September 9, 2024 |
Photo – Wyoming Idaho game – Courtesy gowyo.com
The Cowboys defense held Idaho scoreless in the second half. Even good field position, in the second half, wasn’t enough to overcome the 17-points the Vandals scored in the first two quarters.
Wyoming fell to 0-and-2 on the season in a 17-13 home-opening loss. After the offense, looking out-of-synch, squandered good field position throughout the second half. The loss snapped a 7-0 home streak in Laramie.
The Cowboys got off to a good start offensively on the opening drive of the game. Quarterback Evan Svovoda busted out a 37-yard run in a play that the Cowboys did use in week one.
Keith Kelly had the call as Wyoming put up the biggest gain that any opponent had run on the Vandals this season. The Idaho State defense dug in, though. Now at the Vandals 36 yard-line, Wyoming gained only five more yards before settling for a John Hoyland field goal to take a 3-0 leading at the 12:50 mark of the first quarter.
The missed four opportunity points from not reaching the end zone would dog Wyoming the rest of the game.
The Vandals went three and out on their next set of downs. Wyoming looked to be back in business, first and ten from the Vandals 48-yard line when a bad snap put Idaho State back in business and on the move for a score.
The turnover changed the game. Idaho quarterback Jack Wagner drove the Vandals down the field on three plays, going inside with running back Elisha Cummings who busted a 13-yard run. Short passes to the inside picked up a couple of first downs before Cummings ran an outside sweep for a touchdown from the three yard line.
With less than four minutes on the clock in the first quarter, Svoboda drove the Cowboys downfield and scored again on a no-huddle 20-yard pass play. The offense line stuck with their blocks and pushed the Vandals back.
The Vandals roared back in the second quarter. With the Wyoming defensive line unable to pressure Wagner, Idaho scored a touchdown and a field goal to make it 17-10 at the half.
Throughout the second half, the Wyoming defense kept Idaho State scoreless, but the Cowboys offense sputtered. Wyoming put up a field goal at the start of the fourth quarter then squandered good field position a couple of times down the stretch to fall 17-13 in the home opener.
Wyoming senior tailback DJ Jones shined on offense for a second consecutive week, rushing for 80 yards on 15 carries. The Cowboys finished with 144 yards on the ground with a 5.2 yards-per-carry average and 270 yards of total offense. The passing offense struggled with junior tight end John Michael Gyllenborg out for the second week with an ankle injury.
Idaho put up 225 yards of total offense, split 101 through the air, 124 on the ground. The Vandals were 1 of 13 on first down conversions.
Cowboy head coach Jay Sawvel said the Cowboys made too many mistakes.
The schedule does not get any easier. Wyoming takes on BYU this week inside the War.
The Cougars come into Laramie 2-0 on the season after an 18-15 Friday night win over Southern Methodist University despite a series of turnovers.
Kickoff is set for Saturday night at 7 p.m.
