In a battle between two 1-6 teams, the Wyoming Cowboys fell short against Utah State, 27-25, as the Aggies sealed their victory with a game-winning field goal as time expired, leaving the Pokes with a 1-7 record. Here’s how the action unfolded in this back-and-forth contest.
First Quarter: Utah State Strikes First
Utah State started fast, marching down the field with ease on their opening possession. Quarterback Spencer Petras connected with Otto Tia for a 36-yard touchdown, capping a 7-play, 75-yard drive. Just 2:33 into the game, Utah State took a 7-0 lead.
Wyoming struggled offensively early on. WR Alex Brown limped off the field with an apparent injury, and QB Evan Svoboda was unable to get much going. The Cowboys punted after their first drive, drawing boos from the crowd as frustrations grew.
Wyoming’s defense, however, responded, with DeVonne Harris recording a key sack and Shae Suiaunoa tipping a pass to force a Utah State punt. Wyoming capitalized on their next possession, as kicker John Hoyland hit a 43-yard field goal to close the gap. With 5:19 left in the first quarter, Utah State led 7-3.
Second Quarter: Anderson Sparks Wyoming
Wyoming made a quarterback switch as Kaden Anderson took over and injected life into the offense. He led a methodical drive, highlighted by a 20-yard pass to Chris Durr Jr. and capped off with an 11-yard touchdown run by RB Sam Scott. The Cowboys took their first lead, 10-7, with 11:19 remaining in the second quarter.
Utah State responded with a long drive of their own. A pass interference call against Wyoming’s Tyrecus Davis kept the Aggies alive, but the Cowboys' defense, led by CB Keany Parks, held strong on fourth down. Utah State settled for a field goal, tying the game at 10-10.
Late in the second quarter, Svoboda re-entered the game but threw a costly interception that immediately led to a Utah State touchdown. The Aggies capitalized with a quick 36-yard pass, followed by a rushing touchdown to take a 17-10 lead into halftime.
Third Quarter: Wyoming Rallies Back
Wyoming emerged from halftime with renewed energy. Kaden Anderson, back at quarterback, led another scoring drive, and John Hoyland added a 27-yard field goal, cutting the deficit to 17-13. The Wyoming defense kept the pressure on Utah State, with Tyrecus Davis and Shae Suiaunoa making key stops to force punts throughout the third quarter.
Anderson continued to make key plays, connecting with Clay Nanke for a 32-yard pass and later finding Chris Durr Jr. for a 14-yard gain. TK King followed up with a powerful 12-yard run, putting the Cowboys in scoring position. However, Svoboda’s return to the field resulted in frustration for fans, as he failed to move the ball effectively. After another stalled drive, Hoyland came through again with a 23-yard field goal. Wyoming trailed 17-16 with just over three minutes left in the third quarter.
Fourth Quarter: Fumble and Stumble
The fourth quarter began with a bang as TK King broke free for a 54-yard touchdown run, electrifying the Wyoming sideline and putting the Cowboys ahead, 22-17. Wyoming attempted a two-point conversion, but it was unsuccessful.
The Aggies responded quickly with a 75-yard drive in just five plays, reclaiming the lead, 24-22, with 11:58 remaining.
Wyoming's offense continued to fight. Anderson found WR Justin Stevenson for a 15-yard pass and Chris Durr Jr. for another gain, moving the ball downfield. But with 8:21 left in the fourth quarter, disaster struck. After a 20-yard rush, TK King took a brutal hit to the head and fumbled the ball. Utah State recovered, seizing a critical momentum swing.
Wyoming’s defense held strong, preventing the Aggies from extending their lead. Wyoming regained possession, and John Hoyland delivered again, nailing a 31-yard field goal to put the Cowboys back on top, 25-24, with 1:57 left in the game.
Final Moments: Utah State's Game-Winner
Utah State's final drive was tense, including a critical penalty against Wyoming and a pair of timeouts. The Aggies methodically drove down the field, setting up a game-winning field goal as time expired. The kick sailed through the uprights, giving Utah State the 27-25 victory in a heart-stopping finish.
Final Score: Utah State 27, Wyoming 25.
Sawvel Said It
Frustrated, Sawvel didn't hold back in his press conference following the last-second defeat.
"Right now, I'd say I'm a horse**** head coach and I think we've had some horse**** officiating, so there you go."
On Sunday afternoon, the MWC issued a public reprimand regarding Sawvel's comment:
Offensive Comparison:
Total Yards: Wyoming outgained Utah State with 470 total yards compared to Utah State’s 378 yards, showcasing Wyoming’s stronger offensive performance, especially in the run game.
