Hawai‘i’s comeback falls short in 20-16 loss to San Jose State

HONOLULU — Hawai‘i spent the second half climbing out of a two-touchdown deficit, twice pulling within a point of San Jose State. But when the Rainbow Warriors needed one final play to complete the comeback, Micah Alejado’s pass into the end zone fell incomplete.

San Jose State batted away Alejado’s Hail Mary as time expired Saturday night at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, preserving a 20-16 victory that dropped Hawai‘i to 1-4 overall and 0-3 in the Mountain West.

Former Hawai‘i quarterback Luke Weaver completed 19 of 28 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns to help the Spartans improve to 3-2 and win their conference opener. San Jose State has won six consecutive meetings with the Rainbow Warriors.

Hawai‘i was left to lament another scoreless first half and a series of costly mistakes. The Rainbow Warriors committed 12 penalties, and San Jose State turned two interceptions into 10 points, enough to withstand a second-half surge led by Alejado and receiver Devin Alves.

Trajan Sinatra’s 30-yard field goal with 1:15 remaining gave the Spartans a four-point cushion and forced Hawai‘i to play for a touchdown on its final possession. With no timeouts, Alejado moved the Rainbow Warriors into San Jose State territory, spiking the ball to stop the clock along the way. The final throw reached the end zone, but Hawai‘i could not come down with it.

The Rainbow Warriors had given themselves a chance after trailing 14-0 at halftime. Sean Olvera-Harle finished their first two possessions of the third quarter with field goals of 44 and 24 yards, cutting the deficit to 14-6.

Alves then delivered Hawai‘i’s biggest play, catching a pass from Alejado and racing down the sideline for a 58-yard touchdown. Coach Timmy Chang elected to kick the extra point, and Olvera-Harle’s conversion brought the Rainbow Warriors within 14-13 with 3:20 remaining in the third quarter.

Sinatra answered with a 24-yard field goal before Olvera-Harle connected again from 44 yards, trimming San Jose State’s lead to 17-16 with 11:52 left. Hawai‘i had scored on four consecutive possessions after halftime but still needed another score to move in front.

The opportunity came after a missed San Jose State field goal, but an interception returned possession to the Spartans. San Jose State converted two fourth downs on its ensuing drive, consuming 5:31 before Sinatra’s final field goal.

Alejado finished with 341 passing yards, according to Hawai‘i’s official recap, while Alves caught three passes for 121 yards. The production helped revive an offense that had repeatedly stalled before halftime.

An early interception put Hawai‘i in trouble when Alejado overthrew Nick Delgadillo and Jayden Robertson returned the ball 21 yards to the Rainbow Warriors’ 20. Three plays later, Weaver found Campbell High graduate Kamaehu Kopa-Kaawalauole for a 10-yard touchdown.

Weaver later directed a 73-yard drive, finishing it with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Carson Clark for a 14-0 lead with 6:08 remaining in the second quarter. Hawai‘i’s ensuing possession unraveled when two gains were wiped out by holding penalties, pushing the Rainbow Warriors out of field-goal range.

Hawai‘i failed to score a first-half touchdown for the third time this season. Its second-half response made the finish competitive, but the early deficit and missed opportunities proved too much to overcome.

The Rainbow Warriors travel to Arizona State on Oct. 10 for a nonconference game.