There is a power-I in the San Diego State football team.

The Aztecs’ base offense spelled out a 28-14 victory and ruined the University of Hawaii’s homecoming before 25,643 at Aloha Stadium.

Donnel Pumphrey, running fast and angry, rushed for 148 yards and three touchdowns and made several drive-extending catches.

Pumphrey, who is optimistically listed at 5 feet 9 and 180 pounds, was cautiously listed as questionable after suffering what was termed a high-ankle sprain last week. But Pumphrey practiced for 22 plays on Wednesday, and received a boarding pass for the Aztecs’ charter flight to Honolulu on Thursday.

"I knew all week I would play," Pumphrey said. "It wasn’t as bad as they thought. I was glad to be back out there."

Asked about Pumphrey’s availability, quarterback Maxwell Smith said: "No doubt. I had no doubt he would play."

The Aztecs set the tone early, racing to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Pumphrey’s 34-yard sprint around right end opened the scoring. His 8-yard weave into the end zone capped a four-play, 32-yard drive that initiated when SDSU’s 300-pound nose tackle Christian Heyward forced and then recovered a fumble.

"There’s really no excuse," UH middle linebacker Julian Gener said. "The first two drives, we have to play better. We have to come out faster. That really cost us. They jumped out on us 14-0, and it was tough to come back. We kept battling back. We kept fighting. But mistakes here and there cost us."

Pumphrey rushed six times for 83 yards in the first two drives, then managed 40 yards on the next six possessions of the first half. He gained 25 yards after the intermission despite playing on all but the run-out-the-clock final drive.

Although the Rainbow Warriors would close to seven points twice — Mel Davis’ 1-yard run finished a drive ignited by Isaiah Bernard’s 52-yard catch-and-sprint, and quarterback Max Wittek’s 1-yard keeper was the payoff from the first takeaway in three games — the Aztecs made the big plays to keep their distance.

"I don’t think you can pinpoint one thing more so than any other thing," said Wittek, who was 14-for-34 for 179 yards. "It’s a collection of small things. The smallest details matter the most. I think we’ll get it. I think we’ll be all right."

There was the flea-flicker when Wittek overthrew Bernard.

There was Wittek, riding the crest of momentum in the third quarter, falling in a heap on a pass attempt because of an apparent injury to his right knee. Wittek hobbled to the sideline on his own strength and sat out a couple of drives before returning.

When consecutive Pumphrey rushes drew in the secondary, Smith threw long to Eric Judge for a 58-yard touchdown and 21-7 lead with 1:40 left in the second quarter.

"He hit a couple of passes on us when the DBs started to cheat up a little bit," Mason said. "We’ve got to make plays. That’s the bottom line."

Then on the opening drive of the fourth quarter, the Aztecs, holding a 21-14 lead, drove to the UH 22, where they faced a fourth-and-1 situation.

The Aztecs called time to discuss their options. The Warriors used the break to implore the defensive linemen not to jump on Smith’s hard count. Smith’s cadence caused nose tackle Penitito Faalologo to trespass. The 5-yard penalty gave new life — and four more downs — to the Aztecs.

"Football is such a discipline sport," UH coach Norm Chow said. "For us to jump offsides on fourth-and-whatever-the-heck-it-was when they were going to kick a field goal, after explaining to the kids what to expect … we have to fix the discipline."

Soon after, on third-and-4 from the UH 11, Smith overthrew Judge in the left corner of the end zone. But cornerback Nick Nelson was called for holding, giving the Aztecs another penalty-created first down, this time at the 6.

"I felt like it was a make-up call," Nelson protested. "It wasn’t a hold."

Two plays later, Pumphrey ran 4 yards for his third touchdown to complete the scoring.

The Warriors, who were without injured inside linebacker Benetton Fonua, scrapped their 3-4 base to go with a 3-5 alignment. Gener joined Simon Poti and Jerrol Garcia-Williams as the third inside linebacker.

"We put (the scheme) in earlier this week," Mason said. "We felt we needed a bigger guy to take on that running game more. Gener was the extra linebacker in there. We played with five linebackers to see if we could slow that run game down."

The Warriors held the Aztecs to 218 yards, an average of 3.8 yards per carry.

But the Warriors never could catch up after falling behind on Pumphrey’s early running.

Mason discounted those injury reports initiating from San Diego, and expected Pumphrey to play. "He’s a good player," Mason said.

Meanwhile, Pumphrey said he was motivated.

"I had a chip on my shoulder coming into this game because I wasn’t able to finish the game last week," said Pumphrey, who exited late in the third quarter against Fresno State.

Pumphrey credited his offensive linemen and fullback Dakota Gordon.

"He’s a beast," Pumphrey said of Gordon, "and he played the game hurt."

"What? Hurt?" Gordon said. "I’m not hurt. I got banged up. But it’s easy to block for (Pumphrey). He makes cuts off my block."

Smith agreed, saying: "(Pumphrey) fights every single day. He brings it every single day."

FIRST PERIOD

San Diego State

>> Score: Donnel Pumphrey 34-yard run. Donny Hageman kick.

>> Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:16 elapsed time. Time: 11:44. Score: San Diego State 7, Hawaii 0

San Diego State

>> Score: Pumphrey 8-yard run. Hageman kick.

>> Drive: 4 plays, 32 yards, 1:28 elapsed time. Time: 9:10. Score: San Diego State 14, Hawaii 0

SECOND PERIOD

Hawaii

>> Score: Melvin Davis 1-yard run. Rigoberto Sanchez kick.

>> Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:32 elapsed time. Time: 12:44. Score: San Diego State 14, Hawaii 7

San Diego State

>> Score: Eric Judge 58-yard pass from Maxwell Smith. Hageman kick.

>> Drive: 3 plays, 82 yards, 1:15 elapsed time. Time: 1:40. Score: San Diego State 21, Hawaii 7

THIRD PERIOD

Hawaii

>> Score: Max Wittek 1 run. Sanchez kick.

>> Drive: 6 plays, 26 yards, 1:41 elapsed time. Time: 7:13. Score: San Diego State 21, Hawaii 14 

FOURTH PERIOD

San Diego State

>> Score: Pumphrey 4-yard run. Hageman kick.

>> Drive: 11 plays, 85 yards, 4:42 elapsed time. Time: 13:00. Score: San Diego State 28, Hawaii 14 

TEAM STATISTICS

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

DEFENSIVE STATISTICS

TACKLES FOR LOSS-YARDS: San Diego State–Calvin Munson 1.5-13, Jon Sanchez 1.5-5, Jake Fely 1.5-2, Randy Ricks 1-4, Christian Heyward 1-3, Noble Hall 0.5-4. Hawaii–Julian Gener 1-3, Ne’Quan Phillips 1-3, Kennedy Tulimasealii 1-2, Jeremy Castro 1-1, Simon Poti 1-1, Jahlani Tavai 0.5-1, Luke Shawley 0.5-1.

SACKS-YARDS: San Diego State–Calvin Munson 1.5-13, Jon Sanchez 1-4, Christian Heyward 1-3, Noble Hall 0.5-4. Hawaii–Jahlani Tavai 0.5-1, Luke Shawley 0.5-1.

INTERCEPTIONS: San Diego State–J.J. Whittaker 1-20, Damontae Kazee 1-0. Hawaii–none.

KICK BLOCKED: San Diego State–none. Hawaii–none.

QUARTERBACK HURRIES: San Diego State– Randy Ricks 2, Calvin Munson, J.J. Whittaker. Hawaii–Luke Shawley.