Warriors’ streak continues

Big games from Brennan and Grice-Mullins fuel rout

STORY SUMMARY »

On a record-setting evening for Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan, the Warriors stayed the course with a 50-13 victory over New Mexico State at Aloha Stadium and remained unbeaten at 8-0.

Watching Colt How UH quarterback Colt Brennan did last night: Attempts 46 Completions 29 Yards 425 Interceptions 1 Touchdowns 6

Brennan threw for six touchdowns last night -- including three to Ryan Grice-Mullins and two to Davone Bess -- and moved past Tim Chang into first on UH's all-time list with 119 TD passes in less than three seasons.

Brennan broke Chang's record of 117 with an 11-yard pass to Grice-Mullins with 3:52 left in the third quarter.

Brennan completed 29 of 46 passes for 425 yards. Grice-Mullins caught 13 passes for a career-high 195 yards.

Ty Detmer of BYU holds the national record for career TD passes with 121.

More important, the homecoming crowd of 38,675 saw the Warriors make a case for a significant move up the BCS rankings from their No. 17 post. If UH can keep winning and move up to the top 12, they get into a lucrative bowl game.

Hawaii entered last night's game ranked 14th in the coaches poll and 16th by The Associated Press. The coaches poll figures in the BCS standings.

Nine teams in AP's Top 25 lost yesterday.

The Warriors, who improved to 5-0 in the Western Athletic Conference, won their ninth consecutive game -- tying Boston College for longest current winning streak in the nation.

Hawaii matched the best start in school history. UH also won its first eight games in 1973, when current coach June Jones was a Rainbows quarterback.

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In the small picture, the 57-yard interception return for a touchdown by J.P. Davis last night might seem like just another seven points at the end of a runaway. It accounted for the last scoring in Hawaii's 50-13 homecoming victory over New Mexico State at Aloha Stadium.

But widen the lens a little bit. ... Perhaps a sleepy college poll voter or two Back East sees the number "50." And maybe that moves the Warriors up a little bit more in his rankings than if the game had ended something like, say, 43-20, instead.

"We have to make every play we can possibly make," Davis said after his first career pick, and UH's fifth TD on an interception this year.

"It's how much you win by, too."

Other Warriors, including coach June Jones, insist they're not scoreboard watching, at least not yet. But with the carnage among ranked teams yesterday, last night's mismatch with the Aggies was a chance to make hay. And Hawaii did.

"I think Hawaii is a really good team," NMSU coach Hal Mumme said after losing to UH for the third time in as many years.

"They're fast and they're a lot bigger than I thought they'd be. I thought they'd be a lot smaller without (Melila) Purcell and those other guys."

Colt Brennan threw six touchdown passes, moving past Tim Chang to No. 1 on the career list in that category. Brennan completed 29 of 46 passes for 425 yards and one interception -- on his first pass.

"Hey, I've thrown 10 interceptions, one more can't hurt," Brennan said afterward with a big smile.

Jones said Brennan "wasn't at his best, but it's hard to say with six touchdowns you're not at your best."

Jones said he doesn't think his team is concerned with anything other than the game in front of it.

"We just got to keep plugging along," he said. "I told the team turnovers and big plays were going to be the difference in the game. I was concerned early, but the kids focused and got the job done."

After the pick by Davon House -- which caused no harm -- Brennan went on a 10-for-10 tear and Hawaii led 23-3 at halftime with Brennan throwing three touchdown passes, including two to Ryan Grice-Mullins.

Grice-Mullins finished with three TDs and a career-high 195 receiving yards on 13 catches.

"I feel if Coach Jones calls a route, I'll get open one way or another," Grice-Mullins said.

Davone Bess pitched in with seven grabs for 112 yards, including two touchdowns.

Brennan hit Jason Rivers with a 16-yard touchdown pass for the game's first score. Dan Kelly missed the extra-point try, ending his consecutive-made streak at 50.

Then it was Brennan to Grice-Mullins for a 20-yard TD, as Grice-Mullins got behind safety Alex Bernard and Brennan lofted the ball into his hands.

Interceptions by Adam Leonard (his fourth of the season) and Keao Monteilh helped stall the Aggies offense in the first half, as did back-to-back sacks by Karl Noa and Leonard and Solomon Elimimian's fourth-down pass breakup.

"We want the pressure to be put on us," Leonard said of the defense's contributions. "We don't want to make these games into shootouts where we just win by one or two points."

Defensive coordinator Greg McMackin was pleased.

"I was very happy with the way we tackled and played overall," McMackin said.

The sacks forced NMSU to punt from its own 7 midway through the second quarter. Myron Newberry returned a short, low kick 29 yards to the Aggies 12.

Kelly kicked a 27-yard field goal, and UH upped its lead to 16-0.

The Aggies then drove into Hawaii territory, but turned the ball over on downs at the 47. Two plays later Brennan swung a short pass to Grice-Mullins, who got outside and turned it into a 42-yard touchdown.

"You saw Ryan's speed on that one," Jones said.

NMSU drove to the Hawaii 23 on the opening possession of the second half, but settled for another Young field goal and a 23-6 deficit.

UH fired back with Brennan's 23-yard touchdown pass to Bess, but the Aggies responded with a touchdown drive that culminated with Chase Holbrook's 19-yard TD pass to Wes Neiman.

Three more scores -- another pass each to Grice-Mullins and Bess and Davis' jaunt -- and the Warriors' had their largest margin of victory this season over a fellow Division I-A team.

UH now has a bye before hosting Fresno State on Nov. 10. Brennan said the Warriors want to approach the final four regular-season games with a looser mind-set.

"Right now I think our throttle is in neutral," Brennan said. "Our mentality's about to switch to full-on attack. We've got nothing to lose. It's not about making mistakes, it's about kicking butts."