Cowboys upset Texas Tech

The Cowboys kicked off their 2023 season at War Memorial Stadium with an overtime win against Texas Tech University.

After a significant weather delay, Wyoming’s offense looked slow coming out of the gate, starting the season with false start penalties to begin their first two drives, along with a fumble by Jamari Ferrell to hand Texas Tech the ball on Wyoming’s half of the field. 

Texas Tech’s offense, however, quickly got to work with a fast-paced no huddle scheme, putting up 14 points less than 6 minutes into the opening quarter. Red Raider quarterback Tyler Shough started the game 6/6 with two touchdowns before the Wyoming defense began to stop the bleeding. 

After another Wyoming fumble within their own 40-yard line that led to a Texas Tech field goal, Wyoming’s highly anticipated defense was stout, holding the Red Raiders scoreless in the second quarter. 

After Josh Hoyland hit a career-long 56-yard field goal to put the Pokes on the board, it was a Wrook Brown interception at the Wyoming 44-yard line that lit the fire under the offense. The play led to a 5-yard touchdown dump to fullback Caleb Driskell, making the score 17-10 Texas Tech. 

Andrew Peasley took a late hit to the head on the scoring drive, and exited the game later in the quarter as Evan Svaboda stepped into the helm as quarterback.

Peasley would return to start the second half after another superb defensive stand by the Pokes. On their first drive, Wyoming got aggressive and converted a 4th down attempt at the Tech-30 yard line. 

A few plays later, running back Sam Scott utilized incredible blocking by the o-line to run the ball in from 16-yards out, knotting the game up at 17. Tech immediately tried to send a jab back at the Pokes, but a 40-yard field goal fell well short of the mark, thanks to the hand of junior Gavin Meyer. 

Wyoming would go on to convert a field goal in the red zone, taking their first lead of the game with 9-minutes left in regulation. Again, the Red Raiders stormed down the field, putting themselves into field goal range. 

However, a Texas 50-yard kick attempt proved to be faulty once more, their third miss of the night. After another Cowboy drive stalled, the Red Raiders were finally able to cash in a game tying 27-yard field goal with 41 seconds left. A speedy drive for the Pokes failed to come up with a game winner, and the contest headed into overtime. 

The Cowboys elected to put their offense on the field first in extra time, and a war-torn Peasley ran the ball in from 5-yards out. In like fashion, Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks scampered in from 6-yards, forcing a second overtime. 

A well-placed Tyler Shough pass to receiver Jerand Bradley resulted in 6-points for Tech, but they fell short on the ensuing 2-point conversion. The Cowboy’s offense stalled as they tried to match Texas, and they were faced with a 4th down, 11 yards from the endzone. With a rusher directly in his face, Peasley delivered a bullet into the hands of John Gyllenborg, who trounced into the endzone. 

With the game tied, Sam Scott delivered the knockout punch with a 2-yard run into the endzone for the two-point conversion. Chaos ensued as fans rushed the field. Wyoming came up with an unlikely upset on a night that one won’t soon forget.