Wyoming Cowboys

Cowboys Edge Ducks In Las Vegas

December 25, 2006

Game Report Posted: June 02, 2010 03:55  

LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Everything about the Las Vegas Bowl, at least this year, was big. Big game in a big city, big plays on both sides of the ball, and a big win for the Wyoming Cowboys, who came back from a 17 - 34 deficit to score 21 points in the fourth quarter, edging the Oregon Ducks 38 - 34 in front of over 39,000 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.

The Cowboys got big performances from the usual suspects, receiver Andre Kirkpatrick, who had 187 yards and three touchdowns on ten receptions, and middle linebacker David Boyer, who finished with eight tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble. The Cowboys also got a much-needed 119 yards on the ground from running back Johnny Connor.

Most importantly, however, they got an incredible game from redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Cochran, who played in place of the injured Kenneth Wingate. Cochran completed just over half his passes, but was spectacular with the long ball, gaining 364 yards on 19 completions, with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

"I told you a month ago that this kid would be fine," head coach Joe Glenn told reporters. "Obviously, he was better than fine today; Ryan did a great job proving he is capable of competing at this level."

Tied 14 - 14 after one quarter, Oregon outscored the Cowboys 17 - 3 in the second and third periods to take a 31 - 17 lead heading into the fourth. Aided by consecutive defensive stops, the Cowboys came storming back to score three unanswered touchdowns, and time expired before he Ducks had a chance to score again.

"This is a great win for this program," Glenn exulted after the game. "As good as Louisville is, to beat a power program like Oregon, even in an off year, is a testament to how far this program has come in just a few short years. It should do wonders for our recruiting efforts."

The win gives the Cowboys a school record 11 wins on the season, and momentum heading into the off-season. If there were any doubts about the sustainability of what Glenn has built at Wyoming, they were answered emphatically with this win.

Wingate Lost For Season In Win

November 25, 2006

Game Report Posted: June 02, 2010 03:31  

LAS VEGAS, Nevada - Wyoming quarterback Kenneth Wingate played only one series in the second half, but it proved to be one series too many, as he suffered a season-ending broken wrist after an awkward fall on what appeared to be a late hit by the defense, though no penalty flag was thrown.

Head coach Joe Glenn was understandably upset after the game, despite holding on to win the game. "I wish I knew what that official was looking at on that play. It was so clearly a late hit, I can't imagine why the flag wasn't thrown. To make things worse, it came from the blind side, so Ken had no chance of bracing himself for the impact. The officials need to make that call."

After Wingate left the game, the Cowboys struggled on offense, and were shut out the remainder of the game. Wingate's replacement, Ryan Cochran completed just three of his seven passes, for 42 yards. Fortunately for Wyoming, Wingate had been on fire while in the game, and the defense stepped up to also shut out the Rebels, giving Wyoming a 35 - 14 victory to end the regular season.

In his one half or work, Wingate went an almost perfect 11 of 12, for 299 yards and an incredible four touchdowns. His quarterback rating was an NCAA record 411.0.

As always, the defense was led by linebackers David Boyer and Earl Walton, and free safety Scott Potts, who combined for 15 tackles. Walton also forced a fumble, which was recovered by fellow linebacker OJ Landrum.

After the game, Wingate spoke to reporters about his injury, and his confidence in Cochran.

"Obviously, I'm frustrated. This is the second time this year I've missed time with an injury, and its worse to have to miss the bowl game. But at the same time, its all part of the game, and I also realize I'm lucky not to have been more seriously injured. It just gives me that much more incentive to work hard this winter and spring and come back even stronger next year. Plus, Ryan is a great quarterback, and he is very capable of leading this team."

Glenn echoed Wingate's sentiment. "As a coaching staff, we have an entire month to prepare for our bowl game, and Ryan has just as long to practice as the starting quarterback. I am supremely confident not only in our ability to implement a game plan that will give this team the best possible chance against whomever our opponent is, but in Ryan's ability to carry out that plan."

The Cowboys finish the regular season 10 - 2, tied for first in the Mountain West conference with rival Colorado State at 6 - 1. Because the Rams beat Wyoming during the regular season, they receive the conference bid to play in the Liberty Bowl. The Cowboys will return to Las Vegas on December 25th to face the 5th place team from the PAC-10. Their likely opponent is the University of Oregon, though an official announcement will be made sometime next week.

