Timmy Chang's group didn't just run it back — they reloaded. Hawai'i brought in transfers all over the roster, including former Washington receiver Audric Harris and three new offensive linemen, while keeping its top skill-position pieces in Pofele Ashlock (76 catches, 829 yards) and Tama Uiliata. ESPN's Bill Connelly has already penciled the Rainbow Warriors into a 12-team playoff projection as the top Group of Five team, which tells you where the bar is set for this program in 2026.
New Mexico State isn't without pieces. Wideout TK King is a legitimate playmaker who put up 588 yards and 3 touchdowns on 41 catches last season despite missing 4 games, and Stanford transfer Myles Libman gives the room another weapon. On defense, linebackers Tory Gethers and Sone Aupiu both return after combining for well over 100 tackles between them. The problem is the Aggies still haven't settled their quarterback room, with an open competition that could spill multiple bodies onto the field in the opener.
That kind of uncertainty under center is a brutal thing to bring into a road environment against a team that already knows exactly who its guy is. Hawai'i's identity is built around Alejado slinging it to a deep receiver room, and this is exactly the type of game a rebuilding roster is supposed to circle as a measuring stick — even if the final score doesn't do them any favors.