KNOXVILLE, TENN. — Just when it seemed it couldn’t get any worse for Phillip Fulmer and Tennessee, Wyoming came to town.
Five days after Fulmer became a lame-duck coach, ousted effective the end of the season, the Volunteers lost 13-7 today to the Cowboys.
Ward Dobbs returned an interception 24 yards for Wyoming (4-6), which improved to 3-1 against Southeastern Conference teams under coach Joe Glenn.
“They have a legendary coach,” Wyoming quarterback Chris Stutzriem said of Tennessee. “They are playing with a lot of emotions, but never count out the boys from Wyoming. We never give up.”
Glenn is trying to avoid his fourth straight losing season with the Cowboys and is no sure-thing to be back next season himself.
It was the first time the Vols lost to a Mountain West opponent and only the second time in history Tennessee has had seven losses in a season. The Vols have never had eight. They’ll try to avoid that against Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
“In this day and age in college football anybody can beat you, especially if you help them,” Fulmer said.
Wyoming came in a nearly four-touchdown underdog, the lowest scoring team in major college football and languishing near the bottom of the Mountain West Conference.
It seemed like a perfect opportunity for a homecoming pick-me-up for Fulmer and the Vols, who still had hopes of qualifying for a bowl.
Instead, the Volunteers (3-7) will be home for the holidays in the 17th and final season under the coach who led Tennessee to its last national title.
“Obviously it’s been a really hard week on everybody,” Fulmer said. “If anything, I should be apologizing to the fans and everybody for this whole week coming about.”
The Vols hadn’t lost on homecoming since Miami beat them in 2002. The announced attendance for Saturday’s game was 99,489, but Neyland Stadium, which seats 102,038, was only two-thirds full.
Wyoming came in averaging 11.7 points per game. Tennessee wasn’t much better at 17 per game, so it was no surprise that neither offense did much.
On the first drive of the game, Mike Neuhaus picked off Tennessee quarterback Nick Stephens and ran 55 yards before being tackled at the Vols 4. On the next play, Stutzriem rolled out of the pocket and tossed to Greg Genho in the end zone.
Stephens was picked off by Dobbs with 9:03 left before halftime, and Dobbs’ touchdown gave the Cowboys a 13-0 lead. Jake Scott missed the extra point attempt after missing a 31-yard field goal attempt wide left earlier in the quarter.
“We hadn’t had a turnover for a while, so to get a couple and to have them mean so much was payback,” Glenn said.
Wyoming, ranked 111th in the nation in total offense, ran for 167 yards, including 98 by Devin Moore. Stutzriem finished 8-for-16 for 95 yards.
Tennessee had one last chance, but stalled at the Wyoming 47 on fourth-and-18 with just under two minutes to play.