Cowboys Win Another Shootout

November 18, 2006

Game Report Posted: June 02, 2010 02:55  

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico - Led by junior quarterback Kenneth Wingate and halfbacks Johnny Connor and Terrence Billings, the Cowboys snuck past the New Mexico Lobos 52 - 46, in a wild game in which neither defense seemed able to do anything to slow the opposing offense.

In a surprisingly balanced game for both sides, the two teams combined for over 1,000 yards of total offense, both starting quarterbacks threw for more than 300 yards and both sides carried the ball early and often, for roughly 200 yards each. Wyoming managed a slight edge over Lobos in all three areas, finishing with 555 yards of total offense, 342 passing and 213 on the ground. It all added up to a five minute advantage in time of possession, though the difference in the game was probably turnovers, as the Lobo committed four to the Cowboys' two.

Not surprisingly, it was outside linebacker Earl Walton leading the way on defense, finishing with a game high eleven tackles and an interception. He also forced two fumbles, both of which were recovered by the Cowboys. The performance earned him both Player of the Game and conference Player of the Week honors.

"Earl played like a man possessed today," head coach Joe Glenn said. "He was all over the field, and it seemed like he was in on every stop. When they ran the ball, he was there to make the tackle, and when they sent a tight end on a passing route, he was there to knock the ball away. He and (MLB David) Boyer simply would not allow us to lose this game."

The win pushes the Cowboys' record to 9 - 2 on the year, good enough for a tie for first place in the conference with Colorado State, who beat Wyoming earlier in the year. The Cowboys finish the regular season next week at UNLV.

Cowboys Rush to Win

November 11, 2006

Game Report Posted: May 31, 2010 07:34  

LARAMIE, Wyoming - Last week was a bye week for the Cowboys, but head coach Joe Glenn declared victory for his team, as they nursed battered bodies and bruised egos, and prepared to face the Utah Utes.

"We really needed the week off," Glenn said. "Obviously losing Ken was the biggest thing, but we had a couple other guys who were banged up with the little stuff, and we just needed the time to recuperate and regroup."

The week off could not have come at a better time. Quarterback Kenneth Wingate was still out of game form after a mild concussion in the 21-34 loss to rival Colorado State on October 28th, and would have missed the game had it been played the first weekend in November. As it happened, the Cowboys had him back against the Utes, and though his passing numbers were relatively pedestrian, his presence and decision making skills led the Cowboys to a 30 - 21 win over Utah.

For the game, Wyoming attempted only 27 passes, but ran the ball 41 times. All three running backs on the Cowboys' roster had at least ten rushing attempts, and Wingate carried five times for 49 yards, including a 45 yard option keeper up the left side.

"A number of factors contributed to us running the ball most of the game," Glenn explained. "We didn't want to push Ken too hard his first game back, and we felt it was important for us to control the tempo of the game. We felt the best way to do that was on the ground. Plus, we were having some success, so there wasn't as much need to pass."

As a team, the Cowboys rushed for 174 yards, nine more than the 165 yards gained through the air.

The defense also played well, limiting the Utes to 94 yards on 25 carries, and forcing four interceptions. Starting cornerbacks Javon Jordan and CJ Rollins had one each, as did free safety Scott Potts and freshman linebacker Pat Huber.

The win pushes the Cowboys' record to 8 - 2 on the year, with two games remaining in the regular season. They play next week on the road at New Mexico.

Cowboys Lose Wingate, Game

October 28, 2006

Game Report Posted: May 31, 2010 07:23  

FORT COLLINS, Colorado - When Kenneth Wingate, the starting quarterback for Wyoming, left the game midway through the third quarter with a mild concussion, the Cowboys trailed 11th ranked Colorado State by only three points, 14 - 17. Without Wingate, Wyoming struggled for most of the rest of the afternoon to move the ball against heavy pressure from the Rams. The Cowboys did manage two good drives in the fourth quarter, but couldn't convert on the second, losing 21 - 34 Saturday.

Backup quarterback Ryan Cochran finished 9 of 18 for 115 yards and one touchdown, but also threw an interception in Colorado State territory late in the fourth quarter that cost the Cowboys a chance to win. The Cowboys had scored on their previous possession to make it 21 - 27, held the Rams, and were driving for a score with just over two minutes left on the clock.

