2007 Week 14

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.