DECEMBER 2, 2024 |
Photo – UW Athletics logo – Bigfoot99 file image
The Wyoming Cowboys redeemed their hard-luck season Saturday night with a 90 yard, 14-play touchdown drive for a kneel-off 15-14 win over Washington State to cap off a long, disappointing season.
Evan Svoboda who carried the weight of the early season losses played the entire game Saturday night, filling in for redshirt freshman Kaden Anderson, who was unable to play because of a concussion suffered a week earlier. Svoboda hung tough all night and threw the winning touchdown pass to John Michael Gyllenborg in the closing seconds of the game.
Keith Kelly had the call late in the second half. Wyoming overcame three turnovers to put themselves in a position to win the contest on sheer grit. Wyoming’s improbable drive included one more big play. With 12-seconds remaining in the game, Washington State was at 3rd and 14. Cougars’ quarterback John Mateer threw an interception into the waiting hands of Wyoming’s Tyrecus Davis.
The first interception of the year for #12 Davis put the final bow on the big Wyoming win against the Washington State team that raided the Mountain West for teams to join them in the Pacific Coast Conference. The interception set up the kneel-off win for a beat-up Wyoming team.
Head coach Jay Sawvel said he was proud for the way his players continued to fight and improve despite producing only three-wins on the season. Wyoming’s W’s came against Air Force, New Mexico and Washington. Along the way, quarterback Evan Svoboda lost the starting spot to Kaden Anderson. Svoboda delivered Saturday night, though, with 206 passing yards and 340 total yards of total offense. Sawvel on his hang-tough quarterback who stuck with the plan.
In a tribute to his players, Coach Sawvel said despite how challenging the season was for his team, the Cowboys hung together through the string of tough losses and out of the running for a post-season game.
They deserve it.. The Wyoming defense was led Saturday night by the senior trio of linebackers Connor Shay, Shae Suiaunoa and cornerback Tyrecus Davis with seven tackles each. In all, The Cowboys saw 17 seniors play their final game in the Brown and Gold against Washington State.
