Boise State 20, Wyoming 17

As the Broncos prepared to face off with a 6-2 Cowboys squad, the Boise State fanbase collectively had a heart attack as injury news came down from on high:

Word on the Twitter machine soon became that Chase Cord was getting the start, although Bachmeier would be “available”.

First Quarter

After holding a Wyoming’s clock-burning opening drive to a punt, Boise State’s offense came out firing on all cylinders. Cord went 6 for 6 for 66 and the score to Akilian Butler in a 12-play, 92 yard drive, eating up 7:10 of clock in the process.

7-0, Broncos

Wyoming sputtered again with a 3 and out and punted, and Boise State moved quickly with a John Hightower run for 16, then went backwards with a sack and a holding call before punting at the beginning of the 2nd.

Second Quarter

Both teams traded punts to start the 2nd quarter action, then Wyoming came to life after a bad BSU punt. Xazavian Valladay put the team on his back and legged it down to the 3 yard line before Tyler Vander Waal called his own number on a QB sneak for the TD.

7-7 Tied Up

The Broncos couldn’t get anything going and went 3 and out with another shanked punt. Wyoming capitalized with a short drive and then a field goal as time expired on the half.

10-7 Wyoming

HALFTIME

Third Quarter

Boise State got the ball first in the second half, and immediately proceeded to trade punts with Wyoming. After getting the ball back on their own 18, Boise State proceeded to piece together a drive, complete with long passes to Shakir (for 20 yards) and Hightower (for 43 yards). Working down to the Wyoming 5 yard line with a pass interference drawn by Octavius Evans, the Broncos proceeded to back up all the way to the 23 before settling for a field goal.

10-10 Tied Up

The Boise State defense held again, forcing a Wyoming punt. On the ensuing drive, however, Holani was stripped and Wyoming took over on the Boise State 36. Four plays later, Xazavian Valladay capped off the drive with a TD run.

17-10, Wyoming

To finish out the quarter, both teams traded punts.

Fourth Quarter

And then traded punts again to start the 4th quarter. It was not pretty football, people. After Wyoming’s punt, Chase Cord went to work on the Boise 43. Cord managed to scrape together a 10-play, 57 yard drive, capped off with a Khalil Shakir run for the TD.

17-17 Tied Up

Wyoming took over at their own 25 after a touchback on the ensuing kickoff, and drove down to the Boise State 39 yard line, facing 4th and 1. The Bronco defense tackled Valladay for a loss of 1, and the offense had a chance to ice it in regulation with a drive for a field goal. Wyoming had other ideas, picking off Cord and running back to the Boise 44 yard line with 11 seconds left. Tyler Vander Waal’s Hail Mary was batted incomplete, and the game went to overtime for the first time since 2007’s debacle against Colin Kaepernick.

OVERTIME

The Bronco offense remained mostly stagnant in overtime, but managed to get Eric Sachse in range for a 28-yard FG.

20-17, Broncos

Wyoming got their shot to tie or win, but the Bronco defense held strong, forcing 4th and 6 at the 21. Cooper Rothe’s 37 yard attempt floated wide, and the Broncos walked away with the win and a lot of questions.

FINAL SCORE: Broncos 20, Cowboys 17

Everybody take a deep breath. The battle of the backup QBs went our way, now we wait to find out what’s up with Bachmeier. Who knows if we’re good or just lucky at this point?