Making the Grade: Bogar Becoming QB’s Worst Nightmare

SAN JOSE, Calif., -- Esaia Bogar passed the eye test Friday night inside CEFCU Stadium.

He was also Wyoming's highest-graded defender, according to Pro Football Focus. Zero surprise there.

The 6-foot-2, 255-pound senior blew around the right edge early in the first quarter, dusting tackle Manuel Serna and dropping quarterback Luke Weaver for a loss of six yards. That snap came on a 3rd-and-9 at the Cowboys' 21-yard line.

Considering the visitors won 16-13 in overtime, this play was much more impactful than originally perceived.

Trajan Sinatra's 44-yard field-goal attempt that followed sailed wide left.

Bogar's next QB takedown was maybe even more important than the first.

With just 50 ticks remaining in regulation and the Spartans lining up at Wyoming's 43-yard line, Bogar again made light work of Serna on a third-and-long, flushing Weaver up into the pocket and into the grasp of defensive tackle Ja'Quan Redfern.

"It's crazy because he'll go make a play like that and then just walk away like nothing happened because he's just such a quiet guy," safety Brooklyn Cheek said postgame, referring to Bogar. "He's a great player."

Bogar, who isn't typically one to show emotion, immediately popped up after that final stop and threw a violent right hook into the air.

Threat thwarted.

The Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., product tallied an overall PFF grade of 86.4. He was in Weaver's face a season-high seven times on 39 pass-rush opportunities, including five hurries. He capped the evening with five tackles and also brought down the Mountain West's leading rusher, Jabari Bates, in the backfield for a five-yard loss in the third quarter.

Bogar is responsible for 3.5 of the Cowboys' dozen sacks on the season. He's also been credited with 16 pressures and 11 hurries.

Let's check out some other PFF grades from Wyoming's first win in San Jose since 1996:

* Steven Perez was the Cowboys' best run defender Friday night, earning a score of 76.1. The redshirt freshman, also from California, finished with three tackles, including one for loss. Perez has been splitting time at the weak-side linebacker spot with Gary Rutherford and was on the field for 19 defensive snaps. Wyoming deployed a different defensive look in the Bay Area, similar to the one it showed two weeks prior against Hawaii, deploying just one linebacker and six defensive backs.

* Donnie Wingate had his best outing in the Brown and Gold, also making life miserable for Weaver in that overtime win. The senior edge rusher, who landed a score of 79.4 on the pass rush, was credited with two quarterback hits and a pair of hurries.

* Therman Williams continues to impress during his rookie campaign. Without the services of Kendall Griffin, Tyson Shamsid-Deen and Ian Bell, the speedster they call "Boogie" picked off the first pass of his career and helped hold the "spread-and-shred" Spartan's offensive attack to just 259 passing yards and no touchdowns. Williams, who finished with a team-high grade of 74.2 in pass defense, allowed just two catches for 11 yards on four targets. Head coach Jay Sawvel calls the freshman "fearless." He certainly plays that way. He was mostly lined up across from Cooper Hoch, SJSU's leading receiver.

* Tyler Hughes was the Cowboys' top run threat Friday night, taking off a career-high 27 times for 92 hard-earned yards, 49 of which came after contact. He capped this outing with a PFF grade of 72.4. The senior signal caller picked up a pair of third-down conversions with his legs, and in the extra frame, bullied his way through the SJSU defense for 18 yards on consecutive carries, getting the ball down to the Spartans' 1-yard line.

* Jake Wilson hauled in his first-career touchdown pass with 6:25 remaining in regulation. The big tight end skied over a linebacker to snag an 8-yard strike from Hughes. That tied this one up at 13-13. He earned a score of 73.8 after catching seven passes on eight attempts. He finished with 39 receiving yards. The Texas native also reeled in a crucial fourth-down catch on that touchdown drive.

* The Cowboys allowed a season-worst six sacks in this game. Giovanni Panozzo's stat sheet was clean, though. The sophomore guard didn't allow a single pressure on 42 pass-block opportunities. He received a team-high grade of 88.1 in this all-important category. Guards Kalvin Janssen and Josiah Petaia also kept the QB clean, earning grades of 86.4 and 82.7, respectively.

* When it came to run blocking, your best bet Friday night was to follow Janssen. The 307-pound redshirt freshman finished with a score of 67.4.

MORE UW FOOTBALL NEWS VIA 7220SPORTS:

* Rants and Raves: SJSU Spartans Edition

* FINAL LIVE FILE: Wyoming 16, San Jose State 13 OT

* Wyoming Outlasts San Jose State in Overtime, 16-13

* Turning Point, Unsung Hero and What's Next for UW Football

* Behind the Numbers: Pokes 'Let it Rip' on Fourth Down

* Hughes Put Cowboys on His Bruised Back in 16-13 OT Win

* Anatomy of an 8-Game Road Losing Streak

* Q&A With Frustrated Wyoming Offensive Coordinator Christian Taylor