DENTON, Texas — Despite Wyoming’s most competitive first half of its season so far, the Cowboys still came short of what would have been the team’s first win of the year. A miraculous 105-yard kick return touchdown from Wyoming wide receiver Tyler King was not enough, and so the final score was a 17–44 victory for the Mean Green.
Starting quarterback Evan Svoboda was more efficient and threw better than what has been typical for the junior offensive leader in the first half. By halftime, the teams were nearly neck and neck with a 17–24 North Texas advantage. The second quarter in particular was a nail-biter, as the two camps scored a combined 17 points in the final minute and 17 seconds of the quarter.
The highlight of the first half was the 105-yard kick return touchdown from wide receiver Tyler King. His dual-sport background, having competed in both track and football, shone as he darted from end zone to end zone at 1:03 left in the half. He was known as the fastest 2022 recruit in his state out of high school and tonight he showed his home state of Texas why he earned that accolade.
That competitive spirit quickly faded out of the locker room at the beginning of the third quarter, though. An errant snap and a sack against Svoboda almost immediately took the wind out of Wyoming’s sails. An airtight North Texas offense would drive Wyoming defense back to the end zone for a touchdown and then pass for a 24-yard touchdown on its very next possession.
Redshirt freshman Kaden Anderson would eventually replace Svoboda on the field late in the game. Anderson didn’t see a single minute on the field during Wyoming’s most recent game against BYU, but was responsible for passing Wyoming’s singular touchdown in the team’s season opener against Arizona State. Tonight he passed 20 yards.
Wyoming did not get any additional points on the board after halftime, while the Mean Green got up 14 and 3 in the third and fourth quarters, respectively.
Wyoming threw a combined 175 yards to North Texas’s 318. Rushing yards — usually Wyoming’s preferred method of getting the ball downfield — were equally disparate between the two teams, with North Texas rushing for 216 yards and Wyoming rushing for just 65. North Texas was the better team tonight and made their new record 3–1.
Wyoming goes 0–4 now and calls the new Jay Sawvel era of the Cowboys further into question. This is especially apparent as Wyoming is about to enter conference play with zero wins under its belt. The Cowboys face the 1–2 Air Force Academy Falcons next Saturday back at home.
For more information on the University of Wyoming Cowboys football team, including the team’s roster and schedule, visit the university’s athletics web page.
