Wyoming’s Bohl wins Arizona Bowl at the buzzer over Toledo

Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl knew this would be his final game before retiring, and his team beat Toledo on a field goal at the buzzer.

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

Dec 30, 2023, 6:26 PM

Follow on Google News

Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl wins Arizona Bowl in his final game before retirement off a go-ahead field goal as time expired, beating Toledo. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

(Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — John Hoyland kicked a 24-yard field goal as time expired and Wyoming sent coach Craig Bohl into retirement a winner with a 16-15 win over Toledo in the Arizona Bowl on Saturday.

Bohl is retiring after 42 years of coaching — the last 10 in Laramie — and defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel will take over next season.

Toledo (11-3) shut down Wyoming’s offense most of the afternoon before the Cowboys started to find an offensive rhythm in the fourth quarter.

Playing in a third straight bowl game for the first time, the Cowboys (9-4) trailed 15-6 after giving up a safety and a field goal in the third quarter.

Evan Svoboda scored on a 1-yard touchdown sneak after Andrew Peasley was injured in the fourth quarter to pull Wyoming within two.

Peasley returned to throw a 26-yard pass after the Cowboys forced a punt, but went down again without being hit. Svoboda then moved the Cowboys quickly down the field — with the help of an unnecessary roughness penalty on Ronald Delancy III — and Hoyland split the uprights to finish off Wyoming’s best season since going 10-2 in 1996.

Both teams were able to move the ball in the first half. Neither was able to reach the end zone until Jacquez Stuart raced through a big hole and dodged a tackle along the sideline for an 80-yard touchdown that put the Rockets up 10-6.

Before that, Hoyland kicked two field goals, including a 52-yarder that hit the crossbar and trundled over. Toledo’s Luke Pawlak also hit one from 33 yards out.

THE TAKEAWAYS

Toledo: The Rockets appeared to be in control before unraveling in the fourth quarter to lose for the second time during a three-year bowl streak.

Wyoming: The Cowboys nearly fell flat in their return trip to Tucson after losing 30-27 in overtime to Ohio last year. Wyoming pulled it out by using three quarterbacks in the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT

Toledo: The Rockets lost two of their best players when RB Peny Boone and QB Dequan Finn opted to transfer. QB Tucker Gleason is a sophomore and most of his receivers still have eligibility left.

Wyoming: RB Harrison Waylee is a junior, so he could return, but Peasley is out of eligibility. Most of the Cowboys’ defense should be back.