Razorbacks top Rebels in defensive battle

Harry King

Thursday, Aug. 30, 2001 | 8:37 a.m.

LITTLE ROCK - Ryan Sorahan completed two fourth-down passes and then hooked up with Richard Smith on a 23-yard play that set up Cedric Cobbs' touchdown as Arkansas slipped by Nevada-Las Vegas 14-10 Thursday night.

Cobbs' 1-yard run came with 18 seconds to play and ended a 49-yard drive that started when UNLV punter Ryan McDonald - on the field for the first time - let the snap slip through his hands.

Until that improbable drive, Arkansas had only two first downs, including one when the Rebels were flagged for defensive holding on a quarterback sack. UNLV, which beat the Razorbacks barely eight months ago in the Las Vegas Bowl, was in front because of a big play from its defense and another in the kicking game.

It was somehow appropriate that until the final 1:53, the only bit of offense was supplied by Joe Haro, a UNLV running back converted from defense. Nothing fancy, he ran for 131 yards, all of it in the second half.

Sorahan, a junior college transfer, started the winning drive with an awful looking floater that Richard Harris caught falling down for 7 yards on fourth-and-5. After three more incomplete passes, George Wilson was wide open in the middle for 13 yards. On second down, Sorahan threw toward the left sideline and cornerback Kevin Thomas went for the ball. He missed, Smith made the catch and turned up the sideline.

From the 1, Cobbs scored easily.

Jason Thomas, UNLV's much-touted quarterback, was 4-of-16 with three interceptions, including one that Lawrence Richardson returned 45 yards for Arkansas' first score.

UNLV led 10-0 at the half even though it had just two first downs and 57 yards - 21 more than Arkansas.

Troy Mason took one of Richie Butler's six first-half punts at midfield and returned it 39 yards after cutting inside Ruschard Dodd-Masters' block on outside containment man Marvin Jackson. On third-and-13, Thomas wanted to pass, but quickly abandoned that idea and kept for 5 yards. Dillon Pieffer's 26-yard field goal was good. Pieffer missed twice from the 29 in the second half.

Arkansas' starting quarterback Zak Clark lasted one play into the Razorbacks' fifth series. He was replaced by Sorahan, whose first pass was tipped by Anton Palepoi and intercepted by Shanga Wilson. A 40-yard return, plus a face-mask penalty, put the ball on the 6. On first down, Thomas wiggled out of a jam and, while nearing the line of scrimmage, got the ball to a nearby Jabari Johnson, who scored untouched.