The Cowboys had first and ten on the Rams' 38 yard line, and Glenn called a tight end crossing play out of the I-Formation. Expecting a run, the Rams brought both safeties up towards the line of scrimmage. Cochran, recognizing the single coverage on the outside, took the snap and lobbed the ball towards the left sideline for Andre Kirkpatrick. The ball was slightly underthrown, and the cornerback made a leaping interception at the 18 yard line, spun around, and sprinted 82 yards for a touchdown, pushing a six point Rams lead to thirteen, and all but sealing the win.

"What everyone has to remember," head coach Joe Glenn told reporters, "Is that this kid is still young. In high school, that would have been an easy touchdown, but the corner made a good play on the ball, and simply outran the whole team. It is always disappointing to lose a conference game, especially to your biggest rival, but this is an important learning experience for us, and we still have an opportunity to finish the season strong and get a good bowl bid. That is our goal the next three weeks."

The concussion will keep Wingate out of action for two weeks, but fortunately for Wyoming, the team has a bye before they host Utah.

"Ken took a pretty good shot to the helmet, really shook him up, Glenn said. "The doctors say they would have held him out next week if we had had a game, but fortunately, we get the week off. We won't know for sure until next then, but I'm guessing he'll be ready to start against the Utes."

With the loss, the Cowboys fall to 8 - 2 overall and 3 - 1 in the conference. The Cowboys' next game is November 11th, at home against Utah. It is the final home game of the year.

Wyoming Survives in Five Overtimes

October 21, 2006

Game Report Posted: May 31, 2010 07:04  

LARAMIE, Wyoming - The 31,267 who paid to see the Wyoming Cowboys take on the San Diego State Aztecs got their money's worth - and then some - Saturday, as the Cowboys kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired to send the game into overtime, and outscored the Aztecs 28 - 25 in the extra series to pull out a thrilling 45 - 42 victory in the longest game ever played in any NCAA Football Dynasty.

Neither offense was able to get into much of a rhythm, as each team scored on their first possession, then struggled to ten more points during the remainder of regulation.

The Cowboys were hurt offensively by a slow start by quarterback Kenneth Wingate and numerous dropped passes, but both Wingate and his receivers made plays when they needed them most. As time was winding down in the fourth quarter, Wingate converted a crucial fourth and two from their own 27 yard line to keep the game-tying drive alive. In that same drive, Johnson made the longest reception by any Cowboy on the afternoon, a 32 yard leaping catch down to the 36 yard line of San Diego State.

"I'm not quite sure why our offense struggled so much today," head coach Joe Glenn said after the game. "The Aztecs have a good defense, but it isn't anything we haven't seen before. My sense is that we just had an off game, but we'll know for sure next week. We certainly can't afford to miss passes like that against the Rams."

In overtime, each team scored a touchdown on their first three possessions, and converted the required two point conversion on the third possession. The fourth series was the exact opposite; dominated by the defenses. The Aztecs forced a missed field goal from Wyoming, but the Cowboys returned the favor when safety Herbert Holland intercepted an Aztec pass at the 17 yard line to end the series.

In the fifth and final series, the Cowboys defense held again, forcing the Aztecs to kick a short field goal. Wyoming took over on offense and marched the 25 yards in six plays, capped by a three yard touchdown plunge by halfback Terrence Billings.

Despite the win and a 7 - 1 overall record, the Cowboys fell out of the top 25, only one week after their first appearance of the year.

"I always tell the team, there's nothing we can do about the polls, and this year is no different," Glenn said. It isn't our job to worry about where we are ranked. Our job is to worry about winning football games, and the rest will take care of itself."

Next week, the Cowboys travel to Fort Collins, Colorado to take on the 11th ranked Rams of Colorado State. A win in the Border War would almost certainly push the Cowboys back into the Top 25.

Defense Lifts Cowboys Over BYU

October 14, 2006

Game Report Posted: May 31, 2010 06:53  

PROVO, Utah - In a game where both offenses struggled to move the ball, it was a big play on defense, perhaps the biggest under head coach Joe Glenn, that lifted the Cowboys to a narrow 24 - 16 victory over a determined, but winless, BYU team Saturday.

