LARAMIE — The Football Championship Subdivision demon nearly struck the University of Wyoming once again.
The Cowboys, who closed as 23.5-point favorites on ESPN, scored twice in the final four minutes and stopped Northern Colorado, 21-13, on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium.
The 14 unanswered points avoided what would have been UW’s second home loss to an FCS opponent during head coach Jay Sawvel’s three-year tenure.
“It was a weird game,” Sawvel said. “… We started off really slow offensively and shot ourselves in the foot multiple times offensively. … Not everything is pretty. I get it. I’ve been here for seven years, and there’s probably been five or six of these that just looked like we muddled through it.
“We got through it. Then we go onto the next one.”
The Cowboys (1-1) generated the game-tying score with 3 minutes, 44 seconds left. UW quarterback Tyler Hughes connected with Charlie Coenen on a 15-yard strike, then Erik Sandvik’s extra point provided a one-point advantage.
University of Wyoming senior quarterback Tyler Hughes is hit while passing against Northern Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie.
Kirk Miller/For WyoSports
Jones Thomas intercepted Northern Colorado’s Kenny Lueth 66 seconds later at the Bears’ 38-yard line. It marked Thomas’ second interception. He snatched one in the second quarter at at the Bears’ 37-yard line.
Hughes extended the lead with an 18-yard dart to Kyle Frendt with 1:44 left. Both scores came after a nearly 40-minute lightning delay early in the fourth quarter.
University of Wyoming sophomore tight end Kyle Frendt is helped up by Tyler Siddons after catching a pass for a touchdown against Northern Colorado at War Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026.
Kirk Miller/For WyoSports
“What was said (during the lightning delay) was, ‘Hey, we’re going to have to go out and battle defensively and try to hold them to a field goal,'” Sawvel said. “Regardless of whatever happened on that series defensively, we were still going to need to come back and get stops.
“Then I said, ‘Offensively, we’re going to score twice in these 12 minutes. We need to get that done.’ Our players came out with a different level of urgency, and that was good to see.”
The Bears outgained the Cowboys 346-304 in total yardage while earning one more first down (17-16).
Hughes completed 18-of-26 passes for 149 yards and two scores. He added 35 yards on seven carries.
“(The first three quarters) were super frustrating,” Hughes said. “That’s just not the brand of football that we want to identify ourselves with, and we will be better. We’ve seen better.
“We know that we’re capable of doing certain things, and we just have to go out there and show you guys and show the War and show the state of Wyoming that we are a good football team and that we can come together and win some football games.”
Markell Holman led UW’s rushing attack with 80 yards on 11 attempts. Samuel Harris added 39 rushes on 12 attempts, plus a touchdown.
University of Wyoming sophomore running back Samuel Harris, left, celebrates after rushing for a touchdown against Northern Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie.
Kirk Miller/For WyoSports
UW sealed the win with a turnover on downs with 53 seconds left.
University of Wyoming sophomore running back Samuel Harris, right, cuts inside Northern Colorado’s Kai Shelton on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie.
Kirk Miller/For WyoSports
Early mistakes cost the Cowboys for a second consecutive week. UW was called for a false start on 3rd-and-1 at UNC’s 5-yard line early in the second quarter, and Hughes lost a fumble on the ensuing play. Thomas’ first interception occurred three plays later.
University of Wyoming junior safety Jones Thomas (No. 23) celebrates with the bench after he intercepted a pass against Northern Colorado at War Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026.
Kirk Miller/For WyoSports
The Cowboys capitalized on the takeaway with a 4-yard touchdown run from Harris eight plays later to take a 7-0 lead with 7:19 left in the second quarter.
The Bears cut the lead to 7-3 with a 45-yard field goal from Landon Richardson with two minutes left in the half. After a Bart Edmiston punt pinned UNC at its own 9-yard line with 1:23 still on the clock, the Bears drove 91 yards in five plays and led 10-7 at halftime.
The drive was capped with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Lueth to Marcus Mozer, which led to boos from the home crowd as the Cowboys jogged back to the locker room.
The Bears extended their lead with 35-yard field goal right out of the halftime break. The score — which put them up 13-7 — capped a 13-play drive that spanned over seven minutes.
UNC played keep-away in the third quarter, winning the time-of-possession battle by over six minutes. The Bears had a chance to pad their lead with a 55-yard field goal, but they were called for a delay of game and were forced to punt.
University of Wyoming junior Jayden Williams blocks a field goal attempt in a game with Northern Colorado at War Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. A Northern Colorado delay of game penalty negated the block and the ensuing return.
Kirk Miller/For WyoSports
Holman lost a fumble on the ensuing drive early in the fourth quarter after attempting to hurdle a UNC linebacker.
The Cowboys visit Central Michigan (1-1) at 11 a.m. next Saturday in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.