Brennan throws 4 TDs and Hawaii beats La tech 45-44 in OT

9/12/2007 9:12 AM

RUSTON, La. (AP) -Louisiana Tech didn't want to give Colt Brennan another chance, so the Bulldogs went for the winning 2-point conversion in overtime.

However, No. 20 Hawaii was up to the task. The Warriors knocked down the pass attempt to preserve a 45-44 victory on Saturday night.

Colt Brennan was spectacular again for Hawaii, going 43-for-61 for 548 yards and four touchdowns. The Heisman Trophy contender hooked up with Jason Rivers for a 6-yard touchdown on the second play of OT to put the Warriors (2-0, 1-0, Western Athletic Conference) up 45-38.

Zac Champion answered for the Bulldogs with a 2-yard TD pass to Dustin Mitchell. They could have tied and played on with a PAT. Instead, first-year coach Derek Dooley went for the win and Champion's final pass to Brian Jackson was batted away.

``I liked their decision to go for two,'' Hawaii coach June Jones said. ``If it was good and they had won, it would've meant so much to that team and program. ``

Dan Kelly kicked a 49-yard field goal to tie the game for Hawaii with 1:34 to play.

Champion finished 23-for-36 for 188 yards and Patrick Jackson ran for 95 yards and two touchdowns for Louisiana Tech.

``I know everyone is going to say this is a moral victory but I'm not buying it,'' Dooley said. ``We didn't win. We had our chances.

``Our players and fans, they don't have a thing to be ashamed of or hang their heads about. It would have been great to win and we were close, but I think today we showed we can hold our own when we have this type of effort and performance.''

Tech jumped out to an early 14-0 lead on Jackson's TD runs from 2 and 16 yards in the first quarter.

Leon Wright-Jackson's 48 yard TD run and Brennan's 3-yard scramble for a score tied the game in the second quarter.

``Some mistakes at times hurt us and you can't do that against a team like Hawaii,'' Champion said. ``Not with the kind of offense they have. They can score so quickly.''

Hawaii would find the end zone quickly in the third quarter on a 64-yard pass from Brennan to Ryan Grice-Mullen, tying the game at 21.

After Louisiana Tech regained the lead at 24-21, Brennan hooked up with Grice-Mullen once again for 17 yards and the Warriors' first lead at 28-24.

Tech capitalized on Hawaii's lost fumble, which led to Champion's 3-yard TD pass to Josh Wheeler and a 31-28 Bulldogs' lead.

Davonne Bess hauled in a 19-yard pass from Brennan to give the Warriors the lead again at 35-31 with 8:35 to play. After an interception by Tech, Dennis Morris scored on a 1-yard plunge and Tech led 38-35 with just over three minutes to play.

``We were glad to get out of here with a win,'' Jones said. ``This has always been a tough place for us. Louisiana Tech did a great job all night playing with a tremendous amount of intensity and belief in themselves and it showed, the way this game went down to the final seconds.''