Print edition: 
MANHATTAN — As Daniel Thomas broke away from the pack and barreled toward the end zone near the conclusion of Saturday's 31-22 victory over UCLA at Snyder Family Stadium, Kansas State football players got their swagger back.
Not only did the late touchdown run clinch an opening-day win for the Wildcats, it meant they finally finished a game strong.
A year ago, falling flat in their final two games prevented them from winning a Big 12 North title. Struggling to make that extra play in the fourth quarter cost them a chance at a bowl trip.
Those failures ate at them all offseason. Saturday, they felt vindicated.
"We wanted to come out and finish," Thomas said. "We've been labeled as a team that can't finish games. Coach (Bill) Snyder told us we need to go out and make a statement. We did that."
No one made a louder statement than Thomas. The senior running back accepted his workhorse role head-on and carried the ball 28 times for a career-high 234 yards and two touchdowns.
He did most of his damage after taking handoffs, but he also ran and had the option to pass out of the Wildcat Formation.
"I thought he did quite well," Snyder said of Thomas.
When the game was over, Thomas said he felt healthy. He thought he could have handled a heavier workload. His whole family was in town to watch him play for the first time since high school, and he was motivated to play well in front of them.
"I want to prove something every game," Thomas said, "and just show that I can play good every game, and that last year wasn't a fluke."
If anyone had doubts about Thomas, they don't today.
UCLA took a 10-7 lead into the second half, and the Wildcats only led the Bruins 17-16 with 6 minutes, 28 seconds left in the game. Both offenses were struggling to get more than field goals, but Thomas started an offensive surge with a 27-yard run from the Wildcats’ 20.
UCLA hit Thomas late after the run and gave K-State an extra 15 yards. Then backup running back William Powell — who showed he can be a fantastic change of pace by rushing for 72 yards and a touchdown on six carries — moved the Wildcats into the red zone.
"We have a stable of running backs," said wide receiver Tramaine Thompson. "I'm confident in every one of them. They can get in there and make big plays in any situation."
Struggling quarterback Carson Coffman, who fought off intense leg cramps to complete 11 of 16 passes for 66 yards, finished off the drive by tossing his only touchdown of the game from five yards out to Brodrick Smith with 2:03 remaining in front of a sellout crowd of 51,059.
But the game was far from over. Fourty-four seconds later, UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince connected with Ricky Marvray for a touchdown that made the score 24-22.
The ensuing two-point conversion was unsuccessful, but a few tight moments remained. K-State still needed to recover an onside kick and run out the clock in order to win. The Wildcats handled the bouncing kick with ease, and some headed for the exits.
Those who stayed saw Thomas' encore. Snyder gave the ball to him three more times. On his final carry, Thomas powered through defenders and cut to the right for a 35-yard touchdown run.
How's that for finishing strong?
"Last year and the years before I don't think we had that finishing attitude," Coffman said. "We got that back today."
