Cowboys Top Hawaii 59-56 in OT on Record Day
Brett Smith accounted for 640 yards of total offense, 8 touchdowns and set numerous records, but it was a Stuart Williams 36-yard field goal in overtime that gave the Wyoming Cowboys a 59-56 victory over the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Saturday at War Memorial Stadium. The two teams combined for 1417 total yards and 115 points in an offensive shootout.
Smith set school and Mountain West records for total offense in a single game, while his 7 touchdown passes are a new school record and tied the conference mark. He did establish a new MW record for most t-d's responsible for in a single game with 8, seven passing and one rushing. He finished with 498 passing yards, a new single-game school record and 142 rushing yards. Smith also became the all-time school leader in total offense in a career, as he surpassed former Cowboy great Casey Bramlet's mark.
Wyoming (5-6, 3-4) won the toss before overtime and chose defense. After Hawaii picked up a first down, the Rainbow Warriors Joey Iosefa carried the ball 8 yards to the Cowboys 5-yard line. Another yard gain by Iosefa put them at the UW 4. On third and fourth down, Hawaii was stuffed on two run plays up the middle.
The Cowboys only possession started with a loss of three yards on a mishandled snap. Then it was a 1-yard carry by Shaun Wick and a 9-yard pass to Jalen Claiborne that set up Williams for his game-winning kick.
Neither team led by more than eight points the entire game, and the lead changed hands seven times. It was 14-13 Hawaii after the first quarter. Then the game was tied at 35 at half. Both teams scored seven points in the third and 14 points in the fourth quarter.
Wyoming amassed 793 total yards on offense for a new Mountain West record. It's second best in school history. It's also the second best yardage total in the NCAA this season, trailing only Baylor's 872. The 115 combined points was Wyoming's highest scoring game in school history.
Robert Herron hauled in 4 t-d passes from Smith of 23, 47, 20 and 5 yards. Herron ended with 11 catches for 141 yards. Dominic Rufran also had 121 receiving yards on seven receptions. It was the first time UW has had a pair of receivers top 100 yards in the same game since October 1, 2005 against UNLV. Smith's other t-d passes went to Wick, Keenan Montgomery and Claiborne.
Hawaii (0-11, 0-8) finished with 624 total yards. Sean Schroeder threw for 499 yards and six touchdowns, both career bests. Iosefa added 91 yards on the ground and a pair of scores.
This was the 11th overtime game the Pokes have played in and the first at War Memorial Stadium. They are now 6-5 all-time in OT.
Wyoming can get bowl eligible with a win in their regular season finale, which is at Utah State next Saturday, November 30. Kick-off is set for Noon from Romney Stadium in Logan, Utah.