LARAMIE, Wyo.—Sophomore transfer Dax Crum helped lead Wyoming on a key fourth quarter drive and the Cowboy defense held tight in the game’s final minutes as Wyoming beat Ohio 21-20 on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.
After trailing for two quarters, Wyoming (1-0, 0-0 Mountain West) built a 13-play, 84-yard drive, capped by Crum’s 23-yard touchdown pass to Donate Morgan for the winning score at 7:28 in the fourth.
Wyoming’s defense weathered two more Ohio drives, buoyed by an interception by Quincy Rogers at the Wyoming nine yard line that stifled a promising drive by Ohio (0-1, 0-0 Mid-American) with four minutes to play.
“I felt the difference in the game was who would rush the ball better,” Wyoming coach Joe Glenn said. “We wanted to wear them down and we wanted to wear them out. We didn’t do it by much, but I’m telling you a one point difference in any sporting event makes a huge difference.”
Ohio’s Theo Scott went 26-of-35 for 224 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Chris Garrett led the Bobcats in rushing, gaining 30 yards on 12 carries. Taylor Price racked up 139 yards on 14 catches. Linebacker Noah Keller led the Bobcats with seven solo tackles.
Ohio coach Frank Solich complimented his team’s passing game, but said the Bobcats were hurt by costly turnovers.
“It was a game of field position,” he said. “We felt coming into the game that it would be like that, and in the second half we didn’t have good enough field position to make plays.”
Wyoming’s Devin Moore had 90 yards on 25 carries and Chris Johnson led in receiving with 37 yards on four catches. Tashaun Gipson led the Cowboys with seven tackles.
Crum was named Wyoming’s starting quarterback earlier this month after transferring from Mesa Community College in Arizona where he played one year after leaving the Arizona State team. He went 14-of-22 with two interceptions and two touchdown passes on Saturday.
Crum said he could see the Ohio defense wearing down as Wyoming mounted its game-winning drive, which lasted 6:12.
“I think they might have started getting a little worn out by the end there,” he said. “Our guys were kind of getting momentum, and we were running the ball great.”
Ohio had gone up 20-14 early in the fourth quarter on a 34-yard field goal by Barrett Way. It was the first score of the second half after a scoreless third quarter in which each team punted twice.
Ohio led 17-14 after a back-and-forth first half.
The Bobcats scored on their first possession of the game, driving the ball 59 yards over 7 minutes. Scott found Andrew Mooney with a 4-yard TD pass to put the Bobcats up 7-0.
Wynel Seldon fielded the ensuing kickoff in the end zone and returned it 49 yards. Wyoming then mounted a 51-yard drive, capped by a 6-yard TD run by Moore to tie the game at 7.
Scott fumbled a snap on Ohio’s first possession of the second quarter. Wyoming recovered to set up a 61-yard drive and a score as Crum hit junior Jesson Salyards on a 3-yard TD pass.
Ohio’s Donte Hardin grabbed the ensuing kickoff and returned it 100 yards to tie the game at 14.
Ohio’s Steven Jackson intercepted Crum on the next drive. Way’s 31-yard field goal put the Bobcats up 17-14 with about 4:30 to play in the half.
Crum was intercepted again on the next possession—this time by Ohio senior strong safety Neil Jereb.
