Wyoming blanks CSU

Randy Holtz, Rocky Mountain News

Saturday, October 21, 2006

LARAMIE — How good is Wyoming's highly regarded defense?

The world still doesn't know.

The team the Cowboys shut out on Saturday was Colorado State.

The homestanding Pokes made the Border War a second-half walkover at chilly, wind-blown War Memorial Stadium, throttling CSU's abysmal offense while scoring three second-half touchdowns to pull away 24-0.

It was the Cowboys' first shutout since blanking Louisiana-Monroe last season 38-0 and their first ever in eight seasons of Mountain West Conference play.

It was the first time the Rams were held scoreless since Sept. 11, 2004, when Southern Cal beat CSU 49-0 on its way to a national championship.

It was the first shutout in the Border War since CSU won 3-0 in 1975 and the first for Wyoming since the Cowboys blanked the Rams 29-0 way back in 1959.

"Awesome, awesome, awesome,'' said Wyoming's best defensive player, dynamic and ever-present senior safety John Wendling. "You can't say enough about the guys we have on this defense. Everybody's coming and playing hard and executing. The way it's going is just incredible. We're having a lot of fun.''

How good was Wyoming's defense? How bad was CSU's offense?

The numbers of infamy:

CSU's Jimmie Kaylor nearly wore out his leg, punting nine times. The Rams were held to 259 yards total offense. They converted only 5-of-18 third-down conversions. CSU reached Wyoming territory just four times, and the Rams' furthest thrust, to the Wyoming 22, ended in a missed 39-yard field goal by Jason Smith early in the second quarter.

Some of this clearly had to do with Wyoming's defense, which came into the game ranked third in the nation in yards yielded. But a lot of it was the Rams' own fault. Their running game was typically negligible, producing only 42 yards on 22 carries. And quarterback Caleb Hanie, who didn't get a lot of protection or help, showed his human side by completing just 23 of 45 passes for 217 yards and throwing two interceptions.

"Wyoming's defense is very good. They don't miss many tackles,'' CSU coach Sonny Lubick said. "I think our offense will get better as time goes along, but I hope it happens pretty darned fast.''

Even if it does, the Rams appear to be out of the Mountain West Conference race. They fell to 4-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play with their second straight loss while the suddenly upwardly mobile Cowboys moved to 4-4 and 3-1 with their third consecutive win.

Wyoming led 3-0 at the half before redshirt quarterback Karsten Sween and the Cowboys' running game led by Wynel Seldon came to life in the third quarter.

A 44-yard touchdown pass from Sween to wide-open Derrick Levy made it 10-0, and Michael Ford, a Mullen High School graduate, followed with a 26-yard scoring catch to make it 17-0.

Wyoming running back Joseph Harris broke free for a 25-yard touchdown run with 9:40 left in the game to make it 24-0, dashing any hopes of a CSU dramatic comeback.

Of course, it's hard to come back when you can't score a point.

The first half was great if you like watching guys punt. There were 11 punts before the break, the teams taking turns getting stuffed or sacked on third down.

CSU kicker Smith had a chance to give the Rams a 3-0 lead three minutes into the second quarter at the end of the CSU offense's only significant thrust of the half, but his 39-yard field goal try was short.

So the defensive battle continued apace, Wyoming finally breaking the scoring drought with a 34-yard Aric Goodman field goal with 6:08 left in the half. Those points — the only ones of the first half — were set up by a 14-yard Hoost Marsh catch and a 17-yarder by Ford.

That wound up being enough for the Cowboys, who scored their three second-half touchdowns just for good measure.

Wyoming, picked in the preseason to finish ninth in the nine-team MWC, stays in the thick of the conference race. CSU hopes to get back on track at home next Saturday against New Mexico, while Wyoming travels to preseason conference favorite Texas Christian.

ETC.: CSU's only significant injury was the left-leg strain suffered by center Nick Allotta, but Allotta returned in the second half. CSU offensive lineman Josh Day, who missed the Air Force game on Oct. 12 with a knee injury, returned to the starting lineup. Also for CSU, cornerback Chase Weber made his first career start. Among the injured CSU players who didn't play were three defensive starters — safety Mike Pagnotta (knee), defensive lineman Erik Sandie (knee) and defensive lineman Jesse Nading (ankle). All were injured in the AFA loss. . . . Wyoming's win broke a 19-19 tie for the Bronze Boot, the trophy that has gone to the winner the last 39 years. CSU and Wyoming have played 96 times total . . . CSU defensive lineman Wade Landers recorded his first career sack.

holtzr@RockyMountainNews.com