OCTOBER 21, 2024 |
Photo – #15 Chris Durr with the ball – Courtesy gowyo.com
Wyoming fell 24-14 Saturday to San Jose State on homecoming day in the heart of Silicon Valley 50 miles south of San Francisco.
The Spartans malfunctioned and glitched, but the Cowboys failed to capitalize on the miscues. Rather than returning to Laramie with an upset win, the Cowboys fell to 1-6 overall, and 1-2 in the Conference to a loss they could have avoided.
Wyoming blocked a San Jose State field goal attempt, recovered a fumble on a kickoff, and intercepted an errant pass.
It was all for nought. San Jose State put points on the board early. In their opening drive, the Spartans marched downfield in one-minute and-15 seconds. Floyd Chalk ran for a 39-yard touchdown. After the extra point, the Spartans wouldn’t score again until the end of the half. With 21-seconds on the clock, Nick Nash caught a 17-yard pass from Walker Eget to cap off a 97-yard drive. San Jose State headed into the locker room with a 14-0 lead over the Cowboys.
The Spartans had the lead despite a blocked field goal and three first half-turnovers.
Wyoming finally got on the board at the 8:33 mark of the third quarter after another San Jose State turnover. Quarterback Evan Svoboda hit 6-1 wide receiver Justin Stevenson.
The red-shirt freshman climbed the ladder in the end zone to haul in his first touchdown catch of the season. The extra point was good. Wyoming trailed by seven points midway through the third quarter. The Cowboy defense needed a stop, but the Pokes could not hold San Jose State.
In their next possession, the Spartans cruised down the field and cashed in a 26-yard field goal for a 17-7 lead. The time was 6:08 in the fourth quarter.
San Jose made it 24-7 midway through the fourth quarter. Jabar Bates scored on a 19-yard touchdown run.
On the following drive, as Wyoming was looking to cut the lead to one score, Svoboda was picked off deep in San Jose State territory. The Spartans took advantage of the Cowboys miscue, with an eight-play, 86-yard drive and a touchdown for a 17-point lead.
24-7 was the score at the 7-minute mark of the fourth quarter.
Svoboda watched from the sidelines as Kaden Anderson came in for Wyoming at quarterback. With less than a minute to go in the game, the red-shirt freshman from Southlake, Texas threw the ball up for grabs, John Michael Gillenborg came down with it for a score.
Despite recovering four San Jose State turnovers, the Cowboys lost 24-14.
Head coach Jay Sawvel was not happy with his team’s overall performance.
Sawvel said the Cowboys don’t have anybody to blame but themselves. Execution was poor and his players beat themselves.
San Jose State put up 498 yards of total offense, 322 yards passing and 176 on the ground. Wyoming threw for a season-high 310 yards but were held to only 56 yards rushing.
The Cowboys are home again this Saturday in a 5 o’clock game against Utah State. The Aggies lost to New Mexico 50-to-45 shootout on Friday night.
Like Wyoming, Utah State is 1-6 overall. The Cowboys one win came in conference play.