For all the offensive fireworks the Wyoming Cowboys have displayed during Glenn's tenure, the defense has been solid, but seldom spectacular, known more for holding on for wins than making game-changing plays.

With three players recruited after the 2005 season topping the depth chart at cornerback, that has begun to change in 2006. Through seven games, Javon Jordan, C.J. Rollins and Justin Haston have combined for ten interceptions, with Jordan and Rollins leading the way with four each. Against BYU Saturday, Rollins had the biggest yet, a 30 yard interception return for a touchdown in the closing seconds of the third quarter that proved to be the winning margin over the Cougars. It was the first defensive touchdown for a Cowboy since Glenn took over the program at the start of the 2003 season.

"I just followed the quarterback's eyes," Rollins explained as he spoke to reporters after the game. "He telegraphed the pass the whole play, and I knew Herb (strong safety Herbert Holland) had my back if I screwed up, so I jumped the route and took it in. No way was I gonna let some chubby lineman keep me out of the end zone," Rollins smiled.

It was the third score of the quarter for the Cowboys, following two long touchdown passes by quarterback Kenneth Wingate earlier in the period. The extra point gave Wyoming a 24 - 0 lead, and the way the defense was playing to that point, it looked like the Cowboys would coast to their fourth consecutive victory over the hapless Cougars. Through three quarters, the defense allowed just over 100 yards of total offense, and no points.

"We aren't doing anything differently on defense," Glenn said. "It's just a matter of the guys getting more comfortable within the system and learning and being able to read the offenses better. We only had one pick in the first two games, and that was by safety Scott Potts. Javon, C.J. and Justin are still getting comfortable back there."

The Cougars would make it interesting by driving for two scores in the fourth quarter, but the defense was able to force a turnover on downs on what would ultimately be the Cougars' final possession of the game, and the offense was able to convert two third downs to run out the clock.

The win is the fifth consecutive for the Cowboys, the longest winning streak under Glenn. On the year, the Cowboys are 6 - 1, and 2 - 0 in the Mountain West. They play San Diego State at home next Saturday.

Turnovers Give Wyoming Winning Edge

October 7, 2006

Game Report Posted: May 31, 2010 06:32  

RENO, Nevada - The story of Wyoming football all year has been the offense, especially the high flying passing game. While it is difficult to say that the passing game struggled against Nevada today (the Cowboys completed 18 of 30 passes for 270 yards), they did have a hard time finding the end zone, settling for one touchdown and four field goals in five trips, meaning that the performance turned in by the defense was that much more important to the hard fought 34 - 21 victory over Nevada Saturday.

Five Nevada drives ended with a turnover, as Wyoming starting cornerbacks Javon Jordan and C.J. Rollins combined for four interceptions and a forced fumble deep in Wyoming terrirory. The Wolfpack were hurt by several poor decisions on the part of backup quarterback Alan Moore, but both Jordan and Rollins made athletic plays to hang on to the ball. Jordan turned in an especially impressive performance, finishing with a team-high five tackles, three interceptions, one pass deflection, and the forced fumble. The fumble came on the Cowboys' two yard line, ending what was almost certainly a scoring drive for Nevada.

"I haven't seen a defensive performance like that in a long, long time, if ever," head coach Joe Glenn said. "Obviously, Nevada thought they had a mismatch against our freshman cornerback, and tried to exploit it today. There was a mismatch alright, but it wasn't the mismatch they wanted. Javon really stepped up today and played like a veteran. We were excited to get him last spring, and he showed you why today."

Jordan was as surprised as anyone by his three interceptions.

"I've never done anything like that," an exuberant Jordan told reporters. "Not in high school, not in Pee-Wee football, not even in a pickup game. I mean, who has three interceptions in one game? Usually you get one or two, and they stop throwing at you. But they just kept coming at me, and coach has said if I'm comfortable making a jump on the ball, then to go for it. I just wish I could have taken one back, but that receiver of theirs lays a pretty good hit."

