Nov. 17, 2001

Box Score

By JOHN MOSSMAN
AP Sports Writer

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Two defensive scores just 58 seconds apart took the air out of Air Force and likely removed a bowl game from its future as well.

UNLV cornerback Kevin Thomas and defensive end Scott Parkhurst turned Air Force mistakes into quick touchdowns in the third quarter, and the Rebels romped 34-10 on Saturday.

Thomas scored on a 57-yard interception return, and Parkhurst ran a fumble back 21 yards for a touchdown.

With 3:18 left in the third period, Thomas stepped in front of receiver Ryan Fleming and recorded his seventh interception of the season, a school record, and returned it untouched.

Two plays later, linebacker Adam Seward sacked quarterback Keith Boyea, forcing a fumble that Parkhurst ran back with 2:20 left.

"In the beginning of the game they started throwing hitches to Fleming on the boundary side," Thomas said, "so I just went over there and gambled."

Parkhurst said Thomas "has been doing that all year for us. It's wonderful to follow up his big play with one of my own. It was like a dream. You always think that: Scoop and score. I picked it up and just started running, hoping nobody was fast enough to catch me."

Seward came on a blindside blitz and said "no one really blocked me, and I just hit him in the back. The ball came loose, and Scotty is running down the field and I just went crazy.

"We've scored defensive touchdowns all year, but those two, back-to-back, were huge for us. That was the turning point in the game. We knew we had them right then."

The Rebels (4-7, 3-4 Mountain West) concluded their season by scoring 34 unanswered points after Air Force had taken a 10-0 lead.

Air Force (5-5, 2-4) lost its fourth straight conference game and now must win its final two games to become bowl eligible.

"We gave them 14 points very quickly," Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry said, "and that took the wind out of our sails.

"They whooped us because of the turnovers, whooped us because we didn't tackle well, whooped us because we didn't make any plays."

UNLV, posting only its second road victory in the month of November since 1993, got 215 total yards from quarterback Jason Thomas.

Thomas ran for 77 yards and a touchdown, and Joe Haro had 70 yards and two scores.

Air Force's wishbone, the No. 4 rushing offense in the country, had 259 yards on the ground, but Boyea threw for only 66 yards and was intercepted three times. Boyea ran for 73 yards and the Falcons' lone touchdown.

"For all of our seniors, it was a great way for them to go out," UNLV coach John Robinson said. "They've been really good for our program. When they started their sophomore years, this program was nowhere. Now, despite a tough season, this program is on TV every week and will continue to grow."

Jason Thomas ran for 60 yards and a touchdown in the first half as UNLV took a 13-10 lead at halftime.

Air Force took advantage of two short punts into a stiff wind by UNLV's Gary Cook to forge a 10-0 lead.

Cook's 23-yard punt gave Air Force possession at the UNLV 45. Boyea capped an 11-play drive with a 7-yard scoring run.

Late in the first quarter, Cook got off a 19-yarder that was downed at the UNLV 48. When Air Force's drive stalled, Brooks Walters kicked a 32-yard field goal.

Barely a minute later, UNLV countered with a touchdown on a four-play, 81-yard drive. Thomas hit a wide-open Michael Johnson on a 56-yard pass, and three plays later Thomas ran 2 yards for the TD.

After safety Chameion Sutton's interception near midfield, the Rebels went ahead with another touchdown. Haro ran for 16 yards, Thomas passed 12 yards to DeJhown Mandley and Haro dived the final yard for a 13-10 lead with 7:41 left in the half. The extra point failed when holder Toby Smeltzer couldn't handle the snap and was tackled for a loss.

Late in the half, Thomas fumbled a snap but picked up the ball and ran for a 23-yard gain, but that scoring threat ended on a fumble. Each team threw interceptions as the half concluded.

UNLV outgained Air Force 208-84 in the second quarter and 272-174 in the half.

After the defensive scores by Kevin Thomas and Parkhurst, Haro capped the scoring with an 8-yard run early in the final period.