Wyoming Cowboys 37-34 Overtime Loss
in Season Opener at Nevada
Pokes Fight Back From 22-Point Deficit Late in Third Quarter to Force Overtime
in Season Opener at Nevada
Pokes Fight Back From 22-Point Deficit Late in Third Quarter to Force Overtime
Laramie, Wyo. (Oct. 24, 2020) – Saturday’s season opener for the Wyoming Cowboys was an emotional one. On the third play of the game, Wyoming starting quarterback and team captain Sean Chambers suffered an ankle injury that required him to be carted off the field. But after suffering that dramatic loss of their QB, the Cowboys showed incredible heart as they fought back from a 22-point deficit (28-6) with 3:47 remaining in the third quarter to force overtime before falling 37-34 in the first overtime to the Wolf Pack.
The Cowboy defense kept Wyoming in the game in the first half, forcing two Nevada turnovers and making a dramatic goal-line stand. At halftime, UW trailed by only eight points at 14-6. Nevada would come out in the third quarter and score touchdowns on back-to-back drives to take their largest lead at 28-6 late in the third. But from that point forward the Pokes took charge and fought back to tie the game 28-28 at the 8:30 mark of the fourth quarter. Nevada retook the lead at 31-28 with 3:26 remaining in the game, but the Cowboys would drive 74 yards in 11 plays on their final drive of the fourth quarter and true freshman place-kicker John Hoyland would make a 42-yard field goal with 23 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 31-31 and force overtime.
In the first overtime, Wyoming could not convert a first down and Hoyland would come in to kick a 38-yard field goal, his fourth of the game, to give Wyoming its first lead of the game at 34-31. But Nevada quarterback Carson Strong would find wide receiver Romeo Doubs on a nine-yard touchdown pass to win the game 37-31.
After the game, Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl had this to say about the hard-fought game, including commenting about the difficult week faced by Nevada head coach Jay Norvell, whose father Merritt Norvell passed away earlier this week. “First of all I want to give credit to Nevada,” said Bohl. “I know Coach (Jay) Norvell has gone through a lot this week. I knew his father. I’m sure his team rallied around Coach Norvell. I thought they (Nevada) played well.
“We got off to a slow start and there are certainly things we need to work on in all three phases of the game. The desire is there but the execution needs to improve. We have a lot to play for this year, and we play a good Hawai’i team in Laramie this next week.
“Football is a game of momentum. Our guys believed. They didn’t panic. They played with poise, and the momentum started to swing our way. I can’t say enough about our freshman kicker (John Hoyland). I thought he was unbelievable. There are a lot of good things, but there are things we have to work on.”
The dramatic opening of the game with the loss of QB Chambers saw Wyoming unable to gain a first down on that opening series and on the ensuing punt, Nevada looked like they would return a punt for a touchdown, but the Wolf Pack were called for offside giving Wyoming a first down. Redshirt freshman quarterback Levi Williams entered the game for Wyoming, but the Poke were again forced to punt.
After a 34-yard punt by Wyoming graduate transfer Nick Null, Nevada took over at its own 22-yard line. The Wolf Pack proceeded to drive 78 yards in 10 plays, scoring on a 26-yard pass from quarterback Carson Strong to wide receiver Tory Horton. The extra point was successful by place-kicker Brandon Talton and Nevada had a 7-0 lead with 6:25 remaining in the first quarter. Strong was a perfect 7-for-7 passing on the opening drive for 68 yards.
The Cowboys were forced to a three-and-out on their next possession when Williams was unable to connect with wide receiver Dontae Crow on a third and three pass play from the Wyoming 32-yard line. Null punted for the second time, this one a 43-yard punt back to the Nevada 25-yard line.
The Wyoming defense stepped up big on the Wolf Pack’s second drive forcing their first turnover of the season. Junior linebacker Chad Muma forced the fumble and sophomore linebacker Charles Hicks recovered the fumble at the Nevada 26-yard line. After gaining a first down on the first play on a 10-yard run by junior running back Xazavian Valladay, Wyoming’s drive stalled at the Nevada 10-yard line. True freshman Hoyland came on to make his first career field goal from 27 yards to narrow the score to 7-3 with 2:38 remaining in the first quarter.
Wyoming’s defense came up big again, forcing the Wolf Pack into a three-and-out on Nevada’s next possession. The Cowboy offense took over after the punt at its own 30-yard line. On first down, Williams dropped back and threw deep down field connecting with redshirt freshman wide receive Neyor for 45 yards. Neyor went up and made a great catch on the play, recording the first catch of his career. That took the ball down to the Nevada 25-yard line. Williams would hit running back Trey Smith on a six-yard pass on second and 10, but the Pokes couldn’t gain a first down on a third-and-four and on the first play of the second quarter Hoyland came in to kick his second field goal of the game -- this one from 36 yards -- to cut the Nevada lead to one point at 7-6. Wyoming’s drive went 61 yards in five plays.
The first quarter ended with the two teams having very similar statistical totals. Wyoming ran 17 plays for 88 yards, and Nevada ran 16 plays for 92 yards. Both teams gained the majority of their yardage through the air -- 64 for Wyoming and 80 for Nevada.
