ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — In an exciting showdown on Saturday, Kaden Anderson made his debut as the starting quarterback for Wyoming, while running back Harrison Waylee participated in his first game of the season. Together, they propelled the Cowboys to a thrilling 49-45 victory against New Mexico.

Anderson showcased his skills by connecting with Justin Stevenson for a pivotal 27-yard touchdown pass with less than five minutes remaining in the game. This play came right after Stevenson was penalized for offensive pass interference following a catch in the end zone.

In a critical moment, Tyce Westland managed to recover a fumble at New Mexico’s 48-yard line after he executed a strip-sack on Devon Dampier, just two minutes and 48 seconds before the game concluded. The Cowboys, now at a record of 2-7 overall and 2-3 in the Mountain West Conference, successfully ran the clock down to secure the win.

Anderson concluded the match with an impressive stat line, completing 20 of 29 passes for 342 yards, along with three touchdown passes, despite one interception. Waylee, returning from an injury that sidelined him, made a significant impact by rushing for 170 yards and scoring a touchdown on 27 carries. Additionally, Jaylen Sargent contributed with 186 receiving yards and one touchdown catch.

On the opposing side, Dampier had an impressive outing with 207 rushing yards while Eli Sanders also broke the 200-yard mark with 205 yards, marking a historic feat for the Lobos as it was the first time two players surpassed 200 rushing yards in a single game for the team. Dampier not only rushed for three touchdowns but also threw one touchdown pass. However, he faced a setback with an interception returned for a touchdown by Wrook Brown, cutting New Mexico’s lead to 45-42 early in the fourth quarter.

Dampier’s remarkable performance included an 85-yard touchdown run that came shortly after Anderson’s interception, marking the final scoring for the Lobos. The game was tightly contested at halftime, with the score locked at 35-35.

The match featured a combined offensive output of 1,180 yards, with Wyoming accounting for 604 yards of that total. In the course of the game, place-kicker John Hoyland set a new career points record for Wyoming with a total of 345 points.