Lobos Fall Just Short at Hawai’I 39-33
HONOLULU, Haw. — New Mexico couldn’t quite seal the deal, as Hawai’i used a 33-for-43, 410-yard, four touchdown performance by quarterback Chevan Cordeiro, highlighted by a few improbable and ridiculous catches to edge out New Mexico 39-33 at Aloha Stadium. It marked the first time in the last five tries that the Rainbow Warriors defeated New Mexico in the islands.
The loss extended UNM’s losing streak to 11 dating back to last season, and it was UNM’s 17th straight conference loss and 12th straight road loss. UNM is 0-2 on the season while Hawai’i is 2-1.
UNM bolted out of the gate on its opening drive, with Tevaka Tuioti leading the way completing all three of his passes, the last a 59-yard catch to Jordan Kress. Hawai’i answered going right down the field and it looked like it might be one of those late-night shootouts as Cordeiro run one in to tie the game at 7-7.
The Lobos scored on each of its first four drives. Up 7-7, UNM drove 61 yards but stalled at the 9-yard line, and George Steinkamp, the Los Alamos native that was playing in his second-ever football game at any level, hit a 27-yard field goal, the first of four on the night.
Jerrick Reed II picked off Cordeiro and UNM scored one play later on another Tuioti to Kress connection, this from 29 yards, and then Steinkamp hit from 49 yards in the second quarter and UNM led 20-7. However, the same bugaboo that hurt UNM last week reared its ugly head again as Hawai’i hit on a long touchdown pass to make it 20-14. Hawai’i nearly got scored right before the half but Reed got his second pick of the night and UNM led 20-14 at the break.
The Rainbow Warriors then hit back-to-back long TD passes of 42 and 40 yards to give themselves a 28-20 lead. UNM responded in kind with a 76-yard drive that was capped by a 26-yard run by true freshman Nathaniel Jones to make it 28-27, and that was the score at the break.
UNM took the lead with a 24-yard field goal to make it 30-28, but Hawai’i got a 64-yard touchdown on a weaving catch and run by Calvin Turner, and then Jared Smart somehow leapt and made a ridiculous catch for a two-pointer and a 36-30 lead. After a field goal made it 39-30, Tuioti took over and drove UNM to midfield on a 23-yard scramble, but as he went down, he was hit on a helmet-to-helmet hit that knocked him out of the game.
Trae Hall entered and threw an interception, UNM’s only turnover of the game. UNM got the ball back and Hall led UNM to a fourth Steinkamp field goal to make it 39-33, and then the Lobos had a chance at Donovan Murphree’s onside kick, but Hawai’i came out with the ball and took knees to end the game.
UNM picked up 499 yards of offense and Hawai’i had 503. Tuioti had 181 yards passing before his injury, and Nathaniel Jones and Bobby Cole were a durable 1-2 punch with 96 yards each on the ground.
Postgame Notes
This was the 26th meeting between the two teams.
Hawai’i now leads 15-10
Hawai’i now leads 11-6 in Honolulu
Series is tied 4-4 in Albuquerque
Hawai’i has now won 1 straight in the series
New Mexico has now won 4 straight in Honolulu
Starting lineup changes for UNM from published two-deep
Offense: Bobby Cole started at RB for Bryson Carroll and Kyle Jarvis started at second tight end for receiver Elijah Queen.
Defense: Dion Hunter started at MLB for Brandon Shook, Tavian Combs started at Lobo for Nico Bolden and Patrick Peek started at Wolf for Letayveon Beaton.
*New Mexico’s captains were Marcus Williams and Jordan Kress on offense, Joey Noble on defense and Tyson Dyer for special teams.
*New Mexico’s Kyle Stapley carried the state flag of New Mexico onto the field.
TEAM NOTES:
*New Mexico wore silver pants for the first time since September 18, 2015 when UNM wore silver pants at Arizona State in a 34-10 loss.
*UNM lost the toss but Hawai’i deferred. UNM received the opening kickoff for the second straight week and is 1-1 in the coin toss.
*UNM’s score on the opening possession marked the first time this season that Hawai’i allowed a score on that drive.
*UNM had a halftime lead over an FBS opponent for the first time since November 3, 2018 when UNM led San Diego State 10-7. UNM lost that game 31-23.
*New Mexico had 499 yards of offense, giving UNM back-to-back road games of 400 yards or more. It’s the first time that’s happened since gaining 436 at Wyoming on October 12, 2013 and 423 at San Diego State on November 2, 2013.
*UNM trailed 28-27 after the third quarter. UNM has lost 37 straight games when trailing after three. The last win was a 28-27 win against Hawai’i on October 17, 2015 when UNM trailed 24-21 after three quarters.
*UNM won the turnover battle 3-1 but lost the game. It marked the first time winning the turnover battle but losing the game since October 10, 2014 when UNM had four takeaways to just one against San Diego State in a 24-14 loss. In that game UNM had all four takeaways in the fourth quarter, three on three straight plays and all four in six plays overall.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES:
*UNM started two true freshmen on defense in Tavian Combs at Lobo and Dion Hunter at middle linebacker.
*Counting punter and kicker, UNM started 25% of its team from New Mexico in Teton Saltes and Andrew Erickson (Albuquerque), Marcus Williams and Dion Hunter (Rio Rancho), Kameron Miller (Las Cruces) and George Steinkamp (Los Alamos).
*George Steinkamp’s 26-yard field goal in the first quarter was the first of his career. It came in the second organized football game he has ever played in, with last week’s being the first. He ended up going 4-for-5 on the night.
*Jerrick Reed II picked off Chevan Cordiero in the first quarter for UNM’s first interception of the season. He also had UNM’s first interception of the season in 2019. He became the first Lobo to intercept two passes in a game since September 15, 2018 when Marcus Hayes picked off two different New Mexico State quarterbacks in a 42-25 win in Las Cruces.
*Bobby Cole had a career-high 96 yards rushing. His previous best was 72 yards on 11 carries in the 2019 season finale against Utah State.
*Nathaniel Jones, a true freshman in his first game, rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown.
*Kameron Miller forced the first fumble of his career, and true freshman Ian Shewell made the recovery.
