Lobo football Head Coach Jason Eck put it best.
“They’re like a wounded animal,” Eck said of Hawaii. “You know, they say sometimes a wounded animal (is) dangerous because their backs are against the wall.”
A preseason Mountain West favorite, led by the Preseason MW Offensive Player of the Year quarterback Micah Alejado, sits at 0-3 in conference play and 1-5 overall. The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors haven’t lived up to expectations six games into the 2026 season.
They’re wounded, and their backs are very much against the wall.
“We’re throwing records out the door; we know Hawaii is a tough team,” tight end Cade Keith said.
The Rainbow Warriors got no favors to start their season, beginning their 2026 campaign on the road against Stanford before hosting another MW preseason favorite, UNLV, and were outscored 58-33 in both games combined. After getting their sole win versus New Mexico State, they suffered back-to-back conference defeats to Wyoming and San Jose State before falling to another Power Four school in Arizona State, 30-12 on the road.
“It’s deceptive looking at their record,” Eck said.
Hawaii, like last season, runs a pass-heavy offense this season behind Alejado, who leads the nation with 265 pass attempts and ranks second with 157 completions.
“I think (Alejado) is an outstanding player,” Eck said. “(He has a) very quick release; (he) can really escape (and) extend plays. You know — well-deserved preseason conference player of the year.”
Though — if not obvious by now — not everything has been smooth sailing for Head Coach Timmy Chang and his offense. Alejado has a 5:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Hawaii is struggling in the red zone. The Rainbow Warriors rank 132nd in the country in red-zone conversion, scoring just seven touchdowns on 20 trips inside the 20-yard line for a measly 35% touchdown rate.
Hawaii averages 16.7 points per game, ranking 10th-worst in the FBS.
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Defensively, UH ranks 107th, allowing 170 rushing yards per game. Between Power Four schools Stanford and Arizona State, and conference favorite UNLV, Hawaii surrendered 637 rushing yards on 111 attempts (5.7 YPC).
Teams with postseason aspirations have committed to running the ball against the Rainbow Warriors and typically succeeded, though Hawaii neutralized San Jose State on the ground, holding them to 78 rushing yards on 2.3 yards per carry.
“I do think us running the ball will be imperative to our success,” Eck said.
On paper, New Mexico should be able to run the ball behind running backs Scottre Humphrey and Kiefer Sibley, who’ve combined for 537 yards on 4.9 yards per carry this season. Chewing the clock and keeping Alejado and Hawaii’s pass-heavy offense off the field as long as possible feels like a plausible strategy.
Hawaii hosts New Mexico for its annual Homecoming game, in which the Rainbow Warriors have won seven of their last eight. The Lobos are 1-3 against Hawaii since 2019 and are 0-2 on the road.
“I think they certainly are a different team at home as well,” Eck said. “I think they play very hard; they fly around; (they have) very good team speed. We’re gonna get their best shot.”
The Lobos travel to the island as 15.5-point favorites, with ESPN giving them an 89% chance to win and advance to a 2-0 conference record for the first time since 1997 and since joining the Mountain West.
Injury Updates:
- Linebacker Nick Wheeler is out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL.
- Linebacker Jaxton Eck is expected to miss an extended period of time with a shoulder injury. HC Jason Eck does not believe the injury is season-ending.
- Cornerback Frankie Edwards III, who has been ruled out this week against Hawaii with a concussion, is expected to be back next week.
Edge Garcia is a beat reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @ByEdgeGarcia
