Wyoming
Wyoming falls apart in second half, loses to North Texas 44-17
Consistency…consistency.
The blips of success witnessed in the last two weeks have yet to be sustained.
When the Cowboys begin establishing themselves, it feels like a mirage.
You want to believe it will continue, but know it won’t last.
Apathy is in abundance in Laramie.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter (7-3 UNT Advantage)
9:54 – 30-yard field goal by K John Hoyland
Wyoming 3 – North Texas 0
7:18 – 29-yard pass from QB Chandler Morris to WR DT Sheffield (Kali Nguma PAT)
Wyoming 3 – North Texas 7
2nd Quarter (20-14 UNT Advantage)
14:12 – 23-yard field goal by K Kali Nguma
Wyoming 3 – North Texas 10
5:54 – 19-yard pass from QB Chandler Morris to WR Blair Conwright (Kali Nguma PAT)
Wyoming 3 – North Texas 17
2:15 – 41-yard pass from QB Evan Svoboda to RB Sam Scott (John Hoyland PAT)
Wyoming 10 – North Texas 17
1:17 – 4-yard run by RB Makenzie McGill (Kali Nguma PAT)
Wyoming 10 – North Texas 24
1:03 – 100-yard kickoff return by WR Tyler King (John Hoyland PAT)
Wyoming 17 – North Texas 24
0:00 – 45-yard field goal by K Kali Nguma
Wyoming 17 – North Texas 27
HALFTIME
3rd Quarter (14-0 UNT Advantage)
10:10 – 2-yard run by RB Makenzie McGill (Kali Nguma PAT)
Wyoming 17 – North Texas 34
5:17 – 24-yard run by RB Makenzie McGill (Kali Nguma PAT)
Wyoming 17 – North Texas 41
4th Quarter (3-0 UNT Advantage)
2:07 – 34-yard field goal by Kali Nguma
Wyoming 17 – North Texas 44
FINAL
NORTH TEXAS MEAN GREEN 44 – WYOMING COWBOYS 17
WYOMING PLAYER OF THE GAME
WR Tyler King – Special teams were anemic in 2024. King made sure to end that in Denton. With North Texas extending their lead to 14 with just over a minute left in the first half, any momentum that Wyoming held dissipated. But, the sophomore maneuvered his way to the left side of the field before turning on the jets to the endzone.
He gave the Pokes life before halftime.
*Courtesy of ESPN and Wyoming Athletics
GRADES
Offense – D
Starting the game with their scripted plays, Wyoming did a solid job of methodically driving down the field for points. However, the longer the game went, the less success they had.
Evan Svoboda was okay but still lacked the reliability on throws that needed to be converted.
He finished with a sub-50% completion rate and only 155 passing yards.
The run game was bad.
Real bad.
Sam Scott managed 39 yards.
D.J. Jones…22 yards.
Jamari Ferrell?
-6 yards.
The longest run of the day was a Svoboda eight-yard scamper.
Two critical pieces in Jay Johnson’s offense were Sam Scott and tight end John Michael Gyllenborg. Scott hauled in a 41-yard receiving TD that showcased his speed, while Gyllenborg did what he does best.
Get open and be a consistent target when attempting to move the chains.
He led the team in receptions (five) and receiving yards (56).
Something you won’t find in the box score is the handful of botched snaps by center Nofoafia Tulafono. On each occasion, Svoboda could not clean up the mess – resulting in stalled-out drives.
Defense – D-
Two of North Texas’ three opening drives in the second half resulted in touchdowns.
The Cowboys knew going into this game that the Mean Green would be tough to slow down in the air.
Chandler Morris had a field day against the Pokes – passing for 305 yards, two touchdowns, and a 68.2% completion rate.
Despite North Texas not having their top two running backs, Shane Porter had no trouble taking the mantle.
The junior tallied 120 yards on 13 carries.
Allowing over 500 yards of offense and your opponent to convert all four of their 4th down attempts is not winning football.
Not getting off the field in pivotal moments was compounded by Morris’ ability to scramble for first downs.
The “bend, but don’t break” defense only works if you…don’t break.
In Denton, the Cowboys’ defense was softer than a toasted marshmallow.
Special Teams – B+
This was the best performance by a Wyoming unit in 2024.
Tyler King’s kick return TD carries a lot of weight, but John Hoyland was perfect on the day (one field goal and two PATs).
Jack Culbreath didn’t have his best outing, averaging 38.7 yards a punt.
However, he did pin two of his six attempts inside the 20.
There have been a select amount of times this season where one of the Pokes’ three phases contributed positively the entire game.
Kudos to co-special teams coordinators Benny Boyd and Shannon Moore.
WHAT DOES THIS RESULT SIGNIFY?
Wyoming is in limbo.
With the amount of veterans returning, 2024 was not intended to be a rebuild.
But it is clear that this team is miles upon miles away from being where they want.
