Wyoming Cowboys

Wyoming Falls in Triple Overtime

December 31, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 20, 2010 23:16  

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee - Fans at the 49th annual Liberty Bowl were treated to two incredible offensive performances, as both teams scored 38 points in regulation, and a combined 42 in three overtimes as the Louisville Cardinals held off a late rally by the Wyoming Cowboys for a 60 -58 win, their first in four tries against Wyoming under head coach Joe Glenn.

Louisville started strong on both sides of the ball, scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions, and holding the normally potent Cowboy offense to a single 33 yard field goal the entire first half.

Glenn must have done something right at half time, because the Cowboys came out energized and dominated the third quarter. The offense, led by senior quarterback Kenneth Wingate and a trio of talented receivers, stormed down the field for three consecutive touchdowns, and an inspired defense kept Louisville off the scoreboard. As the third quarter came to a close, Wyoming held a narrow 34 - 21 lead.

The Cardinals finally got back on track offensively in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 24 all with a short field goal on the opening play of the period. Wyoming responded with a touchdown, but Louisville came right back to tie it again at 31. The Cowboys' next drive stalled at midfield, and the Cardinals got the ball back at their own 17 yard line with just under two minutes remaining in the game. Two plays later, senior quarterback Michael Bush found receiver Emanuel Hassell streaking past the secondary for a 77 yard touchdown.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the drive took only nine seconds off the clock, and Wyoming took all of the remaining 1:42 to drive down the field, scoring the tying touchdown on a three yard scamper by senior tailback Johnny Connor to send the game into overtime.

In the extra sessions, neither defense could slow the opposing offense, as both teams scored three touchdowns. The difference was the required two point attempt at the end of the third period, when Connor was stopped just short of the goal line, giving Louisville the victory.

"Obviously, we would have liked to have won this game for all the seniors, but this team played with an incredible amount of heart today, and there is absolutely no shame in that," Glenn said.

"Louisville is a very talented team, and we have been fortunate enough to beat them the last three times. They were extremely determined today, and they deserve credit for their game plan in the first half. We clearly were not ready for what they threw at us."

Wyoming finishes the year with an 11-2 ledger, identical to the record they posted in 2006. Despite the season-ending loss, Glenn remained optimistic about the upcoming recruiting season.

"In our five years at Wyoming, this staff has done an incredible job selling this program to quality recruits, and I am supremely confident in our ability to continue that trend for the foreseeable future."

Wingate Wins Quarterback Duel

November 10, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 20, 2010 21:25  

LOGAN, Utah - Since coming to Wyoming five years ago, head coach Joe Glenn has worked to bring balance to an offense that has long been known for its pass first, throw second mentality. The Cowboys have come a long way under Glenn, but some games, that balance is harder to find than others. Such was the case Saturday against Utah, where 31 rushing attempts netted Wyoming just 53 yards on the ground. In contrast, the Utes simply could not contain Wyoming quarterback Kenneth Wingate, who completed 25 of his 40 pass attempts for nearly 500 yards and four touchdowns, finishing with a quarterback rating of 196.7 in the 38 - 17 victory.

At least the Cowboys made an attempt to establish a running game. Utah finished with only 15 rushing attempts, which included five sacks, for a net total of three yards. The Utes had more than four times as many passing attempts, 65, and completed 37 of them, though they scored only two touchdowns.

"I'm amazed that Utah threw the ball as many times as they did," Glenn analyzed after the game. "Sure, we expected them to air it out, but 65 attempts? All we had to do was drop into a loose zone, and ignore the halfback. We gave up some yards, but seldom did it lead to points, and it allowed us to get good pressure on the quarterback."

Not surprisingly, given the number of passes thrown, the Cowboys were led on defense by their secondary. The top four tacklers were the two starting cornerbacks and both safeties, led by Javon Jordan with nine tackles, two pass deflections and an interception. Rollins added seven tackles and two deflections, Potts had six tackles, and Swift finished with five tackles and a sack. The four combined to register 60% of the tackles made by Wyoming.

