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If you didn’t stay up to notice this game ended, you’re probably not alone.
The final score came in at midnight: Wyoming 52, Utah State 28.
Wyoming opened up the game by rattling off three touchdowns of four drives, of of which came on a 56 yard run by Brian Hill. Two of the scoring drives lasted a total of seven plays.
Utah State would get on the board on a nine play, 75 yard drive capped by a one yard run by backup quarterback Damion Hobbs, who came in for the injured Devante Mays.
Wyoming would answer with two more touchdowns of its own and take a 35-7 lead going into halftime.
Utah State caught Coach Bohl’s defense sleeping at the beginning of the third quarter, scoring three consecutive times to come within a touchdown.
Josh Allen didn’t like that very much.
On Wyoming’s next drive, Allen singlehandedly took the Cowboys 75 yards to the house on a 38 yard scramble and a 37 yard pass to Jacob Hollister for the touchdown.
The Cowboys played the rest of the game on cruise control, capitalizing on a Utah State missed field goal, interception, and turnover-on-downs. Cooper Rothe and Hill would both score to bring the game well out of reach of Utah State.
The Cowboys’ defense could be best described in this game as dominant, yet sloppy. Tackling was one of the key issues for the defense. The pass defense was par for the course, allowing 303 yards to Utah State’s combination of Kent Meyers and Damien Hobbs (after Meyers, like so many Aggies before him in this game, went down with an injury).
But the most glaring problem the Cowboys had last night was special teams. Wyoming allowed Utah State to take kickoffs an average of nearly 28 yards. That’s unacceptable at any level.
Allen had himself one heck of a night, completing 16 passes for 261 yards and four touchdowns. His one interception was reminiscent of the Fail Mary from the stands, but if anyone who watched on ESPN is willing to weigh in on that, feel free.
Allen also added 66 yards and one touchdown on the ground.
Hill contributed two touchdowns of his own and 142 yards on 25 carries.
One thing that still confuses me, even after looking at the stats, is Utah State’s decision to go for it on three fourth downs. One of them was converted: a 4th-and-6. The two that weren’t? 4th-and-16 and 4th-and-14. I don’t get it.
The Cowboys showed us all last night that when they’re good, they’re really good. Tune in later this week when they take on the 3-6 (2-3) UNLV Rebels (who don’t seem to be runnin’ much these days).