Alejado Leads Hawaii Past Temple 49–28 in Early Kickoff

By Michael Blouse | Stateline Gazette

HONOLULU — Hawaii took advantage of an early start and a long trip for its opponent, pulling away in the second half for a 49–28 victory over Temple on Saturday morning.

Quarterback Micah Alejado threw for four touchdowns and accounted for two more on the ground as the Rainbow Warriors turned a competitive game into a decisive win after halftime.

Hawaii jumped out to a 21–7 lead in the first quarter, but Temple responded and closed within 28–21 before the break. The Owls stayed within reach behind quarterback Evan Simon and running back Jay Ducker, who scored twice on the ground.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy,” Hawaii coach Steve Hultgren said. “Temple kept coming, and we had to stay patient.”

Alejado did just that. The junior completed 21 of 27 passes for 320 yards, spreading the ball across the field and extending plays when needed. He connected consistently with Pofele Ashlock and Jackson Harris and added two rushing touchdowns to keep Temple’s defense off balance.

“That’s what we expect from him,” Hultgren said. “He’s making good decisions and finishing drives.”

Temple briefly closed the gap to 35–28 entering the fourth quarter, but Hawaii controlled the final period. Alejado threw his fourth touchdown pass of the day, and the Rainbow Warriors added a late score to put the game out of reach.

Simon finished with 229 passing yards and a touchdown for Temple, but two interceptions proved costly and stalled potential scoring drives. Ducker’s two rushing touchdowns accounted for much of the Owls’ production, though sustained offense became harder to find as the game wore on.

“We had opportunities,” Temple coach Grant Easterday said. “Against a team like that, especially on the road, you can’t afford mistakes.”

Hawaii’s defense tightened in the second half, limiting big plays and forcing Temple into longer possessions.

The win continued a strong early stretch for the Rainbow Warriors and added another home victory under challenging kickoff conditions.

“We handled the situation well,” Hultgren said. “That’s part of growing as a team.”

Temple left Honolulu with the loss but an opportunity to regroup.“There’s still a lot ahead of us,” Easterday said.

For Hawaii, the morning ended with another result in the win column — earned before much of the mainland had begun its day.