HONOLULU — New Mexico has plenty to play for at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex on Saturday night, but in its own way, so does Hawaii.
UH (4-7, 2-4 Mountain West), while eliminated from bowl game contention, will attempt to send 23 seniors out with a victory in its home finale starting at 6 p.m.
The Lobos (5-6, 4-3), led by first-year head coach Bronco Mendenhall, are attempting to make their first bowl game since 2016. No first-year head coach has taken his team to a bowl game in school history. UNM was a 3.5-point road favorite as of Saturday morning.
“This is a good team that we’re playing,” UH coach Timmy Chang told local media this week. “Guys are focused through the week. It’s bittersweet, but these guys understand what we have to do. We want to finish.”
The Rainbow Warriors — in contrast to their general struggles in the Mountain West for almost the entirety of their membership in the conference — have won six straight senior nights and 11 of 12. Last year’s game against Colorado State ended on a dramatic, 51-yard walk-off winner by kicker Matthew Shipley for a 27-24 UH win.
UH spoiled the Rams’ bowl chances with that outcome. It would love to do the same to the Lobos.
UH’s seniors include two players who spent six years in the program, Nalu Emerson and Jonah Panoke.
Linebacker Logan Taylor is one of two seventh-year collegiate players on the roster, along with East Carolina transfer Elijah Robinson.
Taylor, UH’s vocal defensive captain and prayer leader, has spent five years in Manoa after two in junior college.
“It’s sad for me, really. It’s a long time coming. I’m grateful,” Taylor said. “I’ve played college football more than a lot of people have ever played.”
The status of senior quarterback Brayden Schager is unclear. Schager was knocked out of the 55-10 loss at Utah State two weeks ago, suffering a knee ailment that caused him to walk around with an inflatable cast last week.
Chang said that if Schager is unavailable, left-hander Micah Alejado will start. Alejado impressed in his outing at USU with 11-for-12 passing with a touchdown and no interceptions. If he starts, he will be the first freshman to do so since Schager against Fresno State in 2021.
Meanwhile, UNM has put up prolific numbers on offense all season. Its 484.5 yards per game represents the highest total offense average in program history, but it has given up almost exactly the same amount.
“It means more to me when things end, I’ve left a legacy for my brothers,” senior offensive lineman Luke Felix-Fualalo said. “That’s what I’m focusing on right now.”
Quarterback Devon Dampier has thrown for 235.6 yards per game and run for 96.8 per game. He has 12 touchdown passes to 12 interceptions — but has found the end zone with his legs 16 times.
Both teams are coming off a bye week. Chang is 0-4 coming off byes, including 0-2 this season.
This is the first game in which UH is offering pregame tailgating on Manoa Upper Campus via special tailgate passes.
The complete list of outgoing UH seniors is: P Lucas Borrow; DB Caleb Brown; WR Spencer Curtis; RB Kamalu DeBlake; LB Nalu Emerson; PK Ben Falck; QB Jake Farrell; OL Luke Felix-Fualalo; DB Kimo Holt-Mossman; LB Noah Kema; LS Solomon Landrum; WR Steven McBride; WR Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala; WR Jonah Panoke; DB Meki Pei; DL Elijah Robinson; DL Anthony Sagapolutele; QB Brayden Schager; DB Justin Sinclair; DB Cam Stone; OL Maurice Ta'ala; LB Logan Taylor; and DL Daniel "Sauce" Williams.
“They’re a great group of guys. Young men that we expect to be leaders in the community,” Chang said of the seniors. “Leaving them and having the last week with them, it’s rough. Our journey started three years ago and now we’re here today. … We’re playing for the seniors, for sure.”
Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.