The win moves the Cowboys to 9 - 1 on the year, 5 - 0 in conference play. Wyoming will close out the season with home games against New Mexico and UNLV.

Wyoming Holds Off UNLV

November 24, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 20, 2010 21:58  

LARAMIE, Wyoming - Although senior quarterback Kenneth Wingate struggled for much of the afternoon to connect with his receivers, the Cowboys' running game was solid, and the defense played well enough to keep UNLV out of the end zone for most of the game, and then came up with a big play at the end to hold on for an exciting 24 - 12 victory over the Rebels Saturday, clinching the conference title in the process.

The Cowboys offense scored two first half touchdowns on passes of 29 and 91 yards in the first half, but had gone cold after that, managing just three points on a 34 yard field goal by Mo Stephens near the end of the second quarter. Fortunately for the Cowboys, the defense stood tall, giving up plenty of yards, but not allowing the Rebels any points for the first three quarters.

UNLV got hot in the fourth, sandwiching a three and out by Wyoming with two touchdowns. Trailing by 11 after the first score, the Rebels went for two points, but were denied. After the three and out, the Rebels marched back down the field and scored again, only to be denied again on a second two point attempt.

Wyoming managed just a single first down, and were forced to punt the ball back to the Rebels with just over two minutes on the clock. The punt went into the end zone, and UNLV had the ball at their own 20 yard line and the momentum. A draw play got the Rebel five yards, and on second down, they went to the air.

The throw was intended for the halfback, who had slipped out of the backfield, but Cowboys senior middle linebacker David Boyer read the play perfectly and stepped in front of the pass for the interception. From there, Boyer had an easy 25 yard jaunt into the end zone for the game sealing score.

"Beautiful play," head coach Joe Glenn proclaimed afterward. "You can't teach that. That was just a big player making a big play in a big game. We'll definitely miss David next year."

"I don't have the best hands in the world," Boyer admitted to reporters. "Coach was probably on the sideline screaming at me to just bat it down," he smiled. "But I just couldn't pass it up. They had run that play a couple times earlier in the game, but hadn't thrown it to the back. He was my man, and the quarterback looked his way the whole time, so I knew that he was going to throw my way. I was just telling myself, 'Don't drop it, don't drop it.' And I didn't."

Not only did Boyer not drop the ball, but his touchdown helped ensure the Cowboys a perfect 7 - 0 finish in the Mountain West, giving the Cowboys their first conference title in five years under head coach Joe Glenn.

Cowboys Rally Past New Mexico

November 17, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 20, 2010 21:45  

LARAMIE, Wyoming - Sometimes, teams just have a hard time being mentally prepared to face an opponent, especially when that opponent is considered overmatched. That is exactly what happened to Wyoming today, as the Cowboys came out flat and fell behind 21 - 3 to New Mexico, before rallying to score 32 unanswered points to come away with the 35 - 28 victory Saturday.

"I warned the kids just this week about staying motivated and not becoming complacent," head coach Joe Glenn stated. "Obviously, my telling them isn't enough, we had to go out and dig ourselves a hole before we got the message across. This is a talented group though, and both sides of the ball did an excellent job of stepping up and making good things happen. I just hope it doesn't happen again."

After giving up touchdowns on three of the Lobos' first four possessions, the defense tightened, holding New Mexico scoreless until late in the fourth quarter. Though there were few big plays for either side, the defense forced the Lobos into a short passing game, and did an excellent job limiting the yards after catch. Leading the way were safety Solomon Swift and cornerback Javon Jordan, who both finished with six tackles. Free safety Scott Potts was limited to just one tackle, but came up with the Cowboys' only recovered turnover in the game when he stepped in front of a pass over the middle to end a promising drive for New Mexico.

The offense struggled for most of the first half, but scored twice just before the end of the second period to pull within 13 - 21 at the break. Quarterback Kenneth Wingate took over the game in the third and fourth quarters, finishing with 316 yards on 19 completions and three touchdowns.

The win was the fifth straight for the Cowboys, and gives them ten on the year. Wyoming can finish no lower than a tie for first in the conference, and can win it outright with a victory over UNLV next week at home.

