Hawkins' blocked FG return, Brown's interception give Wyoming 22-19 win over Appalachian State
Posted September 23, 2023 11:28 p.m. EDT
Laramie, Wyo. — Jakorey Hawkins returned a blocked punt 62 yards for a touchdown with less than two minutes to play, Wrook Brown made an interception at the 6-yard line with 12 seconds left and Wyoming edged Appalachian State 22-19 on Saturday night.
After Hawkins' block and return of a 47-yard field goal attempt — the first blocked field goal returned for a touchdown in Wyoming history — and John Michael Gyllenborg's 2-point conversion on a shovel pass, the Mountaineers had 1:52 left.
They marched from their 31-yard line to the Wyoming 35 when the Cowboys were called for pass interference in the end zone. Before attempting a potential tying field goal with the line of scrimmage at the 20, Joey Aguilar underthrew a pass toward the end zone and Brown made a leaping pick.
Michael Hughes kicked four field goals, the fourth a 50-yarder as time expired, to give Appalachian State a 12-7 lead at the half.
Early in the fourth quarter, Tyrek Funderburk returned a gift interception 18 yards for a touchdown to make it 19-7. Wyoming quarterback Andrew Peasley threw a swing pass left to D.Q. James, but James was slipping as the ball arrived and he swatted it up in the air, giving Funderburk an easy coast into the end zone.
On the next snap, Harrison Waylee Harrison burst 75 yards for a Wyoming touchdown, cutting the deficit to 19-14 with 11:31 to go.
Appalachian State then used 18 plays to wipe 9 1/2 minutes off the clock, only to have Wyoming steal the win.
Harrison rushed for 156 yards for the Cowboys (3-1), who only had 208 yards of offense as Peasley was 5-of-15 passing for 31 yards.
Aguilar completed 22 of 40 passes for 200 yards and Nate Noel ran for 109 yards for Appalachian State (2-1).
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
