New Mexico State lights up Hawaii's defense in win
Sep. 25—LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The fireworks came early at Aggie Memorial Stadium.
With a fireworks show planned as part of a postgame celebration, the New Mexico State football team instead provided the explosive entertainment early in Saturday's 45-26 victory over Hawaii.
The Aggies entered averaging 8.0 points and 107.0 rushing yards per game. But they ran for 353 yards and five touchdowns. The Aggies had produced only three rushing touchdowns in their first four games, all losses.
The Rainbow Warriors (1-4 ) managed two touchdowns in the second half, including their first scoring pass of the season. But it was not enough against the Aggies, who scored 35 of the game's first 45 points.
It was the first UH loss in 11 meetings between the former Western Athletic Conference football teams. The Warriors joined the Mountain West as a football-only member in 2012. The Aggies, who compete as an independent, will join Conference USA in July.
The Aggies set the tone with a surprising rushing attack. The Aggies scored on their first three possessions to wipe out UH's early 7-0 lead. All three of those touchdowns came on rushes. The Aggies' first three drives netted 190 rushing yards. They had 268 yards on 27 carries at the intermission.
In the first four games, the Aggies often went with three-and four-receiver sets. This time, they went straight at the Warriors' six-man front—four down linemen and two linebackers—with their first three TDs on runs up the middle. Star Thomas scored on a 27-yard run, quarterback Gavin Frakes found pay dirt on a 20-yard keeper, and Jamoni Jones had scoring runs of 3 and 2 yards.
The Aggies closed the first-half scoring when Frakes, on second-and-goal from the UH, kept the ball on a read-option play, then tossed to a wide-open Thomaz Whitford. Whitford, a tight end who was one of the Aggies' most clutch receivers last year, had been targeted only once in the first four games.
The Warriors, in their revised spread attack, drove 75 yards for a touchdown on their opening drive. Dedrick Parson scored from a yard out to make it 7-0.
But the Warriors had difficulty cashing in on opportunities the rest of the half. On third-and-goal at the NMSU 5, quarterback Brayden Schager overthrew Jalen Walthall in the end zone. The Warriors settled for Matthew Shipley's 23-yard field goal to close to 21-10.
Later, on third-and-1, hybrid Malachi McLean stopped running back Tylan Hines for no gain, forcing a punt.
On fourth-and-3 from the NMSU 28, Schager's lead pass was just out of slotback James Phillips' reach.
The Aggies built a 339-204 advantage in total offense in the first half.—