Cowboys Win Biggest Game in School History

November 3, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 20, 2010 21:14  

LARAMIE, Wyoming - It was billed as the biggest game in school history. It was two top 15 teams squaring off, in a rivalry game, on national television. To the winner would go the Bronze Boot, area bragging rights, valuable recruiting points and an inside track to the conference title. To the loser, the frustration of defeat and an almost certain fall from the BCS standings.

It was the most hype a Mountain West conference game had ever received, and the contest was every bit as good as promised, as two closely matched teams left it all on the field and battled to a 24 - 21 finish in front of a capacity crowd at raucous War Memorial Stadium and a national television audience.

When the final horn sounded, it was the Cowboys who had the ball and a three point win. Fans rushed the field, and an overmatched security staff could only watch as the frenzied Cowboy faithful dismantled the south goal posts.

It took the player of the game, quarterback Kenneth Wingate, nearly an hour and a half to make it off the field. "Nothing could top this feeling," Wingate screamed. "The Rams are a great team, but we knew what we had to do to win, and every one of these guys came out inspired and determined to do exactly that. This is a great way for all us seniors to finish our last Border War. What great memories."

Wingate credited defensive tackle Vic Bennett for giving the Cowboys the early momentum with a sack on third and seven on the Rams' first offensive possession.

"Vic started the whole thing off with that monster sack of his. It really fired the offense up, and really steeled in our minds that we could play with those guys and beat them. It was just a spectacular play."

Apparently inspired by the sack, the Cowboys took their first possession and drove 53 yards down the field. Though it ended with just three points, you could tell the drive gave the Wyoming sideline a boost of confidence that lasted the entire game.

It was that confidence that allowed Wingate to step up and deliver strike after strike to his receivers and allowed Wyoming head coach Joe Glenn to leave his offense on the field for six fourth down attempts, five of which were converted.

"We never went for anything longer than fourth and two," Glenn explained. "The staff felt that if we wanted to win, we were going to have to hang onto the ball on offense. To do that, we needed to know we could convert on fourth and short, and our guys did an excellent job of that today.

"I couldn't be happier for these guys, or more proud of the way they performed. This was obviously a very big win for this program, and something we can use to continue to improve our standing in the eyes of the college football world."

The stars of the game for Wyoming were Wingate, who went 19 of 28 for 217 yards and a touchdown, senior safety Scott Potts, who led the Cowboys defense with nine tackles, tailback Terrence Billings, who carried for 60 tough yards on 17 carries, and fullback Anthony Mack, who had a career high nine carries for 33 yards.

The monumental victory moves the Cowboys to an impressive 8 - 1 on the year, including a perfect 4 - 0 in conference play. It is the best start for a Wyoming team since the 1967 team started 10 - 0 before losing 20 - 13 in the 1968 Sugar Bowl. The 2007 Cowboys have the week off before traveling to Salt Lake City to face the Utes of Utah on November 17th.

Cowboys Make Easy Work of Aztecs

October 20, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 20, 2010 21:03  

SAN DIEGO, California - Wyoming head coach Joe Glenn has seen much bigger offensive performances than the 367 yards his Cowboys accumulated against San Diego State, but seldom do so few yards become as many points as they did Saturday, when Wyoming scored one point for every 7.5 yards of offense. Of course, the Cowboys don't often manage as many turnovers as they did Saturday, finishing with six in all. The Wyoming defense was all over the Aztecs, recovering three fumbles, registering six sacks and harassing two different quarterbacks into three interceptions, as the Cowboys made light work of San Diego State, 49 - 14.

The defensive clinic was a team effort, as three different Cowboys intercepted the ball, three others recovered fumbles, and five players took down the Aztec quarterbacks a combined six times. Leading the way was safety Solomon Swift, who finished with six tackles, a sack and an interception, and linebacker David Boyer, who had four tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.

"I was very impressed with the performance our defense put on out there today," Glenn told reporters after the game. "Our offense played well, like they have all year, but our entire defense was on a mission today. We didn't have that many tackles, but there weren't that many to be had with all those sacks and turnovers. Great effort all around."

