A Stuart Williams 18-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining in regulation led the Wyoming Cowboys to a 20-19 comeback victory against the Florida Atlantic Owls in non-conference action at War Memorial Stadium.
Running back Shaun Wick was again instrumental in a win for the Cowboys (3-1) as he posted a game-high 111 yards and a score on 14 attempts, while D.J. May added 71 yards and a TD of his own on the ground. Quarterback Colby Kirkegaard converted just 10 of his 23 pass attempts for 161 yards and was sacked five times, but still the Pokes rebounded from their disappointing 48-14 loss to nationally-ranked Oregon last weekend.
The Owls (1-3) were paced by Jay Warren who carried the ball 22 times for a team-best 108 yards, while quarterback Jaquez Johnson accounted for 44 yards and the only TD of the day for the visitors. Johnson hit on just half of his 28 pass attempts for 99 yards.
The Cowboys mounted an eight-play, 80-yard drive early in the first quarter, with Wick getting into the end zone from a yard out to give the hosts a 7-0 advantage.
Later in the frame FAU responded with a 32-yard field goal by Greg Joseph, the first of four successful kicks for Joseph on the day. He added a 30-yard conversion in the final minute of the second quarter as well, but that was only after Williams opened the period with a 50-yard effort, leaving Wyoming with a 10-6 edge at the break.
In the third quarter Johnson did the honors himself on a 14-yard run in the end zone after FAU was given a short field, providing the Owls with their first lead of the day at 13-10. The lead was pushed to six points thanks to a 43-yard field goal by Joseph in the final minute of the stanza.
Needing just four plays and a little over a minute to cover 71 yards, the Cowboys regained the advantage just four seconds into the final period as May carried the ball over the goal line from five yards out.
Trailing by a point, 17-16, FAU again turned to Joseph at the 8:14 mark of the fourth as the kicker remained perfect with a 33-yard effort, before Williams brought home the win for the Cowboys.
The Pokes captured the victory despite converting only 5-of-15 on third down.
FAU, which entered the week ranked 124th in the country with 589.0 ypg allowed, gave up just 334 yards to Wyoming.
Wyoming, which has now won four straight home games, was victorious in the only previous meeting between the programs, a 30-28 decision at home five years ago.
[SportsNetwork.com]
