Utah Overcomes Penalties, Finds Rhythm in Gritty Win Over Wyoming

LARAMIE, Wyo. — Utah’s trip to War Memorial Stadium was never going to be easy.

The altitude, the elements, and a scrappy Wyoming team combined to make Saturday’s matchup a grind.

But after a sluggish, penalty-marred first half, the Utes regrouped, leaned on their defense, and eventually wore down the Cowboys in a hard-fought victory that showed both Utah’s flaws and its resilience.

First Half: Wasted Chances

The opening half belonged more to Utah’s mistakes than to Wyoming’s resistance. The Utes repeatedly undercut themselves with costly penalties — false starts, holds, and a late hit — that stalled promising drives and erased chunk plays. Statistically, Utah dominated, holding a clear advantage in total yardage and yards per play, but the scoreboard told a different story.

Instead