It is the family of running back Michael Brewster, delightfully recalling how he parlayed a shovel pass into the decisive 17-yard sprint to paydirt with 3:59 to play.

It is UH offensive lineman Uriah Moenoa, howling while standing on the Bulldogs' logo, and wideout Jeremiah Cockheran declaring, "I don't like Bulldogs ... I'm a pitbull man."

"Everybody knows when we're happy," Moenoa said, "we're crazy."

And yesterday's postgame locker room was a madhouse, with the Warriors finally proving the road does not have to be so hard. By winning their first road game on their fourth try this season — an outcome secured when Bulldog kicker Josh Scobee's 53-yard attempt was wide left with 1:22 to go — the Warriors announced their candidacy for the Western Athletic Conference title. They are 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the WAC.

"It's awesome," UH wideout Britton Komine said. "The drama is unreal when you're on the field. It was an awesome feeling to take one away."

The Warriors withstood the breakout performance of Ryan Moats, who rushed for 267 yards, and a fourth quarter in which the lead see-sawed four times.

Behind Tim Chang's 534 passing yards, UH tied it at 31 with 3:10 to play when Chad Owens completed an acrobatic 8-yard catch, went ahead 37-34 when Komine juked past cornerback Corey Brazil to pull in a 56-yarder and, finally, landed the decisive blow on Brewster's catch-and-run play.

"It was just a matter of reading blocks," said Brewster, who credited slotback Se'e Poumele, center Derek Faavi and Moenoa. "Everybody got on a man and pushed him away from me. That's how it was."

The Bulldogs had one last chance, and they were expected to turn to Moats, who entered with 353 rushing yards in six games. The Bulldogs quickly trespassed into UH territory. On second-and-7, Luke McCown completed an inside screen to D.J. Curry, who was tackled at the 40 after a five-yard gain.

UH left cornerback Kelvin Millhouse, who was tracking another defender, recalled seeing Curry position for the screen. "I got off the block and I was able to run over and make the tackle," Millhouse said.

On third-and-2, McCown threw to a wide-open Erick Franklin, who dropped the ball.

Ignoring the crowd's pleas to "go for it," Bulldog coach Jack Bicknell summoned Scobee for the 53-yard attempt, triggering a chorus of jeers.

"I did want the ball," Moats said.

The Bulldogs had burned their three second-half timeouts. "I'll tell you what, it was a tough call, one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make," Bicknell said.

Although Scobee had missed two of four attempts — one was blocked by Leonard Peters — all eight of his kickoffs resulted in touchbacks.

"I just felt like he was going to make it," Bicknell said. "I'm kicking myself now. I wish I had gone for it. ... It was a tough decision. I had to make it and I made it."

McCown, who threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns, said, "We wanted to (go for the first down). We think we could have made it. But we've got a kicker like Scobee. He kicks 60 yards in practice with ease."

McCown defended the decision to pass to Franklin on third down instead of handing off to Moats.

"That was a good call," McCown said. "We just didn't execute. People are going to question coach Bicknell and the call, but it was a good call. We had it there. I have to hit the receiver and he has to catch it."

Bicknell told reporters: "He was wide open. If we make it, we're not sitting here talking about (the decision to kick the field goal). That was just one play in the game. There are so many things that happen, so many things that affect the outcome. That's what I told Josh (Scobee). I said, 'Josh, you didn't lose this game.' ... He's all upset. I said, 'Hey, eight million things happened during the game to get all of us into these situations.' "

To be sure, the Bulldogs had made several correct adjustments. Fearful of McCown's skill in leading the wide-open passing attack, the Warriors opened with a specially crafted 4-2-5 "Joker" defense. Three defensive ends played on the defensive line, alongside a defensive tackle positioned at nose guard. Sometimes linebacker Ikaika Curnan, who finished with 11 tackles, moved up to the line of scrimmage. Other times, strong safety Hyrum Peters played middle linebacker.

But while the speed-rush scheme pressured McCown, who was sacked five times, with one less linebacker, the Warriors were vulnerable to running plays off trap blocks. Moats zig-zagged past lunging defenders, carrying 25 times in the second half for 220 yards.

"Give Ryan all of the credit in the world," McCown said. "He ran his heart out. He took every snap at running back. He carried us to 41 points."

As Moats' running tab increased, the Warriors reverted back to their usual 4-3 alignment, which calls for two true defensive tackles. Little worked, until the Bulldogs' final drive.

"The guys never quit," said George Lumpkin, who coordinates UH's run defense. "When we needed to make the stop, that's what we did. That's what we're all about."