FORT COLLINS — Before Friday afternoon’s Colorado State-Wyoming game, numerous Cowboys fans strutted around Hughes Stadium in brown-and-yellow T-shirts.
“Beat the Sheep,” bleated the shirts.
Freshman quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels must have been paying attention. His inspired play, which included stiff-arming Rams cornerback Nick Oppenneer to the turf during a spectacular 49-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run, lifted the Cowboys to a 17-16 victory.
The win not only brought the Bronze Boot back to Laramie for the first time since 2006, it also landed the Cowboys a bowl bid for the first time since 2004.
Before the season began, the Cowboys were picked to finish last in the Mountain West Conference. But under first-year coach Dave Christensen, Wyoming (6-6, 4-4) is likely headed to the New Mexico Bowl.
“At the beginning of this year, there was no respect for this program, and the only thing you can do about it is go out and win some games,” Christensen said. “We were picked ninth, we won outright fifth in the league, we are going to a bowl, we got the Bronze Boot back. I’d say that’s a pretty good year.”
Carta-Samuels played the kind of inspirational game that sparked comparisons to former Missouri star quarterback Chase Daniel.
“I never thought I’d have another guy that was as competitive and spunky as Chase Daniel,” said Christensen, Missouri’s offensive coordinator when Daniel blossomed in 2006-08. “He’s not Chase Daniel yet, but the way he leads this football team and takes charge from a play-making standpoint is very similar to Chase.”
On Wyoming’s game-winning drive leading to Ian Watts’ 33-yard field goal with 1 minute, 27 seconds left, Carta-Samuels threaded a 7-yard pass to Greg Bolling on a fourth-and-6 play.
“I try to stay cool in those situations,” said Carta-Samuels, who engineered his fourth fourth-quarter comeback. “I’m used to them and our fourth quarters this year have proven to be our best times.”
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
