Nov. 19, 2016
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LARAMIE, Wyo. -- No. 24/25 San Diego State saw its 17-game winning streak against Mountain West opponents snapped in a 34-33 loss at Wyoming Saturday in Laramie, Wyo.
Josh Allen had given the Cowboys (8-3, 6-1 MW) their first lead of the game at 34-27 with a 29-yard touchdown pass to C.J. Johnson with 1:07 left in the game.
After Rashaad Penny was ruled down on the Aztecs' 1-yard line on a kick return, SDSU mounted a 99-yard drive, ending when Christian Chapman's Hail Mary pass was deflected to a diving Quest Truxton in the end zone with no time remaining. After initially calling the catch incomplete, the referees reviewed the play and it was called a touchdown.
San Diego State head coach Rocky Long elected to go for the win, but Chapman's 2-point conversion pass attempt was knocked down, giving UW its second win over a ranked team this season (also over then No. 13 Boise State).
The Aztecs tied a FBS record with two kick returns for a touchdown in the game, beginning with a 93-yard return by Penny on the opening kickoff of the game.
Wyoming responded with a 9-play, 57-yard drive over 4:20, ending with a 32-yard field goal by Cooper Rothe.
SDSU went up by seven once again midway through the second quarter when John Baron II converted on a 27-yard field goal.
After exchanging punts, Brian Hill capped a 7-play, 80-yard drive for the Cowboys with an 11-yard touchdown run to tie the game once again at 10-10.
Getting the ball back with just 1:14 left in the first half on the 35-yard line after UW kicked the ball out-of-bounds, San Diego State went 65 yards with Chapman finding true freshman tight end Parker Houston from three yards out with no time on the clock to put the Aztecs up, 17-10, at the half.
Wyoming tied it up once again on its ensuing drive on another long 13-play, 70-yard march over 6:07, ending with a 1-yard TD run by Hill.
SDSU's Juwan Washington, however, took a 92-yard kick back for his first career kick return touchdown.
After forcing the Cowboys to punt, San Diego State's Donnel Pumphrey fumbled, allowing Lucas Wacha to pounce on it and giving UW the ball on the Aztecs' 18. The SDSU defense stood tall, however, limiting Wyoming to a 34-yard field goal.
San Diego State looked to put the game away on its first drive of the fourth quarter as it used to big plays - 44-yard pass from Chapman to Washington and a 24-yard Penny run - to get to the 12-yard line. Two short gains, a delay of game penalty and an incompletion later, the Aztecs had to settle for a 31-yard field goal by Baron to make it 27-20.
It only took the Cowboys three plays to go 75 yards, ending with a 30-yard pass from Allen to Jake Maulhardt and tying the game up at 27-27.
After forcing SDSU to punt, UW methodically mounted a 15-play, 85-yard drive over 6:14 to take the lead on the Allen-to-Johnson 29-yard pass. Wyoming converted three third downs on the drive, a fourth down and took advantage of a San Diego State penalty on a 3rd and 5 early to take its first lead of the game.
The Aztecs got down to the 23 before the Hail Mary from Chapman to Truxton set up the failed 2-point conversion.
Chapman completed 15 of 26 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns for SDSU. Penny had 79 yards on the ground on just five carries and added the 93-yard kick return touchdown, while Pumphrey had 76 rushing yards on 17 attempts (4.5 avg.) and added team highs of five receptions and 52 yards. Washington had a 44-yard catch, a 14-yard run and a 92-yard kick return for a score.
Pumphrey ended up passing Tony Dorsett for third place on the NCAA FBS career rushing list and became the first player in FBS history with at least 5,000 career rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards.
Ronley Lakalaka (12) and Parker Baldwin (11) each had career highs in tackles, while Calvin Munson added 11 stops for the San Diego State defense.
Allen was 16-for-31 for 282 yards and rushed for 56 yards for the Cowboys and Hill added 131 yards and two touchdowns on 31 rushes.