LARAMIE, Wyo. — In one of Wyoming’s best defensive efforts all season, the Cowboys held a close game against the nationally ranked 12th-ranked Boise State Broncos before losing by just four points. Heisman hopeful Ashton Jeanty rushed for 169 yards and Cowboys quarterback Kaden Anderson was out with a concussion in the first half.
Although Wyoming fans may be disappointed to lose by narrow margins in their team’s final home game of the season, Wyoming head football coach Jay Sawvel said overall he was very proud of his players’ performance and that he was satisfied with the refereeing of the match, something he has spoken out against in the past.
“I just thought it was a really good football game tonight,” Sawvel said. “We need to do better and I feel for our fans, but we are a better team than our record. We just need to finish these things.
Although Wyoming was plagued by injuries, particularly on the defensive side of the ball where the team was missing three starters, Wyoming continued to put pressure on the Broncos in third down situations and limit their options offensive. Tonight, Boise State was 1-10 on third down conversions, while the Cowboys were 4-14.
Offensively, Wyoming ran an excellent offense led by Jeanty and Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen. The Cowboys fell 69 yards short of matching Boise State’s rushing yardage pace – although the Cowboys had seven more carries – against the best rusher in all of college football.
Jeanty ran for 169 total yards on 19 carries, which would make tonight his fifth-lowest rushing yards game this season.
Anderson was 9-14 passing and threw for 116 yards. Madsen, meanwhile, threw for 168 yards. However, Wyoming’s biggest explosive pass of the night was thrown by backup quarterback and now tight end Evan Svoboda, who threw a 63-yard pass to wide receiver Justin Stevenson.
Svoboda played tight end last week against CSU and was expected to remain there for the game against Boise State, although he remains a backup for Anderson. He was subbed in place of Anderson when the starter suffered a concussion late in the first half.
According to Svoboda in a post-match press conference, Anderson looks good.
In the same press conference, Svoboda evaluated his performance and said that he had to prepare to play the role of quarterback and that, when it was his turn to show up, he did not bring everything he thought I could have.
“We have to achieve achievements, and that’s up to me.” I have to give my playmakers a chance, but we just left a little bit on the table,” Svoboda said. “We have to capitalize on every opportunity in a game like this.”
On the game’s final possession with 14 seconds left on first down, Svoboda had four opportunities to pass the ball downfield and each time the pass was incomplete. Yet Wyoming kept the score within one touchdown the entire game.
How could a team plagued by injuries during one of its worst seasons in recent memory – since 2015 – come through tonight and maintain such a close game against one of the best teams in the country? Sawvel said in his postgame press conference that the Cowboys had developed a four-pronged battle plan for the game.
“In the beginning, we had to be productive in attack and scoring, but, within that, we had to control and exploit the clock. We did it really well for a lot of it. The second thing was we had to stop by any means possible,” Sawvel said. “Third thing: We couldn’t allow any explosive plays in any phase – whether it was special teams, a turnover or a big touchdown – and we allowed a big touchdown on the play.”
That big touchdown was a 61-yard first-quarter touchdown at the hands of Jeanty.
Continuing, Sawvel said the Cowboys also had to stay attached and put pressure on the Broncos over the course of four quarters. In Sawvel’s opinion, his team did everything right in addition to allowing Jeanty this big moment.
Tonight was also senior night at War Memorial Stadium and Sawvel said he was proud of his seniors and thought they demonstrated their talent well in their final appearance on this hallowed field despite the injuries that hit the whole team.
“I thought our seniors came out tonight and did a really good job. On some of these guys, they’ve been hitting 75% for a while,” Sawvel said. “In fact, some of them are healthier now than they were earlier in the year. I am proud of the efforts they made.
This is also likely the last time at war for the Boise State Broncos as a team, as they are not expected to face the Cowboys in Laramie before moving on to the Pac-12. The Broncos also just secured their spot in the Mountain West Conference Championship.
On that note, Sawvel said he only wants the best for the Broncs going forward.
“We give Boise State credit. They have a great football team and a great football program,” Sawvel said. “I wish their entire organization the best for the future and hope they can represent the Mountain West well in the playoffs, which means they have to win a few more games. We will encourage them to do so.
Wyoming is now 1-16 against Boise State since 2006. That singular victory came in 2016 with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen at the helm. That means the Broncos have won the last eight meetings between the teams since. Now they turn their attention to the Pac-12, but not before playing another regular season game against Oregon State and then heading to the College Football Playoff.
Wyoming will travel to Pullman next week to take on Washinton State, another nationally ranked team, for its final game of the season. For more information on University of Wyoming football, visit UW Athletics Webpage.
