Rants & Raves: Washington State Edition

LARAMIE -- Who would've thunk it?

Wyoming played this game without its starting quarterback Kaden Anderson.

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Right tackle Caden Barnett was not expected to play. He did, even to the surprise of his own family. That nagging sprained ankle eventually sidelined him, too. Wide receiver TK King was out with an illness. That same germ spread throughout the Cowboys' roster this past week.

Tight end Justin Erb spent the second half in a sling. Standing next to him, Tyce Westland was also forced to become a spectator. Defensive ends Braden Siders and Sabastian Harsh were already out. DeVonne Harris, another edge rusher, would join them. Will Pelissier, who would catch a 20-yard pass on the team's final drive of the game, also found himself, for a brief period, in the medical tent.

How on earth did this Wyoming team win?

Heart. Effort. Toughness.

Evan Svoboda, who you will see below, took an absolute beating on social media Saturday night -- nothing new -- led the Cowboys on a 14-play, 90-yard game-winning drive. That culminated with an 18-yard strike down the seam to his favorite target, John Michael Gyllenborg.

That snap came on a 4th-and-14. It was a final prayer. The big tight end answered it.

This Wyoming defense, for the 10th straight quarter, played lights out football, holding John Mateer -- the nation's leading scorer with 44 touchdowns -- to just 182 yards through the air. He added 56 more on the ground.

Those numbers are well below his average. Mateer also coughed up a second-quarter fumble that turned into points and tossed a pick right into the arms of Tyrecus Davis to put a stamp on this unthinkable upset.

Let's see how fans around the globe reacted to this 15-14 victory:

FIRST HALF:

SECOND HALF:

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players