Aztecs Find Some Way Over the Rainbows : SDSU: McGwire passes for 429 yards and two touchdowns, and Aztecs hold on after Hawaii scores 22 fourth-quarter points.

If it had been an election and San Diego State a candidate for office, the Aztecs would have been putting together their acceptance speech along about, oh, midway through the third quarter of Saturday night’s game with Hawaii.

Maybe that was the problem. Life with the Aztecs is never that easy. Give them a lead, they’ll sometimes try to give it right back. Hawaii discovered that in a wild, offensive, typical game in front of 20,450 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

The Aztecs eked out a victory, 44-38, but only after watching a 34-16 lead dwindle to six with 2:17 left.

At that point, Hawaii attempted an onside kick, and the Aztecs (4-4, 3-2) weren’t completely over the Rainbows (5-4, 2-3) until the ball nestled snugly in the arms of freshman tight end Garrett Ford.

The Aztec defense almost put together two consecutive weeks of solid play, which was Coach Al Luginbill’s goal all along this week. And SDSU came oh-so-close. But Hawaii, quiet most of the first three quarters, suddenly reared up and kicked the Aztecs for 22 fourth-quarter points.

As it turned out, the Aztecs needed every bit of quarterback Dan McGwire’s season-best, 429-yard effort. McGwire completed 23 of 36 passes, two for touchdowns. His 23 completions moved McGwire into second place--past Brian Sipe--on the SDSU career completion list. He now has 437, one more than Sipe and still well behind record-holder Todd Santos’ 910.

SDSU receivers repeatedly ran at will through Hawaii’s secondary. Jimmy Raye caught 10 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown, and Patrick Rowe caught six for 155--giving him 100 or more yards receiving for the sixth consecutive game. That is one short of SDSU’s record, and two shy of the NCAA record. Rowe entered the game leading the nation with an average of 120.4 yards receiving per game.

But maybe the most significant number of the night was T.C. Wright’s 17-yard touchdown run with 6:51 to play. It put the Aztecs ahead, 43-24. Little did anyone know at that point that it would be a touchdown the Aztecs needed.

“I never felt comfortable with the lead,” Luginbill said. “That is a team that has come back and won a lot of football games over the last two years. When you get somebody down, you’ve got to go for the throat.”

Hawaii scored three touchdowns and a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Garrett Gabriel passed 10 yards to Dane McArthur, 17 to Larry Kahn-Smith and 23 to Jeff Sydner for touchdowns.

Suddenly, Hawaii was back after things looked dim at halftime.

Hawaii Coach Bob Wagner said this week he was concerned with the turnover ratio. The Aztecs led the Western Athletic Conference entering Saturday’s game with a plus-nine in turnover margin, and Wagner said the Rainbows would have a hard time winning if they had even one more turnover than the Aztecs.

Astute observation. By halftime, the Aztecs built a 28-16 lead, and two of their four touchdowns came after recovering Hawaii fumbles.

The Aztec taking the bows was sophomore defensive back Robert Griffith. Twice in the first half he made his way into the Hawaii backfield and separated Gabriel from the ball.

The Rainbows took the opening kickoff and drove 35 yards, to the SDSU 34, in seven plays, their option attack clicking. Then, on third and seven, Gabriel was between a pass and a run in the Rainbow backfield--it looked like he wasn’t yet sure what he was going to do--and all of a sudden he turned around, and there was Griffith. The ball popped loose, and Andy Coviello pounced on it. Garrett, meanwhile, had to be helped from the field. He returned, nursing a sore hip, later in the quarter.

Three minutes later, McGwire found Raye wide-open over the middle for a 44-yard touchdown pass.

That made it 7-0, Aztecs.

Later in the half, with 4:03 remaining, Griffith forced another fumble.

The Aztecs were ahead at the time, 21-10, and it was similar to the first in that he reached the backfield and smacked Gabriel. This time, linebacker Lou Foster landed on the ball, and the Aztecs took over at the Hawaii 19.

It took them five plays to move to the Hawaii one, where both Curtis Butts and Larry Maxey were stopped on runs. On fourth-and-one, Luginbill sent Andy Trakas in to kick a field goal . . . but the Aztecs called a timeout before the play.

On second thought, Luginbill had decided to go for it. McGwire strapped on his helmet and ran back out. He handed off to Butts . . . touchdown. Aztecs, 28-10.

Aztec Notes

Defensive back Marlon Andrews led the Western Athletic Conference with 12 passes broken up entering Saturday’s game. . . . Also entering the game, defensive back Robert Griffith led the Aztecs with 54 tackles. . . . Touch of class: When Hawaii quarterback Garrett Gabriel went down near the Aztec sideline early in the first quarter, SDSU Coach Al Luginbill and trainer Brian Berry walked out to check on him. Gabriel injured his left hip and left with 13:04 remaining in the quarter. He returned eight minutes later. . . . It was a rough first quarter all around. SDSU offensive lineman Nick Subis suffered a rib injury, and defensive lineman Pio Sagapolutele injured his left ankle. Sagapolutele returned a couple of minutes later; Subis missed the rest of the game.