2006 Week 10

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.