Wyoming had a 21 - 14 lead at the end of the third, but the game was still very much in doubt, as the Cowboys' starting quarterback Kenneth Wingate had just left the game after a hard hit on an option keeper and did not return. Redshirt freshman Ryan Cochran replaced him, and the Cowboys kicked a field goal two plays later. Nevada answered with a touchdown to pull within 24 - 21, but Cochran led the Cowboys down the field on a long drive that culminated in a 28 yard touchdown strike to fellow redshirt freshman Raheem Wesley. Though he completed only two of his seven passes on the day, Cochran was impressively poised, at one point scrambling for a sixteen yard gain on third and ten from the Cowboys' 47 yard line.

"We have a lot of talent, a lot of pretty young talent on this team," Glenn said. "This staff has done an incredible job getting quality kids to come to Laramie and buy into the system we're developing here. As a coach, there is nothing more rewarding, and I'm especially thrilled to see the level of support we've gotten from the community.

Fan support is definitely up since Glenn took over at Wyoming. In three home games this season, the Cowboys are averaging almost 32,000 spectators, more than double the approximately 15,000 that was typical just three seasons ago. The Cowboys are 5 -1 on the year, and travel to Provo next week to face a struggling BYU team that is 0 -7 so far this year.

Wesley Leads Wyoming in Blowout

September 26, 2006

Game Report Posted: May 31, 2010 06:19  

LARAMIE, Wyoming - In the last month, all anyone has wanted to talk about in Laramie was Cowboys wide receiver Andre Kirkpatrick. The Colorado Buffalos knew that stopping the Wyoming offense hinged on shutting down Kirkpatrick. The Buffalos bumped him on every route, and doubled him most of the day, limiting the star receiver to just 13 yards on two catches. It wasn't enough, however, as two other Wyoming receivers, redshirt freshman Raheem Wesley and true freshman Rufus Johnson, combined for 353 yards and five scores, as the Cowboys rolled to a 52- 20 victory.

"The scary thing about Wyoming is that they're so young, especially on offense," Buffalo head coach Gary Barnett said after the game. I can't believe both those receivers are freshmen."

The problem for opposing defenses is that Wyoming has so many ways of creating mismatches in the passing game. When Colorado focused on taking away the speed advantage on one side, the Cowboys exploited the size of their receivers on the other. Wesley (6'6", 207 pounds) and Johnson (6'1", 170 pounds) spent much of the day in single coverage against an overmatched Vance Washington, who stands just 5'9" and weighs 180 pounds.

Wesley, especially, took advantage of his nine inch, 30 pound size advantage to catch nine passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Wesley was covered on every catch, but Washington simply couldn't get position to knock the ball away.

"I was very impressed by the performance Wesley put on out there today," head coach Joe Glenn told reporters. "He did an excellent job shielding the ball from the defender with his huge frame, and did some impressive things after he caught the ball. I almost feel bad for that poor kid who had to cover him, it really wasn't fair. If these kids keep this up, then we should be in good shape on offense for the next several years."

As impressive as the offense was, the defense played at least as well. For the second time in three weeks, the Cowboys harassed their opponent into at least three turnovers. They forced four against the Buffalos today, on three interceptions and one fumble. They also held Colorado scoreless in the first half, and kept them out of the red zone the entire game.

The Cowboys struggled to hold onto the ball themselves, fumbling five times, but were able to recover four of them.

"Except for the fumbles, this was an excellent team game," Glenn analyzed. "Being down, the Buffalos were trying to strip the ball every carry, but we still need to do a better job hanging onto the rock. We were lucky to have guys in position to recover most of them today, but we can't rely on luck to be there every week."

The win gives the Cowboys four on the year. Wyoming has next week off before facing a dangerous Nevada squad that knocked the Cowboys off 35 - 31 last year in Laramie.

Cowboys' Air Attack Downs Air Force

September 16, 2006

Game Report Posted: May 31, 2010 05:59  

LARAMIE, Wyoming - The Air Force Falcons simply didn't have an answer for the Cowboys' Andre Kirkpatrick in the first half Saturday, as the sophomore phenomenon scorched the Falcons secondary for an unheard of 227 yards and four touchdowns on just four catches, all in the first half. No, that is not a misprint; Kirkpatrick scored every time he touched the ball.

"I honestly don't know what to tell you," Wyoming head coach Joe Glenn told reporters. "Everybody knows Andre was blessed with superhuman speed. When teams decide to blitz, no one on the field can stay with him. It took the Falcons four attempts to figure that out, and they paid for it."