Head coach Jay Sawvel sums it up best with two quotes following today’s loss.
“We’re not good right now. We’re not good at anything right now.”
“I take ownership of it. I’ve jacked it all up for our whole program right now, and we have to get it fixed.”
*Alex Taylor of WyoSports published these remarks on X (Twitter)
GOING FORWARD
Wyoming sits at 0-4 for the first time since 2015.
That year, their winless campaign finally ended after a 0-6 start.
The Cowboys will face Mountain West competition between now and a November 30th matchup with Washington State on the Palouse.
Some have been better than advertised in the preseason.
San Jose State and New Mexico, for example.
Others have disappointed.
Looking at you, Air Force and Utah State.
Wyoming will return to Laramie and host the Falcons next Saturday in a battle of Mountain West cellar-dwellers.
For Poke fans, a loss on September 28th forces them to hope for their first win in mid-October.
What are your reactions to Wyoming’s loss against North Texas and how the season has unraveled so quickly?
Leave your comments down below!
It’s always wildlife viewing season in Wyoming, and I hope you’ll be cautious and responsible while checking out our vast wildlife. You’d think that would be something that doesn’t need to be said, but it is.
Seeing wildlife is an exciting time, not just for tourons, but anytime you get to see animals in the wild, it’s awesome.
We hear stories all the time about people who get too close to bison, bear, elk, wolves, or moose. Many stories don’t have a good outcome and end in a visit to the emergency room.
Again, showing respect for the animals shouldn’t be said, but it has to be. Before embarking on your animal viewing adventure, you should think about the proper distance to stay away, the best viewing practices, and what tools to use to have the best chance of seeing the animals without disturbing them.
Here are a few tips for you to remember that will surely enhance your experience.
- Stay a safe distance away from the animals you’re looking at.
- 100 yards from Grizzlies and wolves.
- 25 yards from animals like deer, elk, bison, or moose.
- 25 to 50 feet from birds or smaller animals.
- Recognize the signs of a threat from an animal.
- Keep an eye open for grunts, growls, pawing at the ground, snorting, or if the animal seems disturbed by your presence.
- Carry personal safety items like bear spray, and know how to use them.
- Make noise. Let them know you’re there without causing the animals to panic, so they don’t get spooked.
- Do not feed the animals.
- Keep your food secure and sealed in a bear-resistant container or cooler.
- Do your research and know the best times and areas to view certain animals.
- Stay on trails, in designated viewing areas, and do not remove items from nature.
- If you pack it in, pack it out. Leaving trash and food scattered is dangerous to the animals and others around you.
- Keep your head on a swivel.
- Even though some animals are large and you think you can see them coming, they can be stealthy and be upon you in seconds.
- Know where you are at all times. You don’t want to wander off the trail and end up on someone else’s property or get lost and need help.
- If you’re not experienced in the area where you are, go with a guide or someone who is.
Have fun, be safe, take pictures, and respect the wildlife.
9 Important Items To Carry With You When Viewing Wildlife In Wyoming
Gallery Credit: Drew Kirby, Townsquare Media
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Wyoming is home to well over 100 mammal species.
Gallery Credit: Getty Images
Identifying Wyoming’s Most Common Wildlife Droppings
Enjoy the unseasonably warm April weather while it lasts, because it’ll be gone by Thursday.
A slow-moving cold front will move across Wyoming between Wednesday night and Friday. When it does, temperatures will drop up to 50 degrees in some places, and the entire state will get some snow.
“At this time of year, you can see the pendulum swing from one direction to another very quickly,” said Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day. “We’re going to see equal but opposite extremes in temperature on Thursday and Friday, and just about everyone’s going to see snow.”
Pendulum Swings
Day categorized the incoming cold front as “a true taste of winter” returning to Wyoming. That’s not uncommon in April, but the intense reversal will catch a lot of Wyomingites off guard.
“Last week, we had temperatures in the 70s and 80s,” he said. “This Friday, temperatures will be more than 50 degrees colder in places. I’m looking at 32 degrees in Cody, 28 degrees in Cheyenne and 25 degrees in Laramie. And those are the highs.”
Thursday night and Friday morning temperatures could be in the upper teens and lower 20s, and Day wouldn’t be surprised to see subzero temperatures in Yellowstone National Park.
However, Day wouldn’t categorize this as an extreme switch, especially during a historically volatile month like April. It’s just the luck of the draw in Wyoming.
“One thing about Wyoming is that we’re situated to be affected by air masses from much different source regions,” he said. “¥ou get air out of the deserts today and tomorrow, followed by air out of the Pacific Northwest on Thursday and Friday.
“Sometimes, those air masses switch in less than 24 hours. But the pendulum swinging is normal in April. People talk about what the normal highs and lows should be, but all normal are averages of the extremes.”
