LARAMIE, Wyo. — In what may be become Wyoming’s most remembered conference game of the season, the Cowboys were forced to hand over the Bridger Rifle trophy to the Utah State Aggies after a 27-25 home loss. Six lead changes, back-and-forth quarterback switching and a call so controversial it warranted an official statement from the referee made this evening one the Pokes won’t soon forget.

Wide Receiver Tyler King was having a good game. He rushed for 79 yards, received for 52, ran a 21-yard kick return and ran a 54-yard touchdown constituting half of Wyoming’s touchdowns tonight. When he was on the field and had the ball in his hands, the Cowboys were getting downfield.

That was until he received the ball and an ensuing tackle that knocked him to the ground and made him fumble the ball, which Utah State took advantage of by running away with it. King was knocked to the ground and had to be assisted walking off the field. Cowboys fans were enraged because there was no call for targeting.

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Following the game’s conclusion, Mountain West official Cal McNeill, lead ref in tonight’s contest, released a statement defending the lack of call.

“The play in question was reviewed for all elements of targeting and did not meet the requirements for rule 9-1-3. The offensive player was a runner, not a defenseless player,” McNeill said. “In that situation, in order for it to be targeting, it would have had to have been leading with the crown of the helmet.”

In his post game press conference, Wyoming Football Head Coach Jay Sawvel accepted the decision. Although, he added that it was not a positive force in momentum-building and did make a comment earlier in the conference suggesting that he didn’t think the officiating has been up to snuff.

“We got the ball deep in their territory,” Sawvel said. “We’re at least going to get something out of it, right? And flip—the ball is in our territory. If I remember right on that series, we stopped them in that situation but, still, we were in a position to get points.”

Wyoming Football Head Coach Jaw Sawvel speaking on Oct. 26, 2024 (Garrett Grochowski, Oil City News)

It’s circumstances like that that explain the disparity between touchdowns and total offensive yards: a ratio 2:470. Instead, the bulk of Wyoming’s points were field goals from kicker John Hoyland. Hoyland scored a total of 12 points for the Cowboys in the contest.

The other noticeable change in the Cowboy’s offense was the team’s new two-quarterback solution. Starting quarterback Evan Svoboda wasn’t performing to the caliber expected of him, but backup quarterback Kaden Anderson still has uncertainties surrounding his leadership and play-making. The solution? play them both.

In total, Anderson rushed for a gain of 33 yards. He passed for 182 yards and was 15-24 on attempts. Svoboda, meanwhile, passed for 12 yards and had an interception.

Whether this will continue to be the offensive strategy for the Pokes or whether one will usurp the other is something Sawvel did not make a definitive comment on.

“With the quarterbacks, it’s something that we have to go back, watch all the videos and see where we’re at with certain things,” Sawvel said.

Anderson spoke at tonight’s press conference as well. There, he dismissed the potential notion that he was at all discouraged by the new system, even in moments where he drives the ball close to the end-zone just to be switched out with Svoboda.

“I had a three-and-out there and coach said he’s gonna ride the hot hand. I did have a three-and-out in the second quarter,” Anderson said. “When he pulled me or whatever, I was fine. I love Evan. I feel like we support each other very well.”

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