Sept. 7, 2002

Final Stats

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Quarterback Jason Thomas ran for two touchdowns and threw for another to lead UNLV past Kansas 31-20 Saturday night.

UNLV lost its first game of the season, 27-7 to Wisconsin, when a power failure stopped the game with 7:41 left in the fourth quarter. There were no such problems at Sam Boyd Stadium this week.

Thomas completed 12 of 23 passes for 144 yards and ran for 74 to lead the Rebels (1-1).

Thomas' second rushing touchdown, a 19-yard run down the left side with :44 seconds left in the third quarter, gave UNLV a 24-10 lead.

Thomas threw a 2-yard TD pass to Steven Costa early in the fourth quarter to make it 31-10.

Bill Whittemore was 22-for-42 for 225 yards and one touchdown for Kansas (0-2). Whittemore also ran for a 2-yard score.

Joe Haro ran for 105 yards for the Rebels, including an 8-yard TD run that opened the scoring midway through the first quarter.

The Rebels added a second-quarter touchdown when Thomas ran in from 6 yards out.

Whittemore's touchdown run and a late 30-yard field goal by Johnny Beck cut UNLV's lead to 14-10 at halftime.

Dillon Pieffer kicked a 44-yard field goal for the Rebels in the third quarter.

Kansas hasn't won a non-conference road game since 1998, when the Jayhawks defeated Alabama-Birmingham 39-37 in four overtimes.