September 10, 2023 — The Wyoming Cowboys stayed undefeated Saturday with a 31-17 win over Portland State in Laramie. Offensively, the 2-0 Cowboys used three touchdown passes while the defense recorded nine tackles for loss, including four sacks, on their way to the victory. Portland State dropped to 0-2 on the season.
Bohl Post-Game Comments:
“I’m pleased that we won the game,” UW head coach Craig Bohl said. “I knew we had much more of a challenge than people on the outside felt. We certainly did some good things, but there are some things we can learn from. It’ll be a great opportunity for us to fix some things.”
“We are 2-0. Portland State fought, and I knew they would. I’ve been an FCS coach, and those guys, they got good players. Coach Barnum does a good job, and we are pleased we won.”
“I think (Ayir Asante) can have a big impact,” Bohl said, “He’s really smooth. He catches the ball well. He has really good speed. He’s one of the fastest players on the team.” Wide receiver Ayir Asante added a pair of touchdowns, the first of his career with the Brown and Gold in the victory. He had 78 yards receiving on the two catches, including one for 64 yards, the longest since the 2018 season.
“John Hoyland is coming up big again and again, Boyle stated. “Two 56-yarders is really impressive.” Hoyland kicked his second career-best 56-yard field goal in the third quarter Saturday to give the Pokes a 24-10 lead. He set the mark last week in the win over Texas Tech.
Pokes Offense:
Quarterback Andrew Peasley was 11-of-16 passing with a career-high three touchdown passes and one interception.
Wide receiver Wyatt Wieland led the team with three catches for 50 yards and a score.
Running back Sam Scott had a career-high 70 yards rushing on 11 carries.
The Wyoming offense recorded 371 yards of total offense on the day, with 201 passing and 170 on the ground. Portland State had 344 yards of total offense, with 254 passing and 90 on the ground.
Wyoming Defense:
The Wyoming defense was paced by Nickel Wrook Brown and linebacker Easton Gibbs with eight tackles. Safeties Wyett Ekeler and Isaac White added seven tackles, with Ekeler adding an interception for the second of his career.
The interior of the defensive line had a strong day, with Jordan Bertagnole adding seven tackles with a sack and Cole Godbout adding six tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
How the Pokes Scored:
1st Quarter – Jamie Ferrell on a 1-yard run – Wyoming 7-0
1st Quarter – Ayir Asante 64-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Peasley – Wyoming 14-0
2nd-Quarter – Wyatt Wieland 29-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Peasley – Wyoming 21-7
3rd Quarter – John Hoyland 56-yard field goal – Wyoming 24-10
3rd Quarter – Ayir Asante 14-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Peasley – Wyoming 31-10
Who’s Next:
The Cowboys head to Austin, Texas, to play nationally ranked and undefeated Texas (2-0). Saturday night, #11 Texas defeated #3 Alabama 34-24 on the road. The game will be broadcast on WyoRadio’s 99.7 JACK-FM and 99KSIT.com at 3:30 p.m., with kick-off scheduled for 5 p.m.
