Staff and wire reports
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — This one hurts.
Austin Apodaca hit Dameon Gamblin for a 28-yard touchdown with 55 seconds remaining to cap a game-winning 80-yard drive Saturday as New Mexico came back from 10-point halftime deficit to beat Hawaii 28-27, continuing the Rainbow Warriors road woes.
After hitting 49- and 47-yard field goals, Rainbow Warriors kicker Rigoberto Sanchez missed a 22-yarder with two minutes to go, giving the Lobos (4-3, 2-1 Mountain West) a final chance to come back.
Apodaca, New Mexico’s backup quarterback but known for his arm, went 6-for-10 for 70 yards on the final drive that took 1:19. He converted two third-down passes to keep the drive alive.
Paul Harris rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns for Hawaii (2-5, 0-3), which fell to 1-21 on the road under coach Norm Chow. UH has lost four in a row.
Making his first start this season for the Rainbow Warriors, quarterback Ikaika Woolsey finished 13 of 25 for 195 yards, including a touchdown pass to Dylan Collie that gave UH a 24-14 lead just before halftime
Regular starter Max Wittek did not dress for game due to injury. Woolsey threw two interceptions.
Hawaii scored on its season-opening drive for the first time since the season-opener when Harris scored on a 1-yard run.
But the lead was short-lived.
The Lobos’ Carlos Wiggins returned a kickoff from his end zone for a score, a school-record fifth time he’s taken a kick back for a touchdown.
New Mexico safety Lee Crosby had two interceptions, including one with three seconds left, to squash the Rainbow Warriors’ last-ditch drive.
Hawaii 10 14 0 3—27
New Mexico 7 7 7 7—28
First quarter
Haw—Harris 1 run (Sanchez kick), 10:20.
NM—Wiggins 100 kickoff return (Rogers kick), 10:09.
Haw—FG Sanchez 49, :42.
Second quarter
NM—Pressley 2 run (Rogers kick), 8:05.
Haw—Harris 1 run (Sanchez kick), 4:33.
Haw—Collie 27 pass from Woolsey (Sanchez kick), 1:45.
Third quarter
NM—Anaya 11 pass from L.Jordan (Rogers kick), 7:53.
Fourth quarter
Haw—FG Sanchez 47, 12:59.
NM—Gamblin 28 pass from Apodoca (Rogers kick), :55.
A—20,541.
Haw NM
First downs 23 28
Rushes-yards 50-220 53-197
Passing 195 195
Comp-Att-Int 13-25-2 15-26-0
Return Yards 10 29
Punts-Avg. 3-44.3 4-39.0
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 3-2
Penalties-Yards 11-94 9-64
Time of Possession 29:41 30:19
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Hawaii, Harris 24-125, Lakalaka 16-83, Woolsey 9-13,
Team 1-(minus 1). New Mexico, Gipson 16-80, Pressley 13-70,
L.Jordan 15-29, R.Jordan 5-21, Anaya 1-4, McQuarley 1-2,
Team 2-(minus 9).
PASSING—Hawaii, Woolsey 13-25-2-195. New Mexico,
L.Jordan 9-16-0-125, Apodoca 6-10-0-70.
RECEIVING—Hawaii, Collie 7-113, Bernard 3-62, Stubblefield 1-9,
Lakalaka 1-7, Torres 1-4. New Mexico, R.White 3-72, Gamblin 3-47,
Wiggins 3-29, Davis 2-22, R.Jordan 2-11, Anaya 1-11, Gipson 1-3.
