This was pretty much the best way the Cowboys could’ve started the season. Wyoming came out and ran the ball on offense. On defense, they dominated. For what looked to be a difficult road-game to start the season versus a team coming off of a bowl win in 2017, this game turned out to be much easier than pretty much anyone expected.
After a couple of punts from both sides to start the game, Wyoming took the ball on their second possession of the game and went down the field for a score that was capped by a 24 yard TD run by Nico Evans. After the ensuing kickoff resulted in New Mexico State being pinned deep, Wyoming recorded a safety on the second play of that drive to take a 9-0 lead.
In a dominant defensive performance, @carlgranderson7 set the tone with this two-yard TFL for a safety #CowboyTough #SafetyDance pic.twitter.com/hkhAh0iqY7
— Wyoming Cowboy Football (@wyo_football) August 26, 2018
From that point on, New Mexico State was never within a score. Wyoming would come up with field goals on their next two drives, and the Wyoming defense would allow New Mexico State only one first down in the first half.
Coming out in the second half, Wyoming was up 15-0, so Wyoming continued to lean on the running game to move the ball and eat up the clock. On the Cowboy’s second possession of the 2nd half, Nico Evans took the first snap 56 yards to the end zone to extend the Wyoming lead.
.@NextUp_Nico rushed for 204 yards and a pair of scores, including this career-long 56 yard touchdown!#BuildingSomethingSpecial #OneWyoming #GoWyo pic.twitter.com/V4lRZV5OSp
— Wyoming Cowboy Football (@wyo_football) August 26, 2018
From there, the game was never in doubt. Wyoming would score again in the 4th quarter on a 23 yard TD run by Jevon Bigelow. Wyoming would give up the shutout with 1:16 remaining in the game when Matt Romero hit Drew Dan for a 31 yard TD pass. However, that came against a second-string defense as Wyoming had called off the dogs. Wyoming ran out the clock to end it with a final of 29 to 7.
I have two big takeaways from this game. First, the Wyoming defense looks to be starting back up where they left off last season. Second, the Cowboy running game appears to be back after struggling all of 2017. Over 300 yards rushing and 3 TD’s in this game. Nico Evans is a red-shirt senior who had 108 yards rushing in his career prior to this game. In Las Cruces, Evans ran for over 200 yards and his first, two, rushing TD’s as the starting RB. He’s now a name to pay attention to for the rest of the Wyoming season.