LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Moments after Hawai'i's 49-30 football victory over New Mexico State was certified as official last night, the lights went dark at Aggie Memorial Stadium.

It was an anticlimactic postscript for the Warriors, who had much earlier turned out the lights on the nation's most productive passing attack and a somber homecoming party.

UH quarterback Colt Brennan threw for 330 yards and five touchdowns; Nate Ilaoa rushed a workmanlike 18 times for 94 yards and a touchdown, and slotback Ross Dickerson caught six passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns.

But the Warriors would not have cemented their fourth consecutive victory — and second in a week on the Mainland — without a feisty effort from their don't-hold-me-back defense.

The Warriors forced three turnovers, including a double-whammy that resulted in a fourth-quarter touchdown and staggered Aggies quarterback Chase Holbrook, who entered as the nation's leader in total offense.

"I knew it would come down to hitting and turnovers," UH head coach June Jones said. "We out-hit them, and we got some turnovers."

The outcome boosted the Warriors to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Western Athletic Conference. They need to win two of their final six regular-season games to clinch a berth in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl. The Warriors are eligible with a winning regular season.

"Even though we had a slow start to the season, we've got the winning feeling now," said Brennan, who completed 22 of 31 passes. He has not been intercepted on his last 120 passes.

"We're going to drive this race car as far as we can, and get as many victories as we can," Brennan added, "and hopefully by the end of the year we'll be sitting there proud of what we've done."

The first obstacle was outdueling Holbrook, who entered averaging 424 yards per game.

Facing the Warriors' aggressive defense, Holbrook was instructed to counter with shovel passes, quick screens and throws to the flats — in essence, to manage the no-huddle offense.

In turn, the Warriors decided to test defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville's "Big-Bag Theory."

In practices, the Warriors are not allowed to tackle. Instead, they take out their aggression on the "big bag," which resembles an oversized buoy.

"Our (motto) is 'hit the big bag,' " free safety Leonard Peters said. "We're always told there's always room for one more person. If a (ball-carrier) is standing up, there's always room for one more person to come up and hit him. We practice that every day. As soon as a guy catches the ball, we're always running toward him."

Defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis said: "We don't need to hit each other during the week. We need to hit somebody else on Saturdays. We have that mentality. It's already instilled in us."

That was apparent in the fourth quarter, which opened with the Warriors ahead, 28-24.

Brennan's 13-yard scoring pass to left wideout Jason Rivers made it 35-24.

On the ensuing possession, Holbrook escaped a pass rush, rolled to the left of the pocket and prepared to launch a long pass. Instead, defensive end Melila Purcell III raced across the field and plowed into Holbrook. The football was knocked free, then squibbed near the cleats of inside linebacker Adam Leonard.

"I looked down, and told myself, 'Just pick it up,' " Leonard recalled. "I didn't hear any whistle. I just picked up the ball and started running."

Leonard's 20-yard touchdown play extended the lead to 42-24.

Holbrook was in a dazed heap for about two minutes before being escorted to the sideline. Purcell approached Holbrook and NMSU head coach Hal Mumme.

"I told (Holbrook) I was sorry about the hit," Purcell said. "This is football, and I was trying to make a play. I apologized to him and the coaches."

Holbrook said: "(The hit) caught me out of the ceiling. It just dazed me a bit. He got a solid hit on me. I didn't see him coming. It was a clean tackle."

Of the forced fumble, Purcell said, "He looked like he was going to run, but he didn't look like he wanted to run. When he put (his arm) up, I went for him. We needed the turnover."

Holbrook sat out the first five plays of the Aggies' next possession, which ended prematurely because of a fumble, this time during the snap exchange. Nose tackle Kahai LaCount recovered the ball.

"I got my one play of fame," LaCount said, smiling.

Holbrook said the injury did not lead to the fumble.

"I think it just didn't get to me," Holbrook said. "It just slipped out of the center's hands."

Two plays later, Brennan and Dickerson teamed on a 36-yard scoring play. Dickerson ran a streak pattern along the right sideline, but "the ball got lost in the light. Colt threw it in such a perfect spot that I caught it in my hands. I lost it in the lights, and then it reappeared."

Dickerson has been the Warriors' most productive receiver since moving from right wideout four weeks ago to replace injured right slotback Ryan Grice-Mullins (sprained left ankle). Although Grice-Mullins has been promised his job when he is healthy, Dickerson would be difficult to replace.

"I want to help make the team better," Dickerson said. "It will be great to have Grice-Mullins back, because he will help our team. I'm just happy to contribute."

Brennan said: "I'm just fortunate this offense has so many weapons and options."

Last night, Brennan made use of all of his tools. To defend the Warriors' four-wide offense, the Aggies used a three-man front with both safeties in a deep zone and the cornerbacks and linebackers in pass coverage.

"If they're only going to rush three guys, it would be foolish not to take advantage of that," Brennan said.

By double-teaming each of the three defensive linemen, the Warriors were able to create running room for Ilaoa or give Brennan more time to pass. Brennan was sacked once, when caught from behind while scrambling.

"The offensive line did a great job so I could go through all of my reads," Brennan said. "And we knew we could eat time by giving the ball to Nate."

Brennan effectively spread the offense, hitting Rivers on post patterns, slotback Davone Bess and right wideout Ian Sample on crossing routes, and Dickerson at different points.

The Warriors had only seven full possessions, but scored touchdowns on five of them. They parlayed a lifeline when Bess' fumble was nullified because an official blew the whistle before the play was completed. The down was replayed, and four plays later, Brennan threw a 9-yard scoring pass to Sample to make it 28-17.

"We're one of those teams that is doing good with first chances," Brennan said. "If somebody wants to give us a second chance, we'll take it."

Jeff Reinebold, who coaches the UH defensive line, said: "It was supposed to be a gun battle in the Southwest, and there were two gunslingers slinging it out. If you watched the game, there should be no doubt in anybody's mind who the better quarterback is and who the better offense is.

"I've never seen an offense as good and consistent as ours, and I've never seen a quarterback as good and consistent as Colt. The other guy might have the numbers in raw passing yards, but there's no way I'd trade our guy for their guy."

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.