Boise State awakens to knock off Wyoming, 36-14

BOISE, Idaho -- Boise State had slogged through the first half against Wyoming and needed a spark.

Kellen Moore provided it, though not in the usual fashion.

Moore connected with Matt Miller on a 46-yard touchdown heave on the last play of the first half and No. 7 Boise State rolled from there to a 36-14 victory against the Cowboys on Saturday.

"That was big. Really, we stole some points in that situation. That was huge for us," said Moore, who threw three touchdown passes in the game and now has 137 career touchdown passes, second-best all time.

With the score tied 7-7 and 1 second left in the second quarter, Moore rolled left and let loose a pass to the goal line. The ball was deflected by Cowboys defender Tashaun Gipson and fell into the hands of Miller, sprawled flat on his back just beyond the goal line.

For Miller, it was a matter of keeping his eyes open.

"I was just trying not to get stepped on, really. The ball just kind of fell in my arms," he said. "I couldn't see it, but the guy tipped it and it fell in my arms, just a lucky play. It turned out pretty well for the Broncos."

Turns out it was exactly what the Broncos (10-1, 5-1 Mountain West Conference) needed to wrap up second place in the league.

Like the rest of the offense, Moore struggled early. He misfired badly on his first few throws. Cowboys linebacker Luke Anderson intercepted an underthrown ball in the flat and ran 29 yards untouched into the end zone, opening a 7-0 lead for Wyoming (7-4, 4-2).

But Moore found his groove just before the half and completed two third down passes to extend a 17-play, game-tying drive that was capped by Doug Martin's 2-yard TD plunge. Moore stepped it up in the second half, leading the Broncos to 23 straight points to put the game away.

■ Air Force 45, Colorado State 21 -- At Fort Collins, Colo., Tim Jefferson threw three touchdown passes to Zack Kauth in the second quarter, and the Falcons routed the Rams to reach bowl eligibility for the fifth straight season.

The Falcons (7-5, 3-4 MWC) were expected to have their best season under fifth-year coach Troy Calhoun, but a spate of injuries left them battling for a bowl on their season finale instead. Their resounding win marked the first time in the program's history that Air Force has won seven or more games in five straight seasons.

The Rams (3-8, 1-5) lost their seventh straight game overall and their sixth straight to the Falcons.