2005 Week 6

LARAMIE, Wyoming - One look at any Cowboy fan will tell you exactly how bad this one hurt. Wyoming got phenomenal individual performances from all the big names on offense, and overcame countless bad breaks to cling to a narrow 31-28 lead over Nevada as time wound down in the fourth quarter, but finally broke when Nevada caught their second tipped pass for a touchdown with only 30 seconds remaining on the clock.

"Some games the ball bounces your way, and some games it doesn't," head coach Joe Glenn reflected after the game.

"This was just one of those games where it didn't."

If ever Glenn could be accused of an understatement, this is it. Try as they might, Wyoming simply could not catch a break. How bad was it? There were enough dropped passes to last a season, many more than the three documented on the official stat sheet. Nevada caught two tipped balls for touchdowns, including the game winner. Observers swore afterwards that the ball defied the laws of physics, actually passing through the outstretched hand of cornerback Drew Gaines. One score came on a play where both the corner and the safety fell down.

"What are the chances of that, that both guys would slip on the same play?" Glenn mused. "That was pretty much our story for the day."

The laundry list of bad breaks goes on. The Cowboys fumbled four times, losing two. Most costly was the short-lived possession in which cornerback Cedric Wilson, starting in the place of injured freshman Andre Kirkpatrick, fumbled the ball away at the 12 yard line on a kickoff return. The turnover led to Nevada's fourth score. Tailback Terrence Billings appeared to convert on third and three with 1:02 left in the game, but was spotted a half-yard short. Sitting at their own 29 yard line, Wyoming chose to punt. The Cowboys looked as though they were going to hold, but no less than three possible interceptions were dropped on Nevada's final possession.

"We kept battling back, and I was sure we were going to hold on to win, but it just wasn't meant to be. I'm hopeful the team responds to this adversity with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. I think we can."

Wyoming has two weeks to rebound, with a bye next week before BYU visits October 15th.