Rushing Dominance: Wyoming had a significant edge in rushing, posting 276 yards on the ground, averaging 6.6 yards per rush compared to Utah State’s 148 yards at 4.9 yards per rush. Wyoming’s ability to consistently generate rushing yards played a crucial role in their offensive success.
Passing Game: Utah State outperformed Wyoming in the passing game, recording 230 yards with a 63% completion rate (26 of 41), including 2 passing touchdowns. Wyoming, while less effective through the air with 194 passing yards and no touchdowns, had a higher average per completion at 11.4 yards.
First Downs: Wyoming held a slight edge in total first downs with 26 compared to Utah State’s 23, although Utah State had more success through the air, gaining 11 passing first downs versus Wyoming’s 10.
Third Downs: A significant issue for Utah State was their struggle on third downs, converting just 3 of 13 attempts (23%), while Wyoming converted 8 of 16 (50%), allowing them to control the game flow better.
Red Zone Efficiency:
Wyoming was efficient in the red zone, going 4 for 4 and scoring 16 points, although only securing 1 rushing touchdown and relying heavily on 3 field goals. Utah State, meanwhile, was 3 for 3 in the red zone, scoring 17 points with 1 rushing and 1 passing touchdown.
Possession and Turnovers:
Possession Time: Wyoming dominated possession with 34:50 compared to Utah State’s 25:10, allowing them to dictate the pace of the game and wear down Utah State's defense.
Turnovers: Wyoming lost the turnover battle, giving up 1 fumble and 1 interception, but Utah State couldn’t fully capitalize, scoring only 7 points off turnovers.
Special Teams:
Field Goals: Wyoming relied heavily on their kicker, going 4 for 4 on field goals, while Utah State capitalized on both of their field goal attempts, going 2 for 2.
Punting: Both teams were evenly matched in the punting game, with Wyoming averaging 43 yards per punt and Utah State averaging 42.8 yards.
Defensive Performance:
Tackles: Wyoming slightly edged Utah State in total tackles, 67 to 64, though Utah State had more solo tackles with 46 compared to Wyoming’s 43.
Sacks and Pressures: Wyoming registered only 1 sack for a loss of 2 yards, while Utah State’s defense had 2 sacks for 12 yards, providing more pressure on Wyoming’s quarterback.
Turnovers: Utah State’s defense came up big with 1 fumble recovery and 1 interception, while Wyoming didn’t force any turnovers.
More Statistics:
Passing Game
Quarterbacks Performance:
Kaden Anderson had a solid outing, completing 15 of 24 passes for 182 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. His completion percentage of 63% and a passer rating of 126.2 indicate he was efficient and effective in moving the ball.
Evan Svoboda struggled, completing only 2 of 7 passes for 12 yards with one interception, resulting in a low rating of 14.4. This indicates that the passing game had moments of effectiveness but also challenges, particularly when Svoboda was in the game.
Overall Passing Stats:
As a team, Wyoming finished with 194 passing yards on 17 completions (55% completion rate) but didn’t score through the air, which limited their offensive explosiveness.
Receiving Corps
Top Performers:
Chris Durr Jr. led the team with nine receptions for 83 yards, showcasing his reliability as a target and ability to convert passes into substantial yardage.
TK King contributed with four catches for 52 yards, further aiding the offense.
The remaining receivers had limited impact, with the highest single reception being 32 yards by Clay Nanke.
Overall Reception Statistics:
Wyoming had 17 receptions for 194 yards, averaging 11.4 yards per catch. They effectively utilized short to intermediate passes but struggled to find the end zone through the air.
Rushing Game
Rushing Efficiency:
The ground game was a significant strength, accumulating 276 rushing yards on 42 attempts, averaging 6.6 yards per carry.
Sam Scott was the standout rusher, gaining 115 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown, while TK King added 77 yards and a touchdown on just five carries, including a long run of 54 yards.
Balanced Rushing Attack:
The contributions from multiple players, including Anderson and Ferrell, highlight a diverse rushing strategy, which was crucial for keeping the defense off balance.
Special Teams
Field Goals:
John Hoyland was perfect on field goals, going 4 for 4 with a long of 43 yards. This reliability in the kicking game was vital, particularly in a close contest.
Punting:
Jack Culbreath averaged 43 yards per punt.
Defense
Defensive Performance:
The defense made a total of 67 tackles, with several players contributing significantly, such as Connor Shay, Tyce Westland, Shae Suiaunoa, and Wyett Ekeler, each with eight tackles.
Wyoming recorded one sack and four tackles for loss, indicating some disruption in the opponent's offensive backfield.
Secondary Performance:
No interceptions were recorded, but they did manage to defend four passes, which contributed to their ability to limit the opponent’s passing game.
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