Three Keys To a Wyoming Cowboys Victory vs. Utah

LARAMIE -- Las Vegas has little faith in Wyoming this Saturday night against visiting Utah.

The spread currently sits at -23.5 in favor of the 20th-ranked Utes.

You won't get an argument from Jay Sawvel.

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"They've got a quarterback in Devin Dampier that I don't think we've stopped ever," Wyoming's second-year head coach said last Monday, adding his defense needs to "build a fence" around the elusive playmaker. "They also have an incredibly good offensive line with two outstanding offensive tackles that are as good as what you're going to find anywhere in the country.

"They don't have a weakness."

MORE UW FOOTBALL COVERAGE VIA 7220SPORTS:

* UW Announces Improvements for Fans Entering The War

* Can Pokes Solve All-American Tackles to Even Get to Dampier?

* Whittingham Talks Experience as Opposing Player, Coach in Laramie

* PODCAST: Do You Consider Utah a 'Hated' Rival?

* Know Wyoming's Foe: No. 20 Utah Utes

* Sawvel on Dampier: 'I Wish We Were Done With Him'

* Utah' Ron McBride Tasked With Beating Cowboys

Dampier and Co. have entered the red zone 11 times through two games. They've crossed the white stripe on each trip. No team in the FBS is better on third down. The Utes have been successful 23 times on 30 attempts. They also have a pair of fourth-down conversions on their early résumé.

Utah has already produced 1,010 yards of total offense in blowout victories over UCLA and Cal Poly. Dampier has completed just a tick under 80% of his passes and has thrown five touchdowns. He has already rushed for 112 yards and a score on 20 carries, too.

The Cowboys and Utes are slated to kickoff at 6 p.m. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

1. PICK POCKET

Utah is already a plus-3 in turnover margin, picking off three passes in the first two outings, both blowout wins over UCLA and Cal Poly.

Safety Jackson Bennee snagged a first-quarter interception last Saturday inside Rice-Eccles Stadium and raced into the end zone untouched from 46 yards out to give the Utes a quick 14-0 lead.

It's the 22nd straight season this defense has done that.

Impressive? To say the least.

Wyoming struggled mightily in 2024 to create turnovers: six interceptions, five fumble recoveries.

Wrook Brown led the way with three picks, including returning one of those -- coincidentally off the right arm of Devon Dampier, who is now at Utah -- for a 29-yard touchdown in a road victory at New Mexico. Tyrecus Davis finished with one, securing the win at Washington State in the season finale.

Those two are no longer with the program, suiting up at Houston and Colorado, respectively. Connor Shay and Wyett Ekeler also snagged one. Those two exhausted their eligibility.

Through two games the Cowboys already have three interceptions, two of which came deep in the red zone. Linebackers Evan Eller and Brayden Johnson were responsible for those. Desman Hearns, the nickel back who is replacing Brown, also hauled one in during last Saturday's home win over Northern Iowa.

Can this unit force a mistake or two? It's a must, isn't it?

2. DUMP DAMPIER

Even under center at New Mexico in 2024, Devon Dampier was sacked just five times.

The junior signal caller is elusive, electric.

Now he has a pair of All-Americans -- Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu -- anchoring a starting offensive line that averages 313.3 pounds, across the board. That front five has allowed just one sack through the first eight quarters.

"I really wasn't expecting him to have all the tools he had," Wyoming defensive end Tyce Westland said Monday, referring to the 5-foot-11, 204-pound quarterback. "He's basically a magician back there. He can just do anything, especially extending plays."

The Cowboys' senior edge rusher was responsible for one of those sacks last November in Albuquerque. Westland came screaming around the right corner, easily beating a Lobo tight end and swatting the ball out of Dampier's right hand. He even pounced on the loose ball, securing the 49-45 win for the visitors.

Can he do that again against a future high NFL Draft pick?

He needs to. So do his friends, like Chisom Ifeanyi, Peter Eyabi, Brayden "Larry" Wilson and Esaia Bogar, among others.

Wyoming already has five sacks to its credit. That unit last fall finished with just 15 in 12 games. This revamped defense, with nine new starters, has also racked up a combined 35 sacks, hits and pressures in wins over Akron and Northern Iowa. That damage has come on 64 pass attempts.

"Obviously, it's a challenge for everybody, defensively, our end position, for sure," Sawvel said. "Our inside players -- really everybody across the board for us defensively -- this week, we're going to have to play as good as what we possibly can."

MORE UW FOOTBALL COVERAGE VIA 7220SPORTS:

* Jaylen Sargent Called Opening-Night Benching a 'Wake-Up Call'

* Tight End Justin Erb Doing All The Dirty Work For Unbeaten Cowboys

* Wyoming Downplaying Renewed Rivalry Matchup with No. 20 Utah

* Utah Notebook: You Again? Dampier Has Been Ultimate Thorn

* Wyoming Legends Recall '93 Barnburner Against Northern Iowa

* Josh Allen Announces His No. 17 Wyoming Jersey Will Be Retired

* Tyce Westland -- Quietly -- Continues to Carve Out His Path

3. TAKE 'EM TO DEEP END

Can Wyoming really pull off this upset?

Did you ask yourself the same thing when Missouri and Texas Tech rolled into town?

It was a turnover -- a Brown interception -- that turned the tide against Tyler Shough and the Red Raiders that 2023 night inside War Memorial Stadium. The Cowboys scored five plays later to cut an early 17-0 deficit to a one-score game.

After going down 14-0 early to Kelly Bryant and the Tigers back in 2019, safety Esaias Gandy forced the ball from the former national champion's hand and it was promptly scooped up by cornerback CJ Coldon, who raced down the east sideline to put the home team on the board with 7:54 remaining in the first half.

The Cowboys scored three straight touchdowns and another untimely fumble allowed Cooper Rothe to split the uprights from 23 yards out to extend the halftime lead to 27-17.

Seeing a theme?

Those two were heavy favorites when they arrived on the high plains. The highlights from both upsets played on repeat on national television.

That's the opportunity Wyoming has Saturday night.

Utah, though, is a different monster. Sawvel said Monday he doesn't see any weaknesses on this roster. Truer words have never been spoken. Kyle Whittingham's squad has something Texas Tech and Missouri could've only dreamed of, too -- "asses" on both lines of scrimmage.

That program was built on toughness and physicality, not finesse.

If the Cowpokes can get this one into the final frame, in the words of quarterback Andrew Peasley, they can maybe -- just maybe -- take the Utes to the deep end of the pool.