Each time the Falcons safeties showed blitz, Kirkpatrick streaked past his man on a quick slant, and quarterback Kenneth Wingate tossed him the ball for an easy score.

"Yeah, its nice to be fast," Kirkpatrick said. "But it isn't just me, obviously. You also gotta have somebody to block for you, and you gotta have somebody who can get the ball to you with a blitz in his face. That's the great thing about Win (quarterback Kenneth Wingate). He gets hit, and I get to score. Its a good arrangement, I think," Kirkpatrick smiled.

On the strength of those four long touchdowns, the Cowboys jumped out to a 28 - 0 lead midway through the second quarter. The Falcons blanketed Kirkpatrick with double coverage after that, but the damage had been done.

Five different Cowboys carried the ball for a total of 141 yards on 38 carries, and redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Cochran gained valuable game experience in the second half. Cochran finished 8 of 13 for 179 yards, though he did throw one interception.

The win moves Wyoming to 3 - 1 on the year, and 1 - 0 in the Mountain West conference. They play Colorado at home next week, and then have a bye before facing Nevada in the final non-conference game of the year.

Wyoming Turns Turnovers Into Win

September 9, 2006

Game Report Posted: May 31, 2010 05:47  

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - For the second time in nine months, the Wyoming Cowboys ran their ball control offense nearly to perfection against the Louisville Cardinals, keeping the ball out of the hands of the 20th ranked Cardinals' offensive play-makers almost the entire game, and winning 45 - 21 Saturday.

The Cowboys were helped by three turnovers by the Cardinals, including two first quarter fumbles that Wyoming converted into 14 of their 21 first quarter points, that set the tone for the remainder of the game. After that, it was simply a matter of holding onto the ball and running down the clock, which is exactly what the Cowboys did, carrying the ball 44 times for 184 yards and completing 24 of 33 passes for just over 300 yards, and converting 10 of 17 third down attempts.

"We never gave ourselves a chance to win," Louisville head coach Bobby Petrino said after the game. "We couldn't hold onto the ball early, and against a team like Wyoming, that is asking for trouble. When you don't get many chances with the football, you have to make the most of them, and we clearly failed to do that today."

The opportunities to score were certainly few and far between for Louisville, as Wyoming held onto the ball for almost three quarters of the game, finishing with 29:23 of possession time to Louisville's 10:37.

On offense, Wyoming got big performances from quarterback Kenneth Wingate, who threw for two scores and no interceptions, and freshman tailback Morris Latimer, who outran the Louisville defense for 115 yards on just 11 carries, including a 62 yard touchdown scamper when he broke one tackle, juked the safety and outran the rest of the defense into the end zone.

The Wyoming defense was only on the field for 42 plays, but the Cowboys got a monster game out of junior left end Zach Wilcox, who muscled his way into six tackles, four of them for a loss, two sacks and a forced fumble.

"Zach was simply a beast out there today," head coach Joe Glenn gushed after the game.

"This was a breakout game for him. I was impressed by the pressure he put on Bush all afternoon, and he even got to him twice. Most importantly, his first quarter hit on Bradshaw that knocked the ball loose not only gave us great field position, but really gave us confidence that we could win the game. If it were up to me, Zach would be the player of the game. Scratch that. It is up to me. Zach was definitely our player of the game today."

With the win, the Cowboys move to 2 - 1 on the year, and open conference play next week at home against Air Force. In his three years at Wyoming, Glenn is 2 - 1 against the option-oriented Falcons.

Wyoming Loses Triple Overtime Thriller

September 2, 2006

Game Report Posted: July 16, 2009 16:35  

LINCOLN, Nebraska - It was supposed to be a one-sided affair, with experts predicting that the mighty Nebraska running game would have its way with the Wyoming defense, and win the game going away.

Well, they were half right. The Huskers running game was pretty much unstoppable, gaining 211 yards on 36 carries, and scoring four touchdowns. However, the game was anything but a blowout. Wyoming actually led for much of the contest, and had a chance until the very end. The end didn't come until the third overtime, when Nebraska scored a touchdown and converted the required two-point conversion attempt to start the series, and then denied Wyoming on their two point attempt to escape Laramie with a 53 - 51 win on Saturday.

