Hawaii at Louisana Tech

Written by Hector Garza

Hawaii travels to Louisiana Tech this Wednesday in a WAC conference showdown. Tech has gotten pushed around in non conference play, losing to Auburn and Navy with a 1-2 record. The Warriors could easily be undefeated, but are 2-1 after a heart breaking loss against UNLV that came in the last minute. None of that matters as both teams are opening conference play and looking to be contenders. According to the most recent college football lines, the Warriors are the underdogs by 4 ½ points, even though they’ve dominated the series 6-1. The over/under for the contest currently sits at 55 points.

The Hawaii offense is always known for their passing attack, and this year is no different. Head Coach Greg McMackin currently has them slinging the ball around to the tune of 423. 3 yards/game, first in the nation. QB Greg Alexander is the reason, and his main target has been WR Greg Salas who’s average almost 160 y/g receiving. If Alexander can build on his 9 touchdowns this year, look for it to be a long day for Tech.

The offensive aerial show of Hawaii will be put to a good test against Tech. The Bulldogs have only given up 156 y/g through their first three contests, but an important note is that all their opponents were focused on the run. And they ran the ball well, as the defense has given up 251.7 y/g on the ground per match. One thing is for sure, to stop the pass they’ll need to get pressure, and with only 2 sacks on the year they’ve got some work to do.

Louisiana Tech’s offense is still looking to hit its stride. RB Daniel Porter has struggled rushing the football, averaging only 44.7 y/g, but he’s looking to break out against a Hawaii defense allowing almost 127 y/g on the ground. QB Ross Jenkins had a great game last week, throwing for 357 yards in the air against a sub par Nicholls State. He’s thrown for 3 touchdowns this year, and will need to eliminate the interceptions (2) going forward.

The Warriors must get better against the air attack. They’re currently ranked 97th in the nation in pass defense and 58th in pass efficiency. Fortunately they’ve been able to rely on outscoring opponents, which may work again this week. Tech QB Jenkins will no doubt be looking to expose the Warrior’s weakness in the air. S Mana Silva has been impressive with 3 interceptions and 3 pass break ups this year, and will need to continue that success against a team balanced in both aspects of their game.

I think the Hawaii offense has a great chance to win this game, but may be tired. They’ve played their last two games on the road, and this will be another test of their stamina and focus. If the game turns into a shootout I recommend the 4 ½ points that Hawaii is getting, as both defenses have had been weak thus far. Whoever wins this game will be looking to test the WAC favorite Boise State.

Garza’s Pick: Hawaii +4.5

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