Rebels fall to Colorado State, 43-10

4901518-1-4

4901518-1-4

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Pete Thomas threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns as Colorado State ended a 10-game conference losing streak with a 43-10 victory over UNLV today.

Thomas was 10 for 14 passing without an interception for Colorado State (2-5, 1-2 Mountain West). Leonard Mason ran for 121 yards and a score as the Rams beat a conference foe for the first time since beating Wyoming on Nov. 22, 2008.

Rams nose guard Guy Miller broke a school record with 4½ sacks.

Thomas completed his first seven passes and threw three touchdown passes and 219 yards as Colorado State built a 34-10 lead at halftime.

Deante’ Purvis ran for 85 yards as UNLV (1-6, 1-2) lost its third straight. Omar Clayton was 15-of-23 for 114 yards through the air and was sacked six times.

The Rams scored touchdowns on their first two possessions, the first on a 3-yard run by Mason after Ricky Brewer recovered a fumble and then on a 14-yard pass to Eric Peitz.

Nolan Kohorst kicked a 47-yard field goal for UNLV between the two scores.

Thomas connected with Lou Greenwood in stride for a 73-yard scoring pass. The Rebels answered with a 73-yard scoring drive capped by a 3-yard TD run by Tim Cornett to make it 21-10.

Colorado State tacked on two more scores in the final 2:23 of the half, Derek Good’s 74-yard kickoff set up a 9-yard run by John Mosure and Peitz caught a 29-yard toss from Thomas after UNLV was stopped on a fake punt at its own 29.

UNLV’s defense slowed down the Rams offense in the second half. The Rebels allowed field goals of 19, 23 and 36 yards by Ben DeLine over the final two quarters.

UNLV lost for the fourth straight time and for the seventh time in the last eight games played in Fort Collins. The only win came on Nov. 30, 2002 in that span.

UNLV has an open week before returning to the field Oct. 30 against Texas Christian at Sam Boyd Stadium.