star prospect out of Bishop Gorman (Nevada) High School, Alejado flashed his mobility, thrived in quick passing situations and took no sacks as the Rainbow Warriors (5-7, 3-4) outgained UNM 586-481.

But Alejado’s poise in critical moments might’ve been his most notable attribute. After UNM made it a one-score game in the fourth quarter, the freshman dropped back on 3rd and 16, went through his reads and uncorked a deep pass to wide receiver Jonah Panoke down the sideline for a 45-yard gain.

Two plays later, Hawaii went up 38-23 — a deficit UNM couldn’t overcome. The Lobos trimmed the deficit to 38-30 with 3:34 remaining before Alejado engineered an eight-play, 43-yard to seal it.

“(Not) getting that stop hurt,” safety Christian Ellis said.

With the loss, the Lobos notably dropped to 0-3 this season against quarterbacks making their first career starts.

“He did a really nice job. They’ve trained him well,” Mendenhall said. “(He) threw the ball decisively, quickly and accurately, and eluded pressure when we had have a chance to get to him.

“I was impressed.”

UNM quarterback Devon Dampier’s magnificent sophomore season ended on a sour note. Despite putting up 101 rushing yards and three touchdowns, he struggled to find a consistent rhythm throwing the ball, completing 19 of 31 passes for 176 yards and no touchdowns.

Trailing 14-6 in the second quarter, Dampier threw an incomplete pass intended for running back Eli Sanders while being hit. After Hawaii came up with the stop a play later, Dampier threw his helmet on the sideline in frustration.

“The play before that, I missed a pass I should’ve completed,” Dampier said. “Just knowing that plays are breaking down because of me and what I’m doing with the ball, a lot of frustration built up because I knew what I’m capable of. And obviously I didn’t play at the level I normally do.”

Alejado set the tone on Hawaii’s opening drive, completing six of eight passes for 67 yards and a short touchdown to wide receiver Pofele Ashlock. The Lobos answered two drives later with Dampier’s first rushing score of the night before a failed two-point conversion left them trailing 7-6.

Alejado kept Hawaii rolling, hitting wide receiver Dekel Crowdus downfield for a 52-yard touchdown before wide receiver Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala scored on a short pass to put the Rainbow Warriors up by two scores heading into the half.

But UNM’s tepid start didn’t last long. After Alejado hit wide receiver Nick Cenacle for a three-yard touchdown to open the half, the Lobos took advantage of a short field and scored off Dampier’s two-yard run to make it 28-16.

UNM held Hawaii to a field goal on the ensuing drive and made it a one-score game for the first time since the first quarter with Dampier’s third and final touchdown. The Lobos looked to be in position to come up with a key stop minutes later as Alejado faced 3rd and 16 with 9:13 remaining.

Then he found Panoke.

“Our intent was to hopefully have enough to keep him off-rhythm, and to get to third downs and then make plays,” Mendenhall said. “But (we) didn’t make critical plays at the right time. Had plenty of opportunities, but didn’t make enough plays.”

Wide receiver Luke Wysong led UNM with nine catches for 69 yards while Sanders turned in a team-high 121 yards on the ground. Running back Na’Quari Rogers (83 yards) also scored a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter to make it 38-30, his first in five games.

Kicker Luke Drzewiecki made one of two attempted field goals, connecting on a 36-yarder to make it 14-9 in the second quarter.

Ellis put up a team-high seven tackles as UNM gave up a season-high 484 passing yards. Hawaii’s 38 points represented the most scored under third-year head coach Timmy Chang.

The Lobos, who haven’t been to a bowl since 2016, largely exceeded expectations in Mendenhall’s first year as head coach. The season included multiple 50-point outbursts, a win at rival New Mexico State and a victory over then-No. 19 Washington State – one that put them in position for a bowl bid.

Improbably, it was Alejado who denied it.

“We should have been in a bowl game by this point,” Dampier said. “But we’re grateful that we got the opportunity to have a game (like this) to play.”

Rainbow warriors 38, lobos 30

New Mexico 0 9 7 14 — 30

Hawaii 7 14 10 7 — 38

First Quarter

HAW—Ashlock 3 pass from Alejado (Matsuzawa kick), 7:37.

Second Quarter

UNM—Dampier 3 run (run failed), 13:06.

HAW—Crowdus 52 pass from Alejado (Matsuzawa kick), 12:26.

UNM—FG Drzewiecki 36, 8:29.

HAW—Mokiao-Atimalala 15 pass from Alejado (Matsuzawa kick), 2:29.

Third Quarter

HAW—Cenacle 3 pass from Alejado (Matsuzawa kick), 11:58.

UNM—Dampier 2 run (Drzewiecki kick), 6:56.

HAW—FG Matsuzawa 19, 1:23.

Fourth Quarter

UNM—Dampier 1 run (Drzewiecki kick), 13:53.

HAW—Mokiao-Atimalala 3 pass from Alejado (Matsuzawa kick), 8:48.

UNM—Rogers 1 run (Drzewiecki kick), 2:34.

A—12,046.

UNM HAW

First downs 30 29

Total Net Yards 481 586

Rushes-yards 49-305 26-102

Passing 176 484

Punt Returns 1-2 2-37

Kickoff Returns 4-38 1-0

Interceptions Ret. 0-0 0-0

Comp-Att-Int 19-31-0 39-59-0

Sacked-Yards Lost 0-0 0-0

Punts 3-47.667 2-45.0

Fumbles-Lost 1-1 0-0

Penalties-Yards 9-85 9-77

Time of Possession 29:10 30:50

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—New Mexico, Sanders 17-121, Dampier 17-101, Rogers 15-83. Hawaii, Alejado 10-54, Barfield 6-36, Sims 5-17, Vaughn 2-6, (Team) 2-(minus 4), Hines 1-(minus 7).

PASSING—New Mexico, Dampier 19-31-0-176. Hawaii, Alejado 37-57-0-469, Joh.Sagapolutele 2-2-0-15.

RECEIVING—New Mexico, L.Wysong 9-69, R.Davis 5-63, Sanders 3-31, Medford 1-10, Rogers 1-3. Hawaii, Ashlock 8-79, Curtis 7-100, Cenacle 7-93, Panoke 5-86, Mokiao-Atimalala 4-26, Barfield 3-12, A.Perry 2-8, Crowdus 1-52, Pupunu 1-15, Sims 1-13.

MISSED FIELD GOALS—New Mexico, Drzewiecki 42. Hawaii, Matsuzawa 33.