In a historic first start, quarterback Micah Alejado threw for 469 yards and five touchdowns, leading the Hawaii football team to a 38-30 victory over New Mexico at the Ching Complex.

Before a crowd of 10,324, the Rainbow Warriors rushed for a season-high 588 yards and finished Timmy Chang’s third season as head coach 5-7 overall and 3-4 in the Mountain West.

The result ended the Lobos’ hopes of a postseason bowl. The Lobos also finished 5-7 and 3-4.

Alejado, who completed 35 of 57 passes, set single-game highs for an FBS rookie this season. Alejado hasn’t had an interception since his junior year at Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas. Last fall, he took nine courses to earn enough credits to graduate early and join the Warriors in January. Because Saturday’s game was his fourth of the season, he remains redshirt eligible and has four more years to play for four seasons.

In the Warriors’ last game two weeks ago, starting quarterback Brayden Schager suffered a left knee injury on the opening series of the second half against Utah State. An MRI showed Schager had suffered a knee sprain. It was hoped that last week’s bye would give Schager a chance to at least play the first snap on Saturday and extend his starting streak to 34. But Schager hasn’t trained in the last two weeks. Alejado, a left-handed freshman, took all of the snaps on the first-team offense.

The Warriors tweaked their offense, running quicker plays, sometimes adding a second running back to the offense and using more run/pass options, which has become a mix of run-and-shoot and air raid. But it was Alejado’s quick release, speed rolling out of the pocket and accuracy – on deep routes and slants – that set the tone.

Alejado built a 21-9 lead at halftime and was 19-for-33 for 273 yards and three touchdowns. He also intentionally threw away passes when the lanes were crowded and pressure mounted, and even tried to block a defensive end when Cam Barfield, a Bishop Gorman High alum, tried to fight against the flow.

Alejado led the Warriors on a 94-yard drive, their longest of the season, to a 7-0 lead. Alejado threw to slotback Pofele Ashlock, who broke through in the left flat. After a review, the 3-yard touchdown was upheld because Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala’s block was in front of the line of scrimmage and was not considered a pick play.

Alejado also found wideout Dekel Crowdus two steps ahead of the secondary at a skinny post for a 52-yard scoring pass and a 14-6 lead.

With 2:29 left in the half, Alejado and Mokiao-Atimalala worked on a 15-yard touchdown play.

As the Lobos went on a 14-3 run to nearly make it 31-23, Alejado led a 75-yard scoring drive that ended in a 3-yard scoring pass to Mokiao-Atimalalo with 8:48 to play.

La’Quari Rogers cut the score to 38-30. But UH’s Spencer Curtis recovered the ensuing onside kick. On third-and-10, Alejado rolled right, pirouetted and fired 11 yards down the right sideline to Curtis, giving him a first down and helping him run out the clock.

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