The Nebraska offense was simply unstoppable at the end of the game. The Huskers scored twice in the final three minutes to force overtime, and their three overtime possessions lasted a total of four plays. The first two were single passes, and the third was one pass and one run.

"It took a monumental performance by these kids, to even be in this one," a dejected Joe Glenn told reporters after the game. "No one expected it to be close, and these guys deserve a lot of credit for playing as well as they did. Of course, that doesn't make it any less painful. To come so close, and then fall just short like that, it really hurts."

The Cowboys hurt themselves several times with penalties, ending with five for sixty yards, including a monumental holding penalty on the Cowboys' final drive of regulation. The ten yard call negated a huge 18 yard run that would have put Wyoming in field goal range.

"Yeah, that might be the worst part, actually," Glenn said. "Sure we gave up a lot of yards, but they are a real good team, and there's no shame in that. But to think that with those penalties, we probably cost ourselves the game..." Glenn trailed off.

Almost lost among the disappointment are the numbers put up by the Wyoming passing game today, three in all. Aided by the three overtime sessions, quarterback Kenneth Wingate threw for the second most yards by a Wyoming quarterback in a single game, with 475. As the primary recipient of Wingate's passes, sophomore receiver Andre Kirkpatrick set school records for yards receiving, with 311, and touchdown catches, with five.

At a school known for its quarterbacks and wide receivers, it was quite an accomplishment for both, though at least immediately after the game, the players were more worried about the loss.

"I didn't even realize it until someone told me," Kirkpatrick said. "It isn't that big a deal, especially since we lost. I mean, its nice to have the records and all, but I'd rather we'd won."

The loss drops the Cowboys to 1 - 1 on the year, with another difficult game at Louisville looming next week.

"We surprised them a little bit last year," Glenn said, in reference to the Cowboys' 21 - 18 win over Louisville last year in the Liberty Bowl. "I think they are an even better team this year, and they certainly know us well and what we like to do. We are going to have to play our best game next week to have a shot at beating them at home."

The 2005 Liberty Bowl was played on a neutral field in Memphis, Tennessee, though with Louisville being just six hours from Memphis, the Cardinals certainly had more fans at the game than Wyoming did, being another 800 miles away.

Cowboys Win Close Opener With Offense

August 26, 2006

Game Report Posted: July 08, 2009 23:40  

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia - Before the season began, football experts predicted that the University of Wyoming and West Virginia University would be closely matched opponents, ranking the two schools the 53rd and 54th best programs in the country, respectively. The experts turned out to be right, as Wyoming won the closely matched battle by outscoring the Mountaineers 35 - 31 in the first ever meeting between the two schools.

The Cowboys and the Mountaineers matched each other blow for blow both in the running game and in the time of possession. Both teams carried the ball for exactly 160 yards, Wyoming on 39 carries, and West Virginia on 38, and Wyoming held the ball for a mere 36 seconds longer than the Mountaineers did.

The teams even completed a similar number of passes, with 18 completions for Wyoming, and 17 for West Viginia. The difference in the game was the yardage gained through the air, where the Cowboys, led by preseason All-American quarterback Kenneth Wingate and speedy wide receiver Andre Kirkpatrick, outgained the Mountaineers 348 yards to 223.

While Wingate was a solid 18 of 34, Kirkpatrick made him look better than that all afternoon, routinely turning ten yard passes into 30 and 40 yard gains. He finished with 206 yards on just six catches with three touchdowns. More than half of those yards came after the catch, including a 15 yard slant on the Cowboys' first offensive play that Kirkpatrick turned into an 80 yard touchdown. Kirkpatrick also contributed 102 return yards to finish with 308 all-purpose yards. The performance was enough to earn the speedy sophomore Mountain West Player of the Week honors on offense.

"It was just a matchup thing," Kirkpatrick said after the game. "I had a step on the guy they had covering me, and so when they blitzed, there was lots of open field for me to run in."

Head coach Joe Glenn agreed. "We knew coming into the game that with his speed, Andre was going to give us a big mismatch when West Virginia ran their man offense, and we were right," Glenn told reporters in his news conference.

"We were fortunate to have some success with it early on, and I think that really gave us a lot of momentum and confidence for the rest of the game."

The Cowboys continue a tough non-league schedule next week when the Huskers of Nebraska visit Laramie.