Denton, Texas ? Jamario Thomas ran for 200 yards for an NCAA freshman-record-tying fourth time and set an NCAA record for most yards by a freshman in his first seven games in North Texas’ 45-30 victory over Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday night.

Thomas, who entered the game as the nation’s leading rusher at 166.2 yards a game, ran for 218 yards — his third straight 200-yard game — and scored three TDs to help the Mean Green win their 22nd consecutive conference game.

The North Texas star matched Herschel Walker of Georgia and Ron Dayne of Wisconsin with four 200-yard games as a freshman.

Thomas passed 1,000 yards with a 10-yard run on the game’s first play from scrimmage, making him the fourth freshman to reach the mark in seven games. His seven-game total of 1,215 is the best ever, surpassing Marshall Faulk’s 1,157 in 1991 at San Diego State.

Thomas hit the 1,000-yard mark just a week after Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson accomplished the feat. Faulk and Emmitt Smith are the only other freshmen to do it. Smith did it for Florida in 1987.