Playing on the biggest stage in their history, the Warriors could do little right in a disheartening 41-10 loss to Georgia in the Louisiana Superdome.

The Warriors coughed up a Bowl Championship Series-record six turnovers — four interceptions and two fumbles — and Colt Brennan, scrambling all night against a relentless manhunt, was sacked eight times.

"It was the worst game of my career," said Brennan, who was 22 of 38 for 169 yards and three interceptions. "But it was against the best team I've played."

The 10th-ranked Warriors (12-1) could not respond to taunts of "Over-rated" or, in a merciless kick-while-down act, when Georgia coach Mark Richt challenged a UH catch with the Bulldogs ahead, 38-3, in the third quarter. The fifth-ranked Bulldogs (11-2), as it turned out, won the challenge.

The Warriors entered their first BCS postseason game as the nation's only unbeaten Division I-A team. They ended up saving their worst for last, suffering one of their worst offensive showings in June Jones' nine seasons as UH head coach.

Through their first 12 games, the Warriors averaged 529.25 yards per game, third best among Division I-A teams. Last night, they finished with 306 yards, most coming long after the suspense had ended.

For the Warriors, it unraveled early, when they could not offer any resistance against the Bulldogs' speedy pass rush. Of the two ways to defend a four-wide offense — drop into coverage or sic the 'Dogs — Georgia chose to go with the full-court press.

"It's Georgia speed," linebacker Dannell Ellerbe said. "I don't think they've seen anything like it."

Brennan was harassed — or hit — nearly every down, even on a running play when he was buried while pitching to running back Kealoha Pilares. The Warriors' longest play of the third quarter was on a roughing-the-passer penalty.

Brennan, who is the NCAA's career leader in touchdown passes, did not add to his total last night. Not counting his two-play cameo against Nevada, it was the worst output of Brennan's 38-game UH career.

"It's so disappointing," Brennan said. "This isn't the way I wanted to finish my career."

Adding injury to insult, Brennan left early in the fourth quarterback after being shaken up on a sack.

UH wideout Jason Rivers said there were openings in the Bulldog defense. But with precious little time to allow routes to develop, the Warriors were never able to get into an offensive groove.

"We couldn't connect," Rivers said.

The Warriors appeared to suffer from early jitters. The crowd of 74,383 was their largest audience this season.

With the majority of the Bulldog crowd at their backs on the opening drive, the Warriors' first two drives were stung by noise-induced errors — a delay of game, and right tackle Keoni Steinhoff's false start.

The opening quarter, in fact, was a false start for the Warriors.

The Warriors were one of the nation's best in limiting opponents on yards per rush and on third downs. But they had no answer for the Southeastern Conference's Freshman of the Year Knowshon Moreno, who did not start because of a sprained ankle.

Entering in the second phase of the first two drives, Moreno staked the Bulldogs to a 14-3 lead on dazzling runs of 17 and 11 yards.

"We didn't make tackles," UH weakside linebacker Adam Leonard said.

The Warriors tried different combinations. They brought in Blaze Soares, a hard-hitting perimeter linebacker. Later, they summoned safety Erik Robinson to provide some oomph in the secondary.

Little worked. And as the Bulldogs' lead increased, forcing the Warriors into even more passing situations, the intensity was increased on the pass rush.

"We put pressure on (Brennan) and we were able to get a few good hits on him," Ellerbe said.

Indeed, after the game, Brennan collapsed against a hallway wall, exhausted and in obvious pain.

"This is so frustrating," Brennan said.