Sept 6, 2003

Final Stats

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - Bill Whittemore threw for three touchdowns and ran for another and Johnny Beck kicked four field goals for Kansas, which scored 33 straight points in a 46-24 victory over UNLV on Saturday night.

Gabe Toomey scored on a 27-yard interception return in a 23-point third quarter for Kansas (1-1), which trailed 17-13 with 1:15 left in the first half following Larry Croom's 3-yard TD run.

But Beck, who tied his career high with the four field goals, made it 17-16 with a 37-yarder with 13 seconds to go in the half.

It was the Jayhawks' third victory in Mark Mangino's 14 games as head coach.

Whittemore, a senior who did not play well in a 28-20 loss to Northwestern last week, threw for 270 yards and ran for 65. Clark Green had 117 yards on 19 carries for the Jayhawks, who rushed for only 69 yards last year in a 31-20 loss to the Rebels but had 276 yards on the ground in the rematch.

After Beck's 29-yarder put the Jayhawks on top 19-17 with 11:35 left in the third quarter, Remuise Johnson intercepted a pass by Kurt Nantkes on the Kansas 3 and Whittemore engineered a 10-play, 97-yard drive capped by his 12-yard TD pass to Brandon Rideau.

A few minutes later, Whittemore hit Mark Simmons on a 39-yard score. Then Toomey, a sophomore linebacker, returned an interception for a touchdown to put Kansas ahead 39-17.

On Kansas' first drive of the fourth quarter, John Randle reeled off a 31-yard run to the 11, then on third-and-goal from the 1, Whittemore bulled into the end zone.

Dyante Perkins' 2-yard run with 4:05 left closed out the scoring for the Rebels (1-1).

Larry Croom had 126 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries in the first half for UNLV (1-1), but only 2 yards on one carry in the second half. Nantkes was 17-of-30 for 177 yards.

By DOUG TUCKER
AP Sports Writer