The win gives the Cowboys seven on the year, and pushes their league record to 3 - 0. It sets up a monumental showdown with 11th ranked Colorado State next week in the annual battle for the Bronze Boot and the edge in the battle for the conference title.

Cowboys Do Just Enough to Win

October 13, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 20, 2010 19:17  

LARAMIE, Wyoming - It wasn't particularly pretty, but the Cowboys were just good enough at just about everything to hold off the upstart Cougars, 28 - 14 at War Memorial Stadium Saturday.

Seven different players carried the ball for Wyoming, though only Johnny Connor, who had 51, finished with more than 50 yards. Quarterback Kenneth Wingate finished with just 179 yards passing on fifteen completions, with both a touchdown and an interception. Seven receivers caught at least one pass, led by Raheem Wesley, who had 66 yards and a touchdown on four catches.

"Every team in this conference is dangerous," head coach Joe Glenn said after the game. "We'll take wins however we can get them, but I'm not confident that this kind of performance will get us a win against most of our other opponents. Give BYU credit though, they came out ready to play and made us work for everything we got."

The defense also contributed a solid, though unspectacular, performance, led by safeties Solomon Swift and Scott Potts. Swift led the team with seven tackles, and Potts added six. Both had an interception. Linebacker David Boyer did most of the rest of the damage, contributing five tackles, including a sack.

For the fourth time this year, the Cowboys' offensive line did not allow a sack all game, though they were helped by only having to pass block for 21 plays. Freshman center Brandon Atkins had two pancakes, and Elilson and Dukes added one each.

"The line is without a doubt the most improved unit this year, Glenn said. "The staff is very happy the level of performance this young group has displayed game in and game out. That should help us with the transition to a new starting quarterback next year after Ken leaves."

It was the Cowboys' second conference win of the year, and pushes their overall record to an impressive 6 - 1. They face San Diego State next week on the road.

Wyoming Comes Up Just Short

September 29, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 20, 2010 19:08  

LINCOLN, Nebraska - Despite a career game by junior linebacker Earl Walton, the Cowboys were unable to overcome a stagnant offensive performance, falling to the Huskers 16 - 17 Saturday.

Neither offense was anything to write home about, as both teams struggled to move the ball all afternoon. The Cowboys managed just 267 yards of total offense, and the Huskers did only slightly better, finishing with 308 yards. The difference was in the ground game, where Nebraska averaged nearly 5.5 yards a carry, and Wyoming got less than 2.7 yards per attempt.

Wyoming quarterback Kenneth Wingate had one of the worst games of his career, finishing with just 149 yards and an interception, with no touchdowns.

"This week was almost the exact opposite of our game against Louisville," head coach Joe Glenn mused. "Credit the Huskers' defense. Our running game was never enough of a threat to force them to bring a safety out of deep coverage, and with the exception of Wesley, our receivers struggled to get open all game.

"It made for a tough day for Ken, but some of that is my fault. I was determined to make the running game work, and I probably didn't let Ken throw as many times as I should have."

The one bright spot today was the performance of junior linebacker Earl Walton, who finished with a career high 10 tackles and a sack. No other Cowboy had more than four tackles.

"Earl definitely played his heart out today. I am very impressed with his intensity and determination, he has an incredible nose for the ball, and a real knack for bringing guys down. If he keeps working as hard as he has for me these last three years, he could be a real solid player at the next level."

The loss drops the Cowboys to 5 - 1 on the year. Conference play starts in earnest in two weeks, when BYU travels to Laramie to face Wyoming.

Huge 4th Quarter Lifts Cowboys

September 22, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 20, 2010 17:48  

LARAMIE, Wyoming - After consecutive games in which the Wyoming Cowboys got by a more talented Louisville team by dominating the time of possession, the Cardinals were determined to slow the game down and run time off the clock whenever possible. The strategy seemed to work, as Louisville found themselves with a 35 - 14 lead only seconds into the fourth quarter, but ultimately, it was not enough. Aided by two late turnovers by the Cardinals, the Cowboys were unstoppable in the final period, scoring three touchdowns and one field goal, just enough to edge Louisville 38 - 35 Saturday in front of 32,465 energetic fans at War Memorial Stadium.

