LARAMIE, Wyo.– A 100-yard kick return to start the second half, the first BYU football kick return for a TD since 2014, gave the Cougars all the momentum they would need in a 34-14 win over the Wyoming Cowboys.
CAPTAIN ATLANTA 🫡 pic.twitter.com/LDTfqym3Ya
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) September 15, 2024
First Quarter
14:15 – Quick three-and-out from the Wyoming offense on the opening drive. BYU started the game in nickel, with Jakob Robinson starting in the nickelback spot.
10:35 – Jake Retzlaff tossed an interception on the opening offensive series. The BYU offense was rolling down the field. Retzlaff took a shot to the endzone intended for Kody Epps and it almost appeared to be a jump ball situation. Epps isn’t the receiver to throw a jump ball.
That was Retzlaff’s sixth interception in seven career starts. When Retzlaff came off the field, players and coaches were tapping Retzlaff on the helmet, showing their support.
9:22 – The positive from Retzlaff’s interception is that it forced Wyoming to start on their own one-yard line. Pokes QB Evan Svoboda had a wildly inaccurate pass on third down, forcing a second three-and-out.
BYU’s special teams brought some heat with Cody Hagen and Koa Eldredge and nearly got to the punter for a block.
BYU gets on the board first
5:58 – BYU gets on the board after taking over the series in Wyoming territory. Jake Retzlaff connected with Keanu Hill for a quick strike.
Hill was wide open and walked into the end zone for the score.
Retzlaff connected with Hill during the drive on a second fourth down conversion.
BYU 7, Wyoming 0
4:14 – Another three-and-out for Wyoming’s offense. Pokes running back Jamari Ferrell was called for an unnecessary roughness hit when Jakob Robinson was on the ground.
On third down, Evan Svoboda took a shot down field and Jakob Robinson was all over the intended receiver in coverage.
Near interceptions
2:20 – Jake Retzlaff nearly tossed a second interception on a deep ball thrown nowhere near the BYU receivers. Wyoming’s Wrook Brown almost had his second interception of the game.
BYU received a delay-of-game penalty and had a third-down incompletion from Parker Kingston that was nearly caught by the sideline, resulting in their first punt.
End of First Quarter: BYU 7, Wyoming 0
Second Quarter
13:35 – BYU gets a stop on 3rd & 2. Tanner Wall and Talan Alfrey were in on the tackle. Earlier in the defensive series, freshman Faletau Satuala was getting snaps.
9:12 – Jake Retzlaff put together a scoring drive that was capped off by a passing touchdown to Kody Epps. The type of drive kept him in the starting quarterback chair.
Chase Roberts made a highlight-worthy catch for 22 yards, which shows why his play has elevated this season.
BYU 14, Wyoming 0
5:11 – BYU had two penalties, one with an extra player on the field (Evan Johnson) and then a holding penalty on Marque Collins during a broken pass play.
Those penalties, paired with Wyoming finding some rhythm in their passing game after Svoboda connected with Clay Nanke for 24 yards, led to the Pokes setting up a two-yard touchdown run by Svoboda.
It was the first touchdown BYU gave up in the last six quarters.
BYU 14, Wyoming 7
4:11 – BYU was behind the sticks after a head-scratching kick return decision from Keelan Marion that led to the Cougars starting on their own 16 instead of at the 25.
Retzlaff threw a ball well behind Chase Roberts on third down, leading to BYU going three-and-out and the War Memorial crowd getting energized.
2:49 – Wyoming had a bad early snap to Evan Svoboda that he wasn’t expecting. The ball hit the turf causing Svoboda to land on the ball. It resulted in a loss of eight and a three-and-out for the Pokes.
0:45 – BYU added another three points on the board to regain a double-digit lead as Will Ferrin booted a 48-yard field goal with plenty of leg.
Jake Retzlaff had another near interception on a pass intended for Darius Lassiter. Wyoming’s Isaac White caught the pass, but he stepped out of bounds.
Chase Roberts had 43 receiving yards on the drive to put BYU in scoring position.
