Three stars of the game: Pokes vs. Bulldogs
FRESNO, Calif., -- Three stars of the game? Seriously? That game?
Yes, Wyoming was skunked 30-0 Friday night inside Valley Children's Stadium. Fresno State was all that was advertised -- a balanced, high-powered offense and a stingy defense.
Jake Haener threw for 183 yards and a score while completing 66% of his passes. Running back Jordan Mims scored three touchdowns on the ground, two out of the wildcat formation. The 'Dogs defense limited the Cowboys to just three third-down conversions on 14 tires. They also snagged a pair of interceptions.
Fresno State's special teams unit added some additional salt to the wound, blocking two punts, including one for a safety, and returning the ensuing free kick 40 yards.
It was truly a dominating performance.
It's no surprise the Bulldogs are heading north to Boise to take on the Broncos for the Mountain West championship this Saturday.
So, who were the Pokes' three standouts in this lopsided affair? Let's give it a whirl:
1st star: Easton Gibbs - Linebacker
Easton Gibbs is slowly emerging from the shadow of the two NFL linebackers that came before him.
After recording a team-high 12 tackles in the loss at Fresno State, the sophomore from southern California now has 111 stops on the season. He is the 61st Wyoming defender to eclipse the 100-tackle mark in a single season.
Gibbs has recorded five double-digit tackle games this fall. He now has 10 in his career. He also tacked on half-a-tackle for loss against the Bulldogs.
Wyoming's leading tackler is 44 ahead of the next closest teammate, fellow linebacker Shae Suiaunoa. Gibbs also has two sacks on the season to go along with a pass breakup, a fumble recovery and a touchdown.
Logan Wilson and Chad Muma would be proud.
2nd star: Oluwaseyi Omotosho - Defensive end
What were your expectations for the Cowboys' edge rushers this fall?
After all, this unit entered the 2022 campaign with exactly zero sacks to its collective credit. Not anymore.
MORE UW FOOTBALL NEWS FROM 7220SPORTS:
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* Fresno State shuts out Cowboys for second straight year
* Behind the numbers: Wyoming vs. Fresno State
* Rants and Raves: Fresno State Edition
Oluwaysei Omotosho caught Haener in the backfield late in this quarter. It was 6.5 sacks of the season for the 6-foot-2, 246-pound redshirt freshman from Houston. Omotosho doesn't just get after the passer, either. Friday night in Fresno, he tallied a career-best eight tackles, two of which were solo stops.
He now has 46 tackles on the season. He has also forced a fumble.
DeVonne Harris leads the Cowboys with 8.5 sacks. Braden Siders has five. Keep in mind, UW played this fall without arguably its best defensive end in Sabastian Harsh, who was lost for the season with a knee injury in fall camp. Alabama transfer Keelan Cox also hasn't played in 2022 after suffering a hip injury in the fall.
3rd star: John Michael Gyllenborg - Tight end
Welcome to the show, John Michael Gyllenborg.
Wyoming's redshirt freshman tight end caught his first-career pass early in the first quarter Friday night. That was a 10-yard hookup with Andrew Peasley on a 3rd-and-8. He enjoyed that so much he added two more grabs. He tacked on 11 more yards in the process.
Gyllenborg was helping fill in for Parker Christensen and Treyton Welch, who both missed the Fresno State tilt with injuries. The Kansas product played just one season of high school football in the Kansas City area. Still, he earned a three-star rating and was dubbed the 27th best recruit in Missouri.
Gyllenborg also received a scholarship offer to Columbia. Now, he could be a high-percentage target for Wyoming QB's for the next three seasons.
University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players
- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players
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