Hawaii lost again to San Jose State, sending the 2026 football season into a spiral. There is no time to weep for the Warriors as they turn around to face a Big XII foe on the road.
Here are a few things to watch for as Hawaii takes on the Arizona State Sun Devils tomorrow, Saturday October 10th at 4:30 p.m. HT on FS1. Hawaii is a 20.5-point underdog.
3 Key Storylines
A season gone horribly wrong
Taking a step back and looking at the entire portrait of the 2026 college football season, few teams will have neutral onlookers
thinking, “What on Earth happened?!” quite like Hawaii. Back in January, ESPN ran an SP+ piece that featured Hawaii as the Group of Six rep for the College Football Playoff. It made headlines in Hawaii. Fair or not, expectations were set for this team Rainbow Warrior team: they should win and have one of the best offenses in this echelon. Nine months later, nothing of the sort has happened. A shocking 1-4 start with Arizona State, New Mexico, two unusual road games back-to-back in Northern Illinois and UTEP, and then a home game against North Dakota State up next. You’ll have to forgive Hawaii fans if it feels like doomsday. Hawaii comes to Tempe distraught.
What happened to Micah Alejado?
The source of the optimism surrounding this team? First on that list was quarterback Micah Alejado. Alejado completed 66% of his passes as a freshman, along with 3,106 passing yards and 24 touchdown passes despite missing time. He registered multiple wins over Power Four programs. Promising to say the least. Fast forward to now, Alejado ranks 118th-nationally in quarterback rating. What happened? Surely Alejado has to bear some of the blame, but I think it’s a collective effort. Alejado was sacked 25 times in 2025, he’s already at 14 sacks through five games this season. The protection hasn’t been good and Hawaii calls plays like they don’t trust the pass blocking. The injury to wide receiver Pofele Ashlock has proven to be devastating, as the transfer receivers haven’t hit yet (more on that later). I’m sure Alejado will point the finger at himself, maybe justly so, but this offense is a collective mess. Can he play hero in Tempe? Or should I say, will his supporting cast enable him to be a hero?
Arizona State is a missed opportunity
When the 2026 schedule was completed, in tandem with the growing hype surrounding this Hawaii team, Arizona State appeared to be an opportunity. A respectable Power Four opponent, but not a juggernaut beyond the Warriors. Back when resume mattered. That’s all history. Arizona State is coming fresh off an embarrassing home loss to Baylor, losing 55-19. At 2-2, it’s mixed results thus far, featuring two blowout losses to Texas A&M and Baylor, and two wins against Morgan State and Kansas. In an alternate timeline, this might’ve been a chance to bolster Hawaii’s Group of Six bid case. Instead, the Warriors are rightfully 20.5-point underdogs with little hope for victory. Neither team will be in a good mood Saturday night.
2 Roster matchups to watch closely
Hawaii wide receiver Devin Alves vs. Arizona State defensive back Ashton Stamps
Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? The struggles at receiver have played a big role in the offense’s plight. Devin Alves had 121 receiving yards on three catches against San Jose State, including a 58-yard touchdown. Is Hawaii finally finding an answer amongst the outside receivers? Hawaii needs Alves to take the next step.
Hawaii defensive back Jaylon Edmond and Jeremiah Hughes vs. Arizona State wide receivers Omarion Miller and Reed Harris
The Arizona State defense might be struggling, but there are no such weaknesses at wide receiver. Omarion Miller is expected to be a top draft prospect next spring and he’s not even leading the team in receiving, Reed Harris is. At 499 receiving yards on just 26 catches, Harris is averaging 19.2 yards per catch. Expect the Sun Devils to try and beat Hawaii long with Harris.
1 Bold prediction
Arizona State quarterback Cutter Boley has only thrown three interceptions on the season. I think Hawaii adds to that total, safety Kona Moore picks off one of the attempted deep throws.
