COLLEGE FOOTBALL : PCAA Roundup : UNLV Runs Past CS Long Beach, 30-17

Time after time, Nevada Las Vegas gave the ball to Elbert (Ickey) Woods, much to Cal State Long Beach’s regret Saturday night at Las Vegas.

Woods ran for 200 yards in a school-record 37 carries to lead the Rebels to a 30-17 victory in a Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. game at the Silver Bowl.

The defeat dropped Long Beach’s record to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in conference play. The Rebels improved to 3-5 and 2-3.

The 49ers led only once--at 3-0 after their opening drive of the game.

Woods, a senior from Fresno, has 999 yards this season.

Running exclusively, the Rebels broke a 3-3 tie early in the second quarter. Woods ran five times to get Las Vegas from its 46-yard line to the Long Beach 7, from where Darrin Brightmon scored.

After a Long Beach fumble, the Rebels threatened to extend their lead to two touchdowns, but Tommy Jackson lost a fumble on the 49er two.

Late in the half, Long Beach began pecking at the lead. With 1:08 left, safety Lane McCarthy blocked a punt through the Las Vegas end zone for a safety that cut the deficit to 10-5.

Then a 24-yard pass from Jeff Graham to Brian Browning and a 7-yard run by Browning set up a 27-yard field goal by Dave VanSteenkiste as time ran out.

But Las Vegas kept the ball most of the third quarter. A 41-yard field goal by Jim Cook extended the Rebels’ lead to 13-8.

VanSteenkiste came back with a 51-yarder to make it 13-11, but the Rebels followed with a 76-yard drive that ended with Woods going into the end zone from a yard out on the first play of the fourth quarter.

That was Woods’ 193rd yard in 32 carries.

Long Beach offered little in the way of a fourth-quarter comeback. Ricco Wilson lost a fumble, VanSteenkiste’s field goal attempt was blocked and Wilson couldn’t make a first down on a fourth-and-one on his 45.

Jackson immediately followed Wilson’s fumble with a 45-yard touchdown run with 6:59 left that sealed the 49er defeat.

Cook added a 46-yard field goal before the 49ers finally scored in the last seconds on a 7-yard pass from Graham to Wilson.