Quarterback Kenneth Wingate led the charge, throwing for 322 yards and three touchdowns, while also scoring once on the ground. Wingate was helped by excellent blocking by the offensive line, none of whom allowed a sack on the day, and an impressive performance by halfback Johnny Connor, who averaged almost eight yards a carry, without including the 29 yard game-winner he broke late in the fourth quarter.

"Even though he only carried nine times today, Johnny had an incredible game," head coach Joe Glenn said afterward. "Early in the game, Louisville understandably keyed in on Ken, and forced him to make several bad throws, including both interceptions. When we started handing the ball off, it forced them to respect the running game, which in turn gave Ken more time to throw.

"Then in the fourth, Johnny had two key runs to keep drives alive. But the kicker was that 29 yard touchdown scamper that was just him making something happen. It was all juke moves and speed."

The defense also played well, led by seniors Solomon Swift, who had nine tackles, an interception and a forced fumble, and David Boyer, who also finished with nine tackles, four of which were for a loss.

The win was the third straight over Louisville for the Cowboys, and gives them five on the year. Next week, Wyoming travels to Lincoln to play unbeaten and seventh ranked Nebraska in the final non-conference game of the year. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

Offense Carries Cowboys to Win

September 15, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 20, 2010 17:38  

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - Neither defense could have stopped a flea here today, as Wyoming and Air Force combined for 92 points and 1150 yards of total offense. It was the Cowboys who scored last, giving them just enough to hold off the Falcons 47 - 45 in front of 37,862 at Falcon Field.

As always, the Cowboys were led by senior quarterback Kenneth Wingate, who finished with 352 yards on 23 completions and three touchdowns. For the second week in a row, he did not throw an interception. Wingate was helped greatly by impressive performances from halfbacks Johnny Connor, who finished with a Glenn-era record 144 yards on the ground, and Terrence Billings, who contributed 81. Connor also had two touchdowns.

Though the defense gave up 540 total yards, safety Scott Potts and cornerback Javon Jordan had several huge plays, combining for three interceptions and three pass deflections on the day.

"I was definitely frustrated by the number of big plays our defense allowed today," head coach Joe Glenn stated after the game. "After the way we played to start the year, it looked like we had figured out how to keep guys in front of us, so it was tough watching the guys take a step back in that respect.

"But I am impressed by the way the offense responded to the challenge, answering the Falcons every time they scored, and the defense needs to be congratulated for making huge plays down the stretch, when we needed them most.

"Clearly, we've got a lot to work on in practice this week, but for now, we'll take the win and hope we can learn something from the experience."

The victory pushes the Cowboys to 4 - 0 on the year, with a visit from Louisville looming next week. In each of their two previous meetings, the Cowboys have upset the Cardinals, and Louisville will be looking to return the favor in Laramie. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30.

Wyoming Overwhelms ASU

September 8, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 20, 2010 17:26  

TEMPE, Arizona - Just a few short years ago, Wyoming was the kind of team schools like Arizona State could afford to take lightly and get away with it. Not anymore. With the talent assembled by head coach Joe Glenn and his staff, the Cowboys have shown themselves capable of making life difficult for a great many schools. Such was the case here Saturday, and with the Cowboys hitting on all cylinders like they were, the Sun Devils never really stood a chance, falling 20 - 38.

The Cowboys played fundamentally sound football all afternoon, using a balanced attack to move the ball efficiently on offense and limiting the Sun Devils' explosiveness on defense. The Cowboys were balanced on offense, finishing with 183 yards on the ground, and 237 through the air. Perhaps more importantly, the Cowboys did not have a single turnover on the day, while recovering two ASU fumbles.

All the usual suspects (except receiver Raheem Wesley who is out with a shoulder injury) performed as expected, led by quarterback Kenneth Wingate on offense and linebacker David Boyer on defense. Wingate finished with 14 completions for 237 yards and four touchdowns, and Boyer led the team with seven tackles, including four for loss, one sack and a forced fumble.

