Trying to defend the option offense is like trying to kill a hydra. You cut off one head and your troubles may just become worse.

The University of Hawaii football team did enough for the second game in a row not to let a sleight-of-hand, multi-faceted running attack go wild. But unlike at Air Force the previous week, New Mexico had other tricks available, and UH failed to execute too often to win Saturday before a sparse and soggy gathering at Aloha Stadium.

Many expected a high-scoring shootout. In the end, it was the visitors’ defense that made the difference.

The Lobos were surprisingly sturdy when needed — and decisively opportunistic in the fourth quarter.

It was a “Wow, is that really for me?” moment when New Mexico nickel back Lee Crosby picked up the football that landed at his feet that had just fallen from the hands of UH’s Diocemy Saint Juste.

Crosby ran it 42 yards and then somersaulted about 5 more into the end zone for the final touchdown of the Lobos’ 28-21 win and UH’s second consecutive home loss.

Two other plays were also big separators: New Mexico’s fourth-down stop of Steven Lakalaka at its own 7 with 2:29 left to play, and UH’s big defensive breakdown, Tyrone Owens’ weaving 72-yard TD run at the end of the third quarter.

Other than that, it was dead even.

But games between evenly matched teams are supposed to be won by the home team. Especially in Hawaii, when the second-half should belong to the squad whose body clocks are not past midnight.

In Mountain West games, the Rainbow Warriors are 1-2 at home and 2-0 on the road.

“I’m not real happy sitting in the same room two games in a row with losses at Aloha Stadium,” said first-year coach Nick Rolovich, who was UH’s quarterback and offensive coordinator back when Hawaii won most of its home games. “That’s not what we are, it’s not what I remember.”

You can’t blame UH fans for trying to forget how New Mexico won in Albuquerque last year, a game the Warriors had led for most of the way. The Lobos switched out of the option and ran a near-perfect two-minute passing attack at the end to win 28-27.

This time, New Mexico coach Bob Davie didn’t wait until the final drive to bring in his passing quarterback, Austin Apodaca. Davie made the move at halftime.

UH’s defense adjusted well except for Owens’ breakaway, and most of the second half was a punt fest. Hawaii was betrayed by the fumble and a nearly game-long inability to move the chains on third down, doing so just two of 13 times.

“We’ve got to find a way to execute better on offense,” Rolovich said. “We don’t control our own destiny now. And we have a definite challenge on the road next week against a team (San Diego State) that hasn’t stubbed its toe (in the conference).”

At 4-5 overall, a winning season is still possible. But Hawaii will definitely be heavy underdogs at San Diego State, and at home against Boise State despite the Broncos’ upset loss to Wyoming on Saturday.

Like two weeks ago against UNLV, this was a home game that Hawaii had many opportunities to win. But UH failed to make the big plays when needed.

It’s too bad, because when a defense allows just 21 points and just seven of them after halftime it should be enough to win.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.