PULLMAN, Wash. — Evan Svoboda doesn’t give up.
And neither did the 2024 Cowboys.
That’s what made Wyoming’s 15–14 victory over Washington State so special for the seniors and first-year head coach Jay Sawvel.
The defense kept dynamic dual-threat quarterback John Mateer and the Cougars, who had averaged 50.4 points per game during an undefeated home slate coming in, from scoring over the final 35 minutes, 42 seconds.
John Hoyland, UW’s all-time leading scorer, made three fields — including a 42-yard try in the third quarter that the senior banked in off the right upright – to get Washington State into the deep end of the pool.
Then No. 17 willed the Pokes to the win during a 14-play, 90-yard drive capped with a clutch 18-yard touchdown pass to John Michael Gyllenborg with 24 seconds remaining.
The only noise in Martin Stadium was coming from the small contingent of loyal UW fans.
“I think it’s tremendous for Evan,” Sawvel said of the rousing road win. “I’m so proud of him. He was beat up at the end of the game. I don’t know how much more he could have run or anything like that. He still found a way to get us a win so I’m really happy for him.
“For everything he’s taken, he deserves it.”
The junior quarterback’s season began with a painful personal homecoming when UW was beaten soundly by Arizona State in the Tempe heat a few miles from his childhood home.
The agony of defeat continued through a 0–4 start before Svoboda finally led the Cowboys to a win over Air Force to open Mountain West play, but his nose was broken in the process. He still can’t breathe out of his left nostril and will undergo surgery to repair the deviated septum now that the campaign has concluded.
Nothing came easy for No. 17 in 2024, including Sawvel’s decision to turn the offense over to the redshirt freshman Kaden Anderson before the New Mexico game.
Svoboda didn’t pout or enter the transfer portal — the easy reaction. Instead, he volunteered to play tight end, which he did against Colorado State and Boise State, while also taking snaps at quarterback in practices over the last month.
“It’s the same mindset,” Svoboda said of getting replaced by Anderson as the starter. “If you’re the backup you know you’re one play away from going back in. It’s the same approach, same mindset, same work ethic. Although I am the backup, I have to prepare as if I’m the starter.”
Svoboda was suddenly thrust into the QB1 spotlight again when Anderson was knocked out of the home finale in the second quarter. He was unable to execute a game-winning drive to stun No. 11 Boise State, but the Pokes put up a valiant fight against Heisman Trophy contender Ashton Jeanty and the potential College Football Playoff-bound Broncos in the 17–13 defeat.
“I’m extremely proud of Evan, especially with everything he has been going through with a new position change,” wide receiver Jaylen Sargent said after the final game this season at War Memorial Stadium. “He’s always willing to help out and off the field he’s a great person, great leader and definitely someone I would follow into battle every time.”
It didn’t look like there would be a Hollywood ending for UW against Washington State, either, until Svoboda rewrote the script late Saturday night.
Trailing 14–9, the Pokes offense took possession of the football at their own 10-yard line with 3:39 remaining.
Svoboda was sacked on the first play, but he moved the chains with a 2-yard run on fourth-and-1.
After taking another sack, Svoboda completed a 13-yard pass to Chris Durr Jr., who made a spectacular catch on the sideline in front of the UW bench for another first down.
Svoboda didn’t blink when a false start turned a second-and-3 into a second-and-8. He completed a 20-yard pass to Will Pelissier.
Washington State, which had stymied Svoboda with an interception and two fumble recoveries, was in position to survive thanks to more self-inflicted wounds by the Cowboys.
UW was facing a first-and-25 after being flagged for chop block. Then Svoboda stuck a dart to his roommate Gyllenborg down the seam for 29 yards to the Washington State 14-yard line.
“My guys believe in me, I believe in them, so just that overall belief,” Svoboda said. “I was trying to get it to [Gyllenborg] quick and he kind of turned his head last second and it almost stuck to him really.”
The next three plays — incompletion, completion to Sam Scott for minus-4 yards and incompletion.
Svoboda, of course, didn’t give up.
On fourth-and-ballgame, he threaded the game-winner between two defenders to Gyllenborg. Tyrecus Davis, who led the Pokes with seven tackles, sealed the sweet victory with an interception moments later.
“Everything that was going through my mind is ‘This is all the work we put in through the year, this is Cowboy tough football,’ and it proved to show itself on that play,” Svoboda said. “There’s no better way to top it off. It’s awesome to go into uncharted territory and go take a win with your guys and go and celebrate to finish off the year. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Sawvel described the Pokes’ performance in Pullman as a “springboard for what’s to come in 2025.” He wants Svoboda, a beloved team captain, to be an integral part of many more nights like this during his senior season.
“Evan is one of the best people that you’ll ever meet on earth,” Sawvel said after getting doused with water and signing “Ragtime Cowboy Joe” with this team in an emotional visiting locker room. “In a sense I feel like God just blessed him with a really good drive tonight in the fact of, ‘Hey, you deserve this one for everything you’ve taken that way.’
“I’m so happy for him. He’s going to be a big piece of our program going forward in his last year. I’m proud of him and proud of all of our players.”
