The Cowboys hoist the Bronze Boot after their Border War victory in Fort Collins on Friday night. (Photo via Wyoming Athletics)
The Bronze Boot will live another year in Laramie as the Wyoming Cowboys pulled off a 34-21 victory over Colorado State on Friday night. The Border War was the first one played at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins since it opened, and just like the last Border War at Hughes Stadium, the Cowboys christened the new stadium with a win.
The Cowboys announced before the game that junior DT Youhanna Ghaifan was indefinitely suspended due to being cited for a pair of misdemeanors. At the time it looked that that would be a death knell for the Cowboys. However, the defense came to play.
The Cowboys also started true freshman Sean Chambers. He was making his first career start for the Cowboys after getting his first action last weekend against Utah State. The Cowboy offense came alive due to the mobility of Chambers and the play of the team around him. Chambers finished 7-10 for 116 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 107 yards and a score.
Nico Evans turned in another nice game with 179 yards rushing and a score, as well as a receiving touchdown. Evans is among the leaders in the Mountain West in yards from scrimmage this season.
The Cowboys started off the scoring with a 30 yard Cooper Rothe field goal to go up 3-0. Nico Evans kept the scoring rolling in the third quarter with a 14 yard touchdown pass from Chambers to go up 10-0. One drive later the Cowboys kept piling on, this time Chambers taking in an eight yard run for a score. The offense wasn’t done, however, as Nico Evans punched in a 48 yard run to put the Pokes up 24-0 late in the third.
However, the Rams would respond with a 15 yard run from Marvin Kinsey to close the cap. Roth would add another field goal on the following drive to go up 27-7. Kinsey would punch in another score to keep closing the gap but Wyoming would have a response.
Tyree Mayfield hauled in a 43 yard pass from Sean Chambers to put the final dagger into Colorado State with 7:39 left in the game. Colorado State got one final score from Collin Hill but it was too little too late. Marcus Epps sealed the game with an interception of Hill late in the fourth quarter.
Wyoming moved to 3-6 on the season and will need to win out to become bowl eligible. The Cowboys now trail Colorado State 58-47-5 in the series. Since the Bronze Boot came to be the Cowboys lead the series 27-24.
Wyoming will next host San Jose State in Laramie for a noon kickoff next Saturday.