2007 Week 5

TIMBLEDALE, SD - It took the Timbledale Thetas a full season to score points. This game, it took them two minutes. Not that it mattered.

The UNLV Rebels ran for 369 yards and 4 touchdowns as they defeated Timbledale, 48-21. Halfback Ronnie Smith rushed for 203 yards and 2 touchdowns, while wide receiver Renan Saint Preux took two option runs to the house, for a total of 113 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 2 carries.

The Thetas' defense did play quite well, despite these stats. They picked off impact quarterback Rocky Hinds three times, two of those interceptions by strong safety Andy Felder (the other by cornerback Sledge Hammer). Tom O'Brien had 7 tackles, and Horatio Estes had 4! But still, giving up 488 yards of total offense is no way to win a football game.

Timbledale had a very good offensive showing, however. Quarterback Bobby Lung completed 22 of 40 passes for 253 yards, with 1 touchdown and 1 interception, which was late in the game as the Thetas were throwing bombs trying to get back in it. Lung also rushed for 68 yards and 1 touchdown, with halfback Sly Rax gaining 56 yards on 20 carries, with 1 touchdown.

The Thetas took the lead early, with a 5 yard touchdown pass to seldom-used tight end Jason Johnson. But then Saint Preux had a 49 yard touchdown run for UNLV, followed by a 30 yard field goal as the Rebels took a 10-7 lead after the first quarter.

Timbledale regained the lead less than a minute into the second, with an 8 yard run by Bobby Lung. Sledge Hammer actually then returned a kickoff for a touchdown... which was then brought back to the 11 due to holding. Drat. That meant the Thetas led at halftime, 14-10.

But the UNLV offense exploded in the second half, with 21 unanswered points in the third quarter. Sly Rax tried to keep the Thetas in it with a 4 yard touchdown run at the start of the fourth, but the Rebels then scored another 17 points as they rolled to a 48-21 victory.