With Daniel Thomas carrying the ball, the difference in football is very thin.

The quick, rugged senior rushed for 235 yards and scored two touchdowns and Kansas State beat UCLA 31-22 Saturday before the biggest home-opening crowd in school history.

Altogether, the Wildcats rushed for 313 yards.

"I looked up at the scoreboard walking off the field, and I think that they had over 300 yards rushing," said UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel. "That's not UCLA football. That's not how we play, and it can't be how we play if we expect to have any kind of success."

Thomas had runs of 44 and 29 yards to set up two scores. After the Wildcats pounced on UCLA's onside kick, he broke through the line and galloped 35 yards into the end zone with 58 seconds left, clinching Kansas State's 21st consecutive home opening win.

"Coach (Bill) Snyder said we needed to go out and make a statement. And we did that," said Thomas, who transferred from junior college last year and led the Big 12 with 1,265 yards rushing.

Thomas scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter but the Wildcats trailed 10-7 at halftime and managed only nine yards of total offense in the second quarter. But they erupted for 272 yards in the second half.

Coach told us (at halftime) straight up the defense is doing their job but offense, we needed to pick it up," Thomas said. "I think we did a good job in the second half."

The crowd of 51,059 was treated to a thrilling finish that included three touchdowns in the final 123 seconds as Kansas State avenged a 23-9 loss last year at UCLA.

After Carson Coffman's 5-yard TD pass to Brodrick Smith put Kansas State ahead 24-16 with 2:03 left, Kevin Prince led the Bruins on a lightning-quick drive, hitting Cory Harkey for 35 yards and then connecting with Ricky Marvray on a 29-yard TD toss. There was 1:19 to play, and the Bruins elected to go for 2. But Prince's pass into the end zone fell incomplete and Kansas State's Travis Tannahill recovered the ensuing onside kick.

"We ran a jerk route where I run and sit in the middle and then came outside, and the defensive player just made a great play," said UCLA wide receiver Taylor Embree.

William Powell had 72 yards on just six carries for Kansas State, which erupted in the second half after managing only nine total yards in the entire second quarter. Coffman was 11 for 16 for just 66 yards and was sacked five times by a Bruin defense that had an answer for everything except Thomas. The preseason pick for offensive player of the year in the Big 12 also had two receptions, including one for 21 yards that set up the first touchdown.

"Wins are hard to come by," Snyder said. "I do not care if you are the coach, the quarterback or the water guy. They are hard to come by, and they are important and good for everyone involved."

On Kansas State's first drive, the Bruins held on fourth-and-goal from the 1, but an illegal participation penalty on UCLA gave Kansas State another shot and Thomas scored.

A 60-yard punt and a great open-field tackle pinned Kansas State deep in the second quarter and Coffman fumbled the snap. Akeem Ayers recovered for the Bruins, and on the next play, Prince faked left and bootlegged right, dashing untouched into the end zone.

UCLA's Kai Forbath, who struggled all week with a sore groin, kicked three field goals and ran his streak to 40 in a row from inside 50 yards. His 44-yarder put UCLA on top 10-7 near the end of the first half, and he added one from 35 and one from 42. The last one came with 6:28 to go and pulled UCLA to 17-16.

Thomas' tackle-breaking 44-yard run in the third quarter was followed by Powell's 28-yard touchdown run, giving Kansas State a 14-10 lead.

Kansas State's Josh Cherry had a 35-yard field goal near the end of the third quarter following Thomas' 29-yard burst. Thomas was the first from Kansas State to rush for more than 200 yards in six years.

Prince was 9 for 26 for 120 yards.

"Kansas State is a great team," said UCLA running back Johnathan Franklin. "They came very far from last year. I feel like they'll have a great season. They just wanted it more in the end, and they won the game."