BYU 17, Wyoming 7
0:16 – BYU forced another three-and-out on the Wyoming offense. Jakob Robinson nearly picked off Evan Svoboda. Then, three plays later, Isaiah Glasker almost blocked Wyoming’s punt.
Halftime: BYU 17, Wyoming 7
#BYU leads Wyoming 17-7 at the half.
First half observations from @Mitch_Harper.#GoCougs #BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/GOSp5bZjxk
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 15, 2024
Third Quarter opens with a kick return for a touchdown
14:55 – Keelan Marion returns the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown. It’s BYU’s first kick return touchdown since 2014 when Adam Hine took one to the house against Virginia.
An excellent start to the second half for BYU.
BYU 24, Wyoming 7
13:49 – BYU forces a three-and-out on the opening defensive series. Tyler Batty was barreling down Evan Svoboda with pressure.
9:42 – BYU picked up its first third down conversion of the game on a 3rd & 4 pass over the middle to Keelan Marion. Then one play later, offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick dug into his bag of tricks and dialed up a “special” that featured a pass to freshman running back Pokaiaua Haunga. Haunga tossed it back to Jake Retzlaff, and the junior quarterback found Chase Roberts deep.
After the completion, Kalani Sitake was visibly upset with Chase Roberts standing over the Wyoming receiver.
BYU had a pair of runs up the middle to Haunga. Then, the drive appeared to be capped off by a run from Sione I. Moa. But the touchdown run was negated by a holding call from Ray Paulo.
The drive stalled and BYU settled for a 37-yard field goal from Will Ferrin.
BYU 27, Wyoming 7
7:19 – BYU’s defense was creating lots of pressure on Svoboda. It concluded on third down as Jack Kelly got home and gave BYU their first sack of the night, sixth of the season.
5:45 – Landon Rehkow’s first punt of the night was a 13-yard shank that set the Wyoming offense up on the BYU 42-yard line.
Special Teams Coordinator Kelly Poppinga wanted to see someone separate themselves in the punter battle between Rehkow and Sam Vander Haar. That punt could give Vander Haar the full-time job.
2:35 – Svoboda had a wide-open Jaylen Sargent for a touchdown on fourth down, but it was nowhere in the vicinity.
BYU had to call two timeouts on the defensive series, which was not ideal timeout management.
BYU closes the quarter with a strike from Jake Retzlaff to Keelan Marion
0:00 – Jake Retzlaff connected with Darius Lassiter for a 20-yard touchdown. That was Retzlaff’s ninth completion of 17 yards or more in the first three quarters.
Earlier in the drive, there was a scary moment as Keanu Hill took a hard hit to the head. Wyoming DB Wrook Brown had a clear targeting penalty. The hit visibly rattled Hill, and he immediately went to the medical tent.
End of 3rd Quarter: BYU 34, Wyoming 7
Fourth Quarter
13:22 – Third-year BYU cornerback Evan Johnson earned his first career interception on a deep ball from Evan Svoboda.
11:39 – BYU had two penalties on offense, holding the Cougars to a three-and-out. Sam Vander Haar was the punter who was then tasked with the kick.
Wyoming puts together a 76-yard touchdown drive against BYU reserves
6:29 – Evan Svoboda scored a 1-yard touchdown on 4th & 1 against many of BYU’s second and third-team players.
The drive was 76 yards for Wyoming, 35% of their yards (217).
Some of the young players for BYU who earned valuable game snaps was Bodie Schoonover, who recorded a tackle. Former Skyline High receiver turned linebacker Miles Hall, cornerback Jonathan Kabeya, and safety Tommy Prassas.
BYU 34, Wyoming 14
0:00 – We got a glimpse of Gerry Bohanon on BYU’s final drive of the game. It was Bohanon’s second appearance this season. But unlike the Southern Illinois game, Bohanon was given the chance to throw the football.
On Bohanon’s first play, he passed the ball completing a 14-yard pass to freshman tight Ryner Swanson for a first down.
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Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference onX: @Mitch_Harper.
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