WESTERN ATHLETIC ROUNDUP : Wyoming Starts Fast, Holds On for a 28-15 Victory

Wyoming scored a game’s worth of points in the first quarter against Southwestern Louisiana on Saturday at Laramie, Wyo.

It was a good thing, too, as the Cowboys, who won, 28-15, were shut out the rest of the day.

“After that first quarter, we kept trying to do the same things offensively,” said Wyoming Coach Joe Tiller, who got his first victory as a college head coach. “We just didn’t execute plays like we did in that first quarter.”

While Wyoming (1-2) executed well in scoring four times in the first quarter--the most in a quarter in school history--Southwestern Louisiana (0-3) stumbled time and again. The Rajin’ Cajuns fumbled five times--losing four--had a punt blocked and returned for a score and let Robert Rivers return a punt 66 yards for a touchdown.

“I thought we played pretty well defensively, but you can’t fumble away chances like we did four or five times against a good team and expect to win,” said Cajun Coach Nelson Stokley, whose team turned the ball over three times inside Wyoming’s 15-yard line.

Air Force 24, Utah 21--Air Force cornerback Carlton McDonald blocked a 23-yard field-goal attempt with six seconds left to preserve the Western Athletic Conference victory at Salt Lake City.

A low snap to Utah holder Dave LeVetter, which bounced in front of him, ended Utah’s hopes for a tie in its first conference game.

Air Force improved to 3-0 and 2-0 in the WAC. Utah is 2-1 and 0-1.

Air Force kicker Joe Woods kicked a 37-yard field goal with 7:44 left in the fourth quarter that put the Falcons ahead, 24-21.

A nine-yard run by Air Force halfback Antoine Banks with 14 seconds left in the third quarter had tied the score 21-21.

Utah scored 10 points in the third quarter to go ahead 21-14, on a 32-yard field goal by Chris Yergensen with 7:29 left.

A four-yard touchdown run by Utah halfback Keith Williams gave the Utes their first lead, 18-14, with 13:06 left in the third quarter.

Texas El Paso 22, New Mexico State 21--Texas El Paso Quarterback Mike Perez connected with Ansel Littlejohn on a 39-yard touchdown pass play in the fourth quarter to give the Miners (2-1) a nonconference victory at Las Cruces, N.M.

Perez’s pass to Littlejohn came after the Aggies (0-1) missed a 29-yard field goal attempt and it capped an 80-yard drive.