In the days leading up to the 116th Border War between the Wyoming Cowboys and Colorado State Rams, Wyoming head coach Jay Sawvel urged the importance of the Cowboys stopping the Rams’ powerful one-two punch running attack with running backs Avery Morrow and Justin Marshall.
Apparently, his team didn’t get the memo.
After just one quarter of play, the Rams’ rushing attack had already compiled 156 yards. For a unit that had given up 412 yards on the ground in their previous outing, their defensive effort just wasn’t good enough if the Cowboys wanted to retain the Bronze Boot trophy for the fourth year in a row.
“I thought right off the bat, we did a poor job,” Sawvel said of his team’s effort against the Rams’ running attack.
The Rams then turned to their aerial attack in the second quarter, gashing the Cowboys’ secondary with 90 yards through the air in the second frame. The Cowboys were fortunate that their defense was able to stand the Rams up not once, but twice at the goal line in the second quarter to keep this one at 17-3 at the half.
BIG stop for the Cowboys just before halftime
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However, a two play, 85-yard drive on the Rams’ opening drive of the second half quickly made this one 24-3. This one was aiming to be a blowout, and things were getting out of hand quickly for the Cowboys.
Still, while the Cowboys’ defense in their previous outing didn’t leave much to desire, or expect in this one, the Cowboys’ offense performance in their last outing left one foaming at the mouth for more. A 604 yard effort in their last game was easily the best offensive performance the Cowboys have had all year. Pioneered by newly starting freshman quarterback Kaden Anderson and a group of talented, but relatively young and inexperienced receivers, this offensive group was beginning to show a promise that the Cowboys hadn’t seen all season long.
Yet, all that promise seemed to dissipate before our very eyes inside Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins.
Those young receivers, who contributed to a season high 342 yards through the air last game combined for a total of seven drops on the game, doing their young field general no favors in his attempt to spearhead a second half comeback.
“We threw the ball a whole bunch at the end and we dropped every one of them,” Sawvel said. “[We were] not executing the way you need to.”
Anderson also made a few bad reads and passes on the night that contributed to a rather subpar performance compared to his previous outing, as the signal caller ended the night with 120 yards, completing 13 of 30 passes with no touchdowns or interceptions through the air, but did rush for one touchdown.
Kaden Anderson UNTOUCHED
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“I don’t think I played to my ability, for sure,” Anderson said.
If not for a 62-yard scamper by senior running back Jamari Ferrell that would ultimately set up the Cowboys’ only touchdown of the night, the Cowboys would have only rushed for 55 yards. That group of running backs never really could find their footing in this one.
“The team that was going to run the ball the best tonight was going to win, and we did not do that,” Sawvel said.
“We didn’t win the line of scrimmage on either side of the ball.”
Still, despite just how ugly this one had been, the Cowboys were well in this game in the third quarter when they brought it to 24-10. Outside of the Rams’ touchdown to open the third quarter, the Cowboy defense forced five punts and a missed field goal through the final two frames of play.
Yet, the ineptness of the Cowboys’ offense led them to being unable to return those defensive favors into any points, despite the Cowboy defense gifting their offense opportunity after opportunity in the second half.
“We didn’t man up enough to win that game. Even in that last series, we dropped the ball probably three times on that last drive…you got to give yourself a chance,” Sawvel said.
Despite all the mistakes, mishaps and miscues in this one, watching the Rams victoriously hoist the Bronze Boot trophy was likely the hardest thing for this Cowboys team to watch tonight. Many of the seniors on this squad have never not known the Boot to be in Laramie. Now, in their final year, they’ll be taking the trip home to Laramie without the most important piece of hardware in program history.
“Out of all my years playing football, it’s probably the toughest loss I’ve had, personally. That hurt a lot,” Anderson said.
“That was probably the worst feeling of my life, and I just feel terrible, you know,” junior guard Jack Walsh said. “I just feel absolutely terrible. I feel like I let those [seniors] down.”
