WESTERN ATHLETIC ROUNDUP : San Diego State Barely Holds Off Hawaii, 44-38

San Diego State quarterback Dan McGwire passed for 429 yards and two touchdowns, and the Aztecs survived a 22-point fourth-quarter by Hawaii to defeat the Rainbows, 44-38, in a Western Athletic Conference game Saturday night at San Diego.

San Diego State improved to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the WAC. Hawaii is 5-4 and 2-3.

T.C. Wright’s 17-yard touchdown run with 6:51 to play put the Aztecs ahead, 44-24.

McGwire, who completed 23 of 36 passes, moved past Brian Sipe into second place on the San Diego State career completion list. He has 437, one more than Sipe, but is still well behind record-holder Todd Santos’ 910.

Jimmy Raye caught 10 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown. Patrick Rowe, who entered the game with a nation-leading 120.4 yards per game, caught six passes for 155 yards--the sixth consecutive game he has had 100 or more yards receiving. That is one short of the Aztec record, and two shy of the NCAA record.

Hawaii scored three touchdowns and a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Garrett Gabriel connected on touchdown pass plays of 10 yards to Dane McArthur, 17 yards to Larry Kahn-Smith and 23 yards to Jeff Sydner.

Utah 29, New Mexico 27--The Utes (4-6, 2-5) overcame a 27-point deficit to beat the Lobos (2-9, 1-5) in a WAC game at Albuquerque.

Charles Brown capped the comeback with a five-yard touchdown run with 1:07 left.

The Lobos, who have lost five consecutive games, appeared to be in total control after converting two Utah turnovers into touchdowns to start the second half.

But sophomore quarterback Marcus Goodloe had three passes intercepted and lost two fumbles as the Utes came back with a 21-point third-quarter to set up Brown’s game-clinching touchdown run.

Colorado State 31, Tulsa 13--The Rams (7-3) improved their chances for their first bowl berth in 42 years with the victory over the Hurricane (2-8) in a nonconference game at Fort Collins, Colo.

Colorado State, which made its only bowl appearance in the 1948 Raisin Bowl, is a strong candidate for the Freedom Bowl.