When It Snows, It Pours
Between Wednesday night and Friday, nearly all of Wyoming will see some precipitation, probably in the form of snow. However, there’s still some uncertainty about how much precipitation will fall and the proportion of wet snow to cold rain.
“The precipitation moving in with the front may start as rain in some places, or may be all snow in other places,” said meteorologist Celia Hensley with the National Weather Service office in Riverton. “The biggest question mark with this forecast is how intense will it be snowing.”
Hensley said there could be some snow accumulation depending on ground temperature. Snow is expected to start sticking on grassy surfaces, but it could get cold enough to form on roads and highways, especially overnight.
“With temperatures right around that freezing mark, the precipitation should mostly be snow,” she said. “However, given our recent warmth, the time of year, and sun angle, impacts to travel on roadways during the daylight hours should be minimal. Higher elevation areas like mountain passes, Wind River Canyon, and Casper Mountain will be impacted more than lower elevation areas.”
Between Wednesday and Thursday, the entire state of Wyoming could receive up to half an inch of precipitation, rain, or snow.
According to NWS Riverton, communities like Cody, Casper, Buffalo, and Riverton have an 80% to 95% chance of getting over an inch of new snow by Saturday. Lander, meanwhile, has an 85% chance of seeing over four inches of snow during the same period.
“We’re looking at anywhere from three-tenths of an inch of moisture on the low end,” Hensley said. “Some places, especially in the mountains, may see up to an inch of moisture.”
This is one of those cold fronts where a few hundred feet could make all the difference. Hensley said it will be entirely dependent on air and ground temperatures once the snow starts to fall.
“What could be rain or light, misty snow in downtown Riverton could be heavy snow at the NWS Riverton Office, 500 feet higher up,” she said. “A few hundred feet of elevation could make all the difference in snowfall and whether it’s accumulating on roads.”
Will It Be Enough?
Michael Natoli with the NWS Office in Cheyenne is anticipating the “abrupt end” of the warm weather Wyoming has been enjoying for the last two weeks. The cold front should bring its full brunt to southeast Wyoming by Thursday evening.
“We may see some rain showers right at the beginning, but we expect this to transition to snow pretty quickly,” he said. “Amounts are still uncertain, but there is a potential for some accumulating snow, even in the valleys.”
The big question is whether this weather system will be enough to alleviate the drought gripping the southeast corner of Wyoming. Natoli said every drop of moisture is welcome, but the monthly threshold has yet to be reached.
“We’re headed into our wettest time of the year, but just one of these storms is not enough to dent the drought,” he said. “In Cheyenne, the average liquid precipitation in April is close to two inches through the month. So far, we have received essentially nothing. Half an inch of precipitation from this storm is the most likely scenario right now, which is a good amount, but we have a ways to go to make up the long-term deficit.”
Meanwhile, daytime highs in southeast Wyoming will be in the 20s and 30s. There’s no escaping the impact of this winter weather system.
“It’s going to cool down pretty quickly,” Natoli said. “This is going to be a pretty cold storm.”
Morning Warning
The consensus among Wyoming meteorologists is that the incoming cold front will be a full-fledged winter weather system and should be treated as such. That means anyone traveling will want to anticipate what they’ll encounter, depending on their timing.
“I do think there’s going to be travel problems, especially during the night hours,” Day said. “When it’s that cold, the snow accumulates, and ice could accumulate.”
Daytime travel shouldn’t be much of an issue, thanks to the sun angle keeping things just warm and bright enough to melt accumulated ice and snow. According to Day, the biggest “headaches” will be the consistently problematic areas like South Pass, Powder River Pass, Teton Pass, Togwotee Pass, and the section of I-80 between Cheyenne and Rawlins.
“It can freeze and snow during the day, but the April sun is intense enough to get through the clouds,” he said. “The times to watch out for during these April snow events are nights and mornings when it’s dark, and things ice up quickly, and all these areas will be problems overnight on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.”
Get It While It’s Good
The slow-moving cold front will have moved on by the weekend, and temperatures are expected to moderate to seasonal normals. However, Day said this pattern will set a precedent for the rest of April.
“Next week looks cold and unsettled, with more chances for rain and snow,” he said. “Temperatures over the weekend will still be chilly. It’s not going to stay as cold as it’ll get in Friday, but I expect it to be cooler and unsettled all the way through the end of April.”
According to Day, Wyoming wants it that way. Cooler temperatures will slow the melting of the state’s snowpack, moderating the amount of water flowing into the river basins, fields, and reservoirs.
“You don’t want it to be too warm in April,” he said. “Then people start freaking out about the runoff and the mountains accelerating too quickly. You want it more metered and spread out, and this system will slow down the melt in the high country significantly.”
There could be another pendulum swing into the 80s before the end of April, but Day doesn’t think it’s likely. That leaves him with a simple message of calm before the storm.
“Enjoy the next two days,” he said, “because it’s going to be a bit before it gets this nice again.”
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
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