LARAMIE -- It's never easy to select just three stars when the number truly could get into double digits.

Keyon Blankenbaker got the party started Saturday with a 50-yard touchdown return off a Drew Plitt first-quarter interception. Dawaiian McNeely scored his first-career touchdown with a 16-yard jaunt to the end zone.

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Easton Gibbs picked up a sack. So did Victor Jones and Solomon Byrd.

Isaiah Neyor was solid again, snagging four balls for 84 yards.

Here's our selections for the three stars of the game from the Cowboys' 45-12 beatdown of the Ball State Cardinals:

 

 

1st star: Chad Muma - Linebacker

We might just start calling this feature: "Chad Muma, along with the two other stars of the game." Wyoming's junior linebacker was up to his old tricks again Saturday against Ball State, snagging yet another pick-six -- his second in consecutive weeks. This time, the Lone Tree, Colorado product, stepped directly in front of a John Paddock pass over the middle late in the fourth quarter. He scampered 45 yards untouched to put the nail in the Cardinals' coffin. He also racked up 12 tackles -- his third double-digit tackle performance in three games -- knocked down and pass and picked up a tackle for loss. Though he didn't get credit for the sack or forced fumble, it was Muma who hit Ball State starter, Drew Plitt, in the backfield with 42 seconds remaining in the first half. Victor Jones stripped the ball and the Cowboys recovered. Five plays later, the home team was up 31-0. Oh, and that deflection Muma had ... that was nearly a pick-six, too. This kid is special.

 

 

2nd star: Sean Chambers - Quarterback

This guy hasn't made our three stars story yet this year. He probably should have after leading back-to-back fourth-quarter comebacks to get the Cowboys to 2-0 in the first place. Sean Chambers, once again, was really good Saturday inside War Memorial Stadium, completing 14-of-23 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for another. The redshirt sophomore's smile is back after suffering three straight season-ending leg injuries. He looks comfortable -- more importantly, confident -- in the pocket. He made strong throws on the run and again showed that he and Isaiah Neyor are definitely on the same page. Those two connected on four passes for 84 yards. Chambers hit eight different receivers Saturday. He ran for just 21 yards. Like Craig Bohl says, he looks like a quarterback.

 

 

3rd star: Ravontae Holt - Defensive tackle

Much like Chambers, Ravontae Holt has been robbed of playing football due to injuries the last three seasons. Also like Chambers, he's now healthy. It shows. The big defensive tackle from Sacramento registered 2.5 sacks Saturday against Ball State and helped hold the cardinals to just 118 yards on the ground. That took 41 carries to do. That's an average of 2.9 yards per rush. Holt finished with five tackles and said postgame he is playing his best football. Plitt, Paddock and the Ball State running backs certainly won't disagree.

Just The Facts: Size Doesn't Matter For Wyoming's War Memorial Stadium

Did you know it would take the populations of Gillette (32,857), Laramie (32,381), Rock Springs (23,319), Sheridan (17,844) and Wright (1,200) to create a sellout inside Michigan's famed 107,601-seat Big House, the largest college football stadium in the nation?

For those of you not familiar with the Cowboy State, those are Wyoming's third through sixth most inhabited cities, along with the small mining town in Campbell County.

- Just The Facts: Size Doesn't Matter For Wyoming's War Memorial Stadium

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