"I was pleased with our intensity level this week," head coach Joe Glenn said afterward. "It was refreshing to see the momentum we established last week carry over through a week of practice and into this game.

"This is a special group, and I think they are beginning to realize how much they are capable of accomplishing. It is exciting to see that recognition develop into production on the field, and it will be interesting to see whether that benefits us over the course of the year."

The win gives the Cowboys three for the year, and provides good momentum heading into the conference opener next week against Air Force.

Cowboys Roll Against Clemson

September 1, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 20, 2010 17:16  

CLEMSON, South Carolina - So much for the test. Just as Wyoming head coach Joe Glenn predicted last week, quarterback Kenneth Wingate redeemed himself after a three turnover performance against West Virginia by going 21 - 28 for 352 yards and two touchdowns, as the Cowboys rolled to a surprisingly easy 45 - 20 victory over the Clemson Tigers Saturday.

The Cowboys scored on their first five possessions, and the game was essentially over by halftime, as Wyoming took a 31 - 6 lead into the locker room. The Cowboys more than doubled the Tigers in total offense, 506 yards to 238, and dominated the time of possession, 28 minutes to 12.

"This was a good game for this team," head coach Joe Glenn said afterward. " I felt like all areas of our game were performing at a relatively high level, and our early success really got us going and took the crowd out of the game.

At the same time, it is only one game, and there are many more difficult challenges ahead of this team, so I want to make sure we don't get too full of ourselves after this one."

In an unusual change of pace, the Wyoming defense was led not by a safety or linebacker, but by right end Tommy McGee, who finished with five tackles and two sacks.

"The offense really made it easy on us," McGee said. "Heck, we were only on the field eleven minutes and change. As a defender, it always helps to get a good breather in before going back on the field, and the offense made sure that happened today."

The win gives the Cowboys two on the year. They travel to Arizona State next week for a matchup against the Sun Devils, who were expected to challenge for the PAC-10 title, but have lost their first two games of the year.

Cowboys Win Without Passing Game

August 25, 2007

Game Report Posted: June 19, 2010 17:44  

LARAMIE, Wyoming - Normally reliable starting quarterback Kenneth Wingate struggled in the first game of his senior season, but the rest of the team stepped up to lead the Cowboys to a 35 - 17 victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers Saturday.

Wingate was intercepted three times on only 23 pass attempts, though at least one bounced off the hands of a Wyoming receiver and directly into the arms of a waiting West Virginia defender, and another was an unbelievable shoestring catch by the Mountaineers' middle linebacker. Of his other 20 passes, Wingate completed 10 of them, but he managed only 186 yards as the Mountaineers blanketed the Cowboys' receivers all afternoon.

As a result, the Cowboys found success on the ground, with running backs Johnny Connor and Terrence Billings combining for 150 yards and two touchdowns. It was the ground game grinding out yards near the goal line that allowed the Cowboys to convert on all five of their possessions in the red zone, leading to all 35 of the Cowboys' points.

After the game, head coach Joe Glenn spoke with reporters. "Well, speaking from the perspective of someone who expects a little better performance from my senior quarterback, I'd say this was a pretty ugly win. But it was a win, and that is the important thing.

"I'm not really sure what happened to Ken out there today. West Virginia doesn't have a particularly dominant secondary, but it seemed like he was just a second late with his reads all afternoon. Attribute that to whatever you want, but Ken is going to come out next week and make everybody forget it ever happened, I can assure you that."

The defense was also instrumental in the win, as they shut down the Mountaineers' running game, limiting them to just 21 yards on 19 carries, deflecting eight passes and forcing two interceptions. Sophomore Javon Jordan led the charge, finishing with eight tackles, three deflections and an interception that was returned 25 yards, giving the Cowboys great field position.

"Jordan had a monster game, he did a great job limiting what the Mountaineers were able to do on offense. It is hard to believe this kid is only a sophomore."

Next week, the Cowboys travel to South Carolina to face a Clemson squad that has struggled in recent years, but is always dangerous at home. The Cowboys should be tested by their first road game against an SEC team under Glenn. Kickoff is sceduled for 12:30.