Iowa St. 37, UNLV 22

Chuck Schoffner

Saturday, Sept. 9, 2000 | 5:52 a.m.

AMES, Iowa - Iowa State wanted to jump on UNLV early to silence the Rebels and succeeded - sort of.

The Cyclones scored on their first series, opened a 27-6 halftime lead, then let UNLV back in it before pulling out a 37-22 victory Saturday.

Sage Rosenfels passed for 286 yards and two touchdowns and Iowa State added three scores in a span of 2 1/2 minutes to go 2-0 for just the second time since 1985. Iowa State started 3-0 last season, including a 24-0 victory at UNLV.

"We knew we needed to get a tempo because they have a real attitude as team," ISU center Ben Bruns said. "Last year they were jawing all game long and we were expecting the same thing this year.

"For us it was very important to get out and put points on the board right away, and we made that an emphasis to try to put the wind out of their sails before it really built up."

UNLV (0-1) made it interesting behind quarterback Jason Thomas, a highly touted transfer from Southern California making his college debut.

Thomas, a 6-foot-4, 235-pound sophomore, threw two touchdown passes, scored on a 45-yard run and hurt Iowa State with his scrambling. But the Rebels (0-1) couldn't overcome their 12 penalties and Iowa State's 17-point flurry midway through the first half.

Leading 7-6 late in the first quarter, Iowa State converted a fumble, an interception and a blocked punt into two touchdowns and a field goal to break it open.

"That was a major-league performance, just a great job," Iowa State coach Dan McCarney said. "That's what we want to do. When the offense complements the defense and vice versa, you've got a chance succeed."

The first turnover came when James Reed knocked the ball from Thomas and Doug Densmore recovered at the UNLV 25. The Cyclones did not score after any of the four turnovers they forced in their opener, but they capitalized this time, Michael Wagner scoring on a 3-yard run.

"The defense works hard and anytime they get a turnover, it's really important for us to capitalize on that," offensive tackle Andy Stensrud said. "Last week, we didn't really do that. This week, we did it."

Dustin Avey intercepted Thomas one play after Wagner's touchdown and Mike McKnight followed with the first of his three field goals, a 40-yarder. Iowa State then stopped UNLV in three plays and Atif Austin smothered Ray Cheetany's punt just as his foot was striking the ball.

Lane Danielsen picked it up and scrambled into the end zone, making it 24-6 with 12:56 left in the half. It was the first blocked punt Iowa State returned for a touchdown since Kevin Hudson ran one in against Oklahoma in 1995.

Iowa State also blocked a field goal attempt by Cheetany in the fourth quarter and blocked Cheetany's extra-point kick after UNLV's first touchdown.

"We lost the game in the second quarter," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "The ball got knocked loose from us twice and we had a blocked kick. Those were three major mistakes."

Rosenfels hit Chris Anthony on a perfectly thrown 39-yard touchdown pass against a 21 mph wind on the game's first series. Then, after UNLV pulled to 27-15 late in the third quarter, Rosenfels answered with a 78-yard touchdown pass to J.J. Moses.

Moses caught the ball on a crossing pattern and got good block from Craig Campbell as he outran the pursuit down the left sideline.

Rosenfels finished 16-of-31, including a 55-yard pass to Danielsen set up a 26-yard McKnight field goal that made it 27-6. McKnight added a 34-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

Thomas, playing for the first time since he was a high school senior in 1997, looked rusty at first but got sharper as the game went on. On his touchdown run, which came on the Rebels' first series, Thomas freed himself for the final 10 yards by faking defensive back Jamarcus Powers off his field.

Later, he threw touchdown passes for 56 and 31 yards to Nate Turner and finished with 297 total yards. He completed 9-of-25 passes for 190 yards and ran for 107 yards in 21 carries.

"Early on my feet weren't set. I wasn't comfortable in the pocket," Thomas said. "Once the second half came, I felt like a better player. I was more poised. I was managing the team out there and we played better."