TUCSON, Ariz. — The Ohio Bobcats used late game heroics to defeat the Wyoming Cowboys 30-27 in overtime and win the Arizona Bowl on Thursday night.
The win marked the first 10-win season for the Bobcats since 2011 and only the fourth time in school history. It was also Ohio's first ever victory over the Cowboys. The two squads faced off during the 2007 and 2008 seasons, with Wyoming scraping by with one-point wins in each contest.
The Cowboys got on the board first, as Jordan Vaughn's 17-yard burst through the middle of the Bobcat defense gave Wyoming an early 7-0 lead.
Ohio (10-4, 7-1 MAC) quickly answered, driving 58-yards in five plays to take an 8-7 lead on a 34-yard pass by CJ Harris to Jacoby Jones for the touchdown. Justin Halloway successfully converted the conversion pass for the two points.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback CJ Harris completed 20 of his 33 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns.
Wyoming (7-6, 5-3 MWC) reclaimed the lead with 3:58 remaining in the quarter, wrapping up a seven second drive with a 17-yard passing touchdown.
In the later stages of the opening frame, Ohio would muff a punt and the Cowboys would recover at the Bobcats 17. Wyoming would score on the next play to extended their lead 14-8 to round out the scoring in the first quarter.
Both teams would exchange field goals in the second quarter, as Nathanial Vakos would boot a 43-yard field goal to make the score at 14-11. And John Hoyland would kick a 53-yarder with just four seconds left in the half to give Wyoming a 17-11 lead at halftime.
Ohio would take the lead back in the third quarter, on a three-yard touchdown run by Sieh Bangura who took an option pitch from Harris and made his way into the endzone. The Ohio running back helped set up his own scoring play with a 40-yard scamper during the drive.
Vakos kicked the extra point and the Bobcats took an 18-17 lead with 5:14 left in the third quarter.
Bangura led the Bobcats with 25 carries for 138 yards and one touchdown. CJ Harris, who was named the Most Valuable Player, added 10 attempts for 52 yards.
Vakos would give Ohio a 21-17 lead with a 45-yard field goal from with 4:17 left in the game, but the Cowboys quickly answered with a six-play, 75-yard drive to take a 24-21 lead.
Harris and the Bobcats would get the ball back and move down the field, aided by a big pass completion of 24-yards to Alec Burton and an obvious Wyoming passing interference.
Vakos came on with :08 left and kicked a personal-best and game-tying 56-yard field goal to send the game into overtime.
In overtime, the Cowboys got the ball and moved to the Bobcats 12, but the defense held and forced Wyoming to settle for a 29-yard field goal from John Hoyland and a 27-24 lead.
Ohio got the ball next and moved to the Cowboys 10, thanks to Bangura's 13 yards on three carries, but found themselves facing a third-and-eight.
CJ Harris dropped back to pass and lofted a fade pass to Tyler Foster who was single covered. Foster made a leaping grab and got both feet down in the back of the end zone for his only reception of the night and the games winning score.
Ohio 8 3 7 6 6 = 30
Wyoming 14 3 0 7 3 = 27
First Quarter WYO—Jordon Vaughn 17 run (John Hoyland kick), 10:12. OHIO—Jacoby Jones 34 pass from CJ Harris (Jonah Wieland to Justin Holloway), 8:23. WYO—Treyton Welch 17 pass from Andrew Peasley (John Hoyland kick), 3:58. Second Quarter OHIO—Nathanial Vakos 43 field goal, 13:28. WYO—John Hoyland 53 field goal. 0:04. Third Quarter OHIO—Sieh Bangura 3 run (Nathanial Vakos kick), 5:14.
Fourth Quarter OHIO—Nathanial Vakos 45 field goal, 4:17. WYO—Jordon Vaughn 5 run (John Hoyland kick), 2:04. OHIO—Nathanial Vakos 46 field goal, 0:04. Overtime WYO—John Hoyland 29 field goal OHIO—Tyler Foster 10 pass from CJ Harris
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