Bumps come early for Thomas as UNLV loses at Iowa State

Steve Guiremand

Saturday, Sept. 9, 2000 | 6:24 a.m.

AMES, Iowa --- He threw a costly interception.

He fumbled a pitch on an option that set up another score.

He completed just 9-of-25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns.

But for someone making his college quarterback debut after a lengthy three-year layoff against a quality Iowa State team amid the swirling hot and humid winds of Jack Trice Stadium, UNLV quarterback Jason Thomas more than lived up to the hype Saturday afternoon.

Sure UNLV (0-1) lost another football game, this time 37-22 to the Cyclones (2-0). But unlike a year earlier when the Rebels simply didn't belong on the same field with Dan McCarney's club, this one was at least competitive.

And one can only imagine how good Thomas and company will be once they get a little more experience under their belts.

"Jason Thomas was rusty," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "Everything went blurry for a while for him out there. But, oh boy, is he fun to watch."

Unless you're an opposing defender, that is.

Despite almost constant breakdowns from his offensive line, the 6-4, 230-pound Thomas still managed to lead the team in rushing with 107 yards on 21 carries, including a highlight-film 45-yarder in the first quarter that cut Iowa State's lead to 7-6.

Throw in his 190 yards passing and Thomas finished with 297 yards in total offense and a hand in all three touchdowns.

"It was my first college football game," an exhuasted and bruised Thomas said afterward. "Anyone who expected me to go out and throw for 300 yards and run for 300 yards today is full of crap."

If not for a disastrous 15-minute stretch of miscues to end the first half, UNLV might have been able to really make things interesting.

UNLV was trailing just 7-6 and had the ball late in the first quarter when Thomas was hammered by Cyclone defensive tackle James Reed, who knifed through the Rebels' confused offensive line untouchded, and hit Thomas as he was about to pitch the ball on an option on 3rd-and-1 at the UNLV 33.

Thomas fumbled on the play and strong safety Doug Densmore recovered at the Rebel 24. Nine plays later, freshman tailback Mike Wagner scampered in from three-yards out to increase Iowa State's lead to 14-6.

On the next play following the ensuing kickoff, Thomas made a poor throw behind wide receiver Michael Johnson that was intercepted by free safety Dustin Avey, who returned it to the Rebel 30. Four plays later, Mike McKnight kicked a 40-yard field goal to up the Cyclones' lead to 17-6.

But perhaps the biggest play of the contest occured just four plays later.

Punting from just in front of his own end zine, Iowa-native Ray Cheetany had his punt blocked by Atif Austin, who came through the middle of the line untouched in just one of a series of special team disasters for the Rebels. Lane Danielson then scooped up the loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown and a 24-6 Iowa State lead.

The Cyclones would also add a 26-yard McKnight field goal to up their lead to 27-6.

"We blew the game in the second quarter," Robinson said. "You guys probably have a better list of all the mistakes we made than I do. ... I know there were three major errors that got us in trouble.'

Still, unlike some UNLV teams of the past, the Rebels didn't quit.

Thanks to a 32-yard field goal by Cheetany and a 56-yard touchdown pass from Thomas to Nate Turner, UNLV crept back to within 12 points, 27-15, with 2:03 still remaining in the third quarter.

Then, after Iowa State seemed to have put the game away again with a 78-yard touchdown pass from Sage Rosenfels to J.J. Moses, Thomas hit Turner in stride with a perfect 31-yard touchdown pass to close the gap to 34-22 with 14:12 still remaining.

Two plays later, safety Randy Black intercepted a Rosenfels pass and returned it to the Cyclone 35-yard-line and the crowd of 35,408 began to really get anxious.

UNLV, in part because of another nifty 17-yard scramble by Thomas, drove down to the Iowa State seven before the drive bogged down. Enter Cheetany whose field goal attempt from just 29-yards out was blocked by linebacker Reggie Hayward with 10:47 left.

The Rebels never really threatened after that. McKnight sealed the win with a 34-yard field goal with 1:59 left.

"Iowa State got their first game jitters out last week against Ohio," Thomas said. "Now we've gotten ours out.

"We won't waste two quarters next week. The team you saw in the second half is the team you'll see the rest of the season. Now we've got to get ready for North Texas."

Although he was encouraged by his team's performance in the second half and the fact UNLV actually outrushed Iowa State, 197 to 150, for the game, Robinson took little consolation in the fact his team rallied to make it close at the end.

"You lose, you lose," Robinson said. "You don't play games to stay close or to try hard. We want to win. We expected to win the game."

UNLV returns to action Saturday night when it hosts North Texas at Sam Boyd Stadium at 7 p.m.