UNLV runs over Idaho

MOSCOW — Lexington Thomas had a career-high 190 yards rushing and three touchdowns, Armani Rogers and Devonte Boyd had the longest pass play in school history and UNLV bounced back from one of the biggest upsets in college history with a 44-16 win over Idaho on Saturday before 10,156 at the Kibbie Dome.

Thomas helped the Rebels (1-1), who lost 43-40 to 45-point underdog Howard at home last weekend, take control with touchdown runs of 60, 1 and 62 yards in the third quarter for a 34-10 lead.

After an Idaho (1-1) touchdown, Armani hit Rogers for a 94-yard catch and run, a Rebel record by seven yards.

“It was not a good night,” Idaho coach Paul Petrino said. “It was not something I expected at all. It started out with a third and short, got a call that you think is going to be there and it’s there. Then you move on and they really just ran the ball down our throat.

“I talked all week that it was probably going to be the team that ran the ball the best and stopped the run. Defensively we weren’t tough enough today. They just ran it down our throat. Offensively we’ve got to make the play when the play is there.”

Rogers was 10 of 16 passing for 193 yards and had his first career rushing touchdown in the first half when the Rebels took a 10-3 lead. Boyd had two catches for 103 yards, giving him a school record 13 100-yard games and 2,838 career yards, second in program history.

Matt Linehan was 22 of 34 for 261 yards and a touchdown for Idaho, which had its six-game winning streak snapped. Jacob Sannon caught 11 passes for 109 yards, both career highs.

“It was a nice wake-up call,” Idaho junior linebacker Kaden Elliss said. “We have to bounce back and to do that we have to work. That’s how we got good in the first place. It wasn’t like we were bringing in a bunch of top recruits or being flashier than everybody. It’s grinding and believing that every game it’s going to be a fight, and fighting and winnind in the end.”

Redshirt freshman kicker Cade Coffey (Lakeland High) made his first career field goal. Coffey connected on a 40-yard attempt in the second quarter, the first attempt of his career. He was 2 of 3 on PATs.