DENTON, TEXAS — The Wyoming Cowboys (0-4) were unable to contain the high-powered North Texas offense, falling 44-17 in their non-conference finale at DATCU Stadium on Saturday evening. The loss keeps the Cowboys winless on the season as they prepare to open Mountain West play next week.

The Cowboys’ defense, which has shown promise on third downs in recent games, managed to hold the Mean Green to 4-of-14 on third down conversions. However, North Texas proved unstoppable on fourth down, converting all four of their attempts. Wyoming head coach Jay Sawvel expressed his frustration with the team’s inability to finish defensive stands.

“I thought the start we had was pretty good offensively on the opening drive,” Sawvel said. “But defensively, while we’ve done some good things on third down, we just couldn’t get off the field on fourth down. We had to get off the field, and we are taxed a little bit. We have to redefine ourselves.”

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North Texas, one of the nation’s top offensive units, racked up 534 yards of total offense, with 318 yards coming through the air and 216 on the ground. In contrast, Wyoming struggled to move the ball, accumulating just 140 yards of total offense, including 175 passing yards and 65 rushing yards.

Running back Sam Scott provided a rare bright spot for the Cowboys, recording a career-high 52 receiving yards, including a 41-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Evan Svoboda. Scott also added 39 rushing yards. Tight end John Michael Gyllenborg had a solid outing as well, tying a career-high with five catches for 56 yards, including a 31-yard reception on the opening drive.

On special teams, wide receiver Tyler King delivered a highlight play with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter, Wyoming’s first kickoff return score since 2021. Kicker John Hoyland also contributed with a 30-yard field goal in the first quarter, adding to his school-record 61 career field goals.

Defensively, Wyoming was led by linebackers Shae Suiaunoa and Connor Shay, who combined for 17 tackles. Suiaunoa led the team with nine tackles, while Shay added a career-high eight. Nickelback Malique Singleton and cornerback Keany Parks also stepped up, each recording career-high four tackles.

The Cowboys will look to bounce back as they return to War Memorial Stadium next Saturday for their Mountain West opener against Air Force. The Homecoming game is set for a 6 p.m. kickoff.