San Diego State football and Hawaii by the numbers
Mountain West leader San Diego State (7-1, 4-0 Mountain West) looks to run its winning streak to seven games when it visits Hawaii (6-3, 3-2) on Saturday at 8 p.m. Pacific time at Clarence T.C. Ching Complex in Honolulu. The game will air on Spectrum/MWN.
The Aztecs are enjoying a resurgence in Sean Lewis’ second season as head coach. They vaulted into the MW lead on the strength of a 24-7 Homecoming win against Wyoming and Boise State’s home blowout loss to Fresno State.
SDSU is off to its best start since the 2021 squad started 7-1. That 2021 team set a program record with 12 victories in finishing 12-2 and No. 25 in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll. This is the ninth time in San Diego State’s Division I history (since 1969) that it has started with at least a 7-1 record through eight games.
SDSU leads the series 26-11-2 and has won 11 of the last 13 games.
While the teams are fairly evenly matched offensively, SDSU has the MW’s best defense, by far, holding teams to just 10 points per game. The Aztecs had four takeaways, including three interceptions, in beating Wyoming. Hawaii, meanwhile, lost a shootout at San Jose State, 45-38.
Although San Diego State is leaving the MW for the Pac-12 next season, this won’t be the Aztecs’ final trip to Honolulu. The schools announced a home-and-home series that will see the Aztecs host the Rainbow Warriors in 2028 and make a return trip to Honolulu in 2029.
Here is a look at San Diego State and Hawaii by the numbers:
Scoring offense
San Diego State 28.88 (66th nationally)
Hawaii 29.67 (60th)
Rushing offense
San Diego State 185.63 (37th)
Hawaii 102.44 (124th)
Passing offense
Hawaii 307.56 (7th)
Total offense
San Diego State 367.13 (82nd)
Hawaii 410 (51st)
Third down conversion percentage
San Diego State 34.31 percent (116th)
Hawaii 45.71 percent (31st)
Red zone offense scoring percentage
San Diego State 88.89 percent (40th)
Hawaii 96.97 percent (5th)
Scoring defense
San Diego State 10 (2nd)
Hawaii 26.57 (80th)
Rushing defense
San Diego State 88.50 (11th)
Hawaii 132.22 (47th)
Passing defense
San Diego State 157.75 (9th)
Hawaii 225.44 (74th)
Total defense
San Diego State 246.25 (6th)
Hawaii 357.67 (59th)
Sacks per game
San Diego State 2.38 (35th)
Hawaii 2.44 (33rd)
Tackles for loss
San Diego State 5 (88th)
Hawaii 5 (88th)
Third down conversion defense
San Diego State 28 percent (6th)
Hawaii 36.70 percent (48th)
Red zone defense
San Diego State 64.71 percent (4th)
Hawaii 84.38 percent (71st)
Net punting
San Diego State 41.50 (29th)
Hawaii 38.91 (84th)
Punt return average
San Diego State 9.63 (54th)
Hawaii 9.25 (60th)
Kickoff return average
San Diego State 21 (61st)
Hawaii 23.75 (28th)
Turnover margin
San Diego State +0.75 (19th)
Hawaii -0.78 (117th)
Leading passers
Jayden Denegal, San Diego State: 105 of 166, 1,415 yards, 8 touchdowns, 5 interceptions
Micah Alejado, Hawaii: 199 of 302, 2,124 yards, 15 touchdowns, 6 interceptions
Leading rushers
Lucky Sutton, San Diego State: 154 carries, 820 yards, 8 touchdown
Landon Sims, Hawaii: 94 carries, 439 yards, 3 touchdowns
Leading receivers
Jordan Napier, San Diego State: 45 catches, 610 yards, 2 touchdowns
Jackson Harris, Hawaii: 35 catches, 601 yards, 7 touchdowns
Leading defenders
Owen Chambliss, San Diego State: 72 total tackles (41 solo), 6.5 tackles for loss (38 yards), 2 sacks, 1 interception, 4 pass breakups.
Jamih Otis, Hawaii: 49 total tackles (24 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss (3 yards), 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery, 2 forced fumbles
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-bd678ba4dbad4f453246f539ee56a3b4.jpg "Bernie Wilson")
Bernie Wilson recently retired from The Associated Press after nearly 41 years, including stops in Spokane, Los Angeles and, for the final 33 years, San Diego. He grew up in Coeur d'Alene and graduated from the University of Idaho.