LARAMIE, Wyo. — After a thrilling afternoon game against the University of Idaho Vandals, the University of Wyoming Cowboys lost their home opener of the season 17–13.
The duo of starting quarterback Evan Svoboda and running back DJ Jones had a much more successful run than the Cowboys’ previous outing last Saturday against the Arizona State University Sun Devils. Svoboda set the tone quickly with a 37-yard run at the second play of the game. Jones would add a total of five yards in the same possession. The Cowboys ended the very first possession of the game with a 43-yard field goal courtesy of senior John Hoyland.
Idaho’s junior running back Elisha Cummings would run a combined 30 yards in the team’s second possession just a few minutes later, alongside some yards from junior Nate Thomas and sophomore Jordan Dwyer, to put seven on the board for the Vandals just five minutes into the game.
Not wanting to be bested, the Cowboys took the very next possession for a touchdown pass from Svoboda to senior wide reciever Devin Boddie Jr. Just a few plays prior, an incomplete pass from Svoboda to Boddie Jr. prompted some unsportsmanlike conduct and a tense moment between player and coach.
The very next possession, Idaho would come back again with a touchdown pass to junior tight end Jake Cox.
Back-to-back field goal attempts, unsuccessful on Wyoming’s end and successful on Idaho’s, would establish the final box score of 17–10 that would remain until a final successful field goal from Wyoming in the second half. Despite a more promising start from Svoboda than a week prior, Wyoming’s offense continues to lack the solid identity needed to, at the least, beat an FCS school like Idaho.
Svoboda alone was at the receiving end of four successful sacks and was 10 of 24 for 126 yards. With two losses and zero wins now under the Cowboys’ belt, some adjustments have to be made both offensively and defensively before Wyoming can stand a chance against Brigham Young University next week. ESPN Analytics predict the Cowboys stand at only a 16.5% chance of winning.
Despite the loss, the University of Wyoming War Memorial Stadium was alive with the spirit of Cowboy students and fans. For more information on the University of Wyoming Cowboys, see the Wyoming Athletics web page.
