Trash Talk Came to a Halt Before — and After — Markie Grant INT

LARAMIE -- Keynan Higgins was only on the field for six offensive snaps last Saturday night.

He trash talked his way through the first five, Wyoming cornerback Markie Grant said, flashing a brace-covered smile.

Not the sixth.

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On what would be Jackson Brousseau's final passing attempt of the night, the redshirt sophomore clapped his hands together, reeled in the shotgun snap and almost immediately looked to his left as the edge began to collapse. Colorado State's quarterback was peering in the direction of Higgins, who was running a go route to the end zone.

The throw was short.

Grant, who turned his head back toward the eventual 28-yard heave just before reaching the goal line, snagged the interception, thwarting the visitor's first real scoring threat of the night with just 56 ticks remaining in the third quarter.

The redshirt freshman said he had a feeling the ball was coming his way.

How?

Silence.

"I like to joke and play a lot," he said. "He was serious. I was like, 'Oh, you must be getting the ball?' He didn't say anything. So, I'm like, 'OK, it's game time.' He got off the line and I hear 'ball, ball, ball.' I look up and it's right in the bread basket. It was a good feeling, for sure."

Did he mention he is playing with just one hand after breaking his right index finger prior to a Week-3 meeting with Utah?

A clearly frustrated Higgins wrapped his arms around Grant and rudely dumped him out of bounds. The Houston product then launched the ball at the CSU receiver's backside, drawing a shower of yellow hankies.

"I'm not doing that again," he said, adding he didn't mean to hit Higgins.

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Jay Sawvel wasn't a bit impressed with the extra-curriculars. The execution of the play, however, was another story.

"That was a heck of an interception," Wyoming's second-year head coach said after the 28-0 blanking of the Cowboys' Border War rival.

Grant was only targeted twice in this one. He gave up a single catch for 12 yards. He also tallied three tackles in the win.

After a year of sitting and watching from the sideline, he's now showing why he fielded offers from Nebraska, Arizona State, Indiana, Arkansas and many other Power-4 programs. CSU wanted the three-star recruit out of Dekaney High School, too.

Why did he choose Wyoming?

"It just felt like they care," he said of Sawvel and his staff. "It wasn't all football. They care about you, building you as a person and as a man. I just had a good feeling coming here. When I went to other visits it was football, football, football, football. When I came here it just felt like a family. It felt good."

Chris Durr Jr. has been in Higgins' shoes before.

Facing Grant in practice is no easy task. Just when you think you have him beat, the sophomore wideout added, you don't.

What makes him so special?

"Just him having long arms," Durr said. "He's not that tall, but his arms make him taller. He's strong, too. He might not look like it, but he's strong."

With Dainsus Miller on the shelf for the next two weeks because of a scheduled surgery on his hand -- something Grant also likely faces this offseason -- he will see extended playing time this Saturday at San Diego State, lining up with Tyrese Boss and Ian Bell in the Cowboys' secondary.

While his focus is obviously on limiting Aztecs' leading receiver Jordan Napier, don't think for a second he hasn't heard the hype surrounding the opponents' defense.

SDSU is ranked No. 9 in the FBS, allowing just 255 yards of total offense and outing. That unit gets even more stingy when it comes to scoring, giving up an average of 10 points per game.

While they steal the headlines, and rightfully so, Grant said another goal heading into Montezuma Mesa is to prove the Cowboys also have one of the nation's top defenses.

"I'm definitely looking at that," he said. "We're going to show them what we are on Saturday."

Kickoff between the Pokes (4-4, 2-2) and Aztecs (6-1, 3-0) is slated for 5 p.m. Mountain Time and the game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

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