PULLMAN, Wash. — After a disappointing season — the worst since the 2–10 season in 2010 — the Wyoming Cowboys get to end their year on a high note. The Pokes won 15-14 against the 8–4 Washington State Cougars.
What looked to be another typical underwhelming night for Wyoming’s offense turned into a nail-biting final two minutes after backup QB Evan Svoboda threw a pass to tight end John Michael Gyllenborg for an 18-yard touchdown rush.
A two-point conversion attempt ran by Svoboda failed, keeping the score 15–14 through to the end of the game. Before that, Wyoming could only get points on the board via senior kicker John Hoyland, who happens to be Wyoming’s highest career scorer ever. He put up all 9 of Wyoming’s points through the first three quarters.
Two of those three field goals from Hoyland were beyond the 40-yard range.
As for Washington State, the Cougars could only get in two touchdowns before the half. The first, in the first quarter, was a 37-yard TD pass from QB John Mateer to wide receiver Kyle Williams. The other, in the second quarter, was a 2-yard rush from Mateer himself.
All of that looked to be for nothing with just 25 seconds left in regulation when Mateer got his hands back on the ball and threw a bomb pass to a Wazzu receiver for about 28 yards. However, the receiver bobbled the ball just as his ankle slipped out of bounds and, after review, ruined the Cougars’ hopes for a comeback.
That hope was even more thoroughly destroyed when corner back senior Tyrecus Davis intercepted the ball and forced Washington State to kneel in defeat. As a senior, that play will likely be his final-ever play as a Wyoming Cowboy.
Other seniors, such as Casper’s Jordan Bertagnole and Gillette’s Caleb Driskill, also got to end their college careers on a relative high note. Wyoming lost at home last week against Boise State during the University of Wyoming Football Teams’ senior night.
Before the game, ESPN Analytics estimated the chance of the University of Wyoming Cowboys winning tonight at just 10%. Before the final two minutes of the game, that percentage didn’t stray below 69%.
Wyoming had the lion’s share of possession time. The Pokes had the ball for 34 minutes to Washington State’s 25 minutes. Wyoming got 340 total yards and 22 first downs. The Cougars had 285 yards and 15 first downs with one more touchdown than Wyo.
After suffering a concussion last week against Boise State, Wyoming’s new starting QB Kaden Anderson did not see the field tonight. Despite the criticism, that means that backup Svoboda, who was at first benched and later put in the tight end position, has actually led Wyoming to one more win than Anderson.
Football fans across Wyoming won’t get another chance to see any more quarterback play unfold, however. With no chance at a bowl game, the Cowboys’ season is over. With the offseason here, the University of Wyoming Athletics Department will have ample opportunity to assess just what happened this season.
