LARAMIE -- Utah State will be without its top offensive weapon today inside War Memorial Stadium.

Jalen Royals, the Aggies' All-Mountain West wide receiver, suffered a foot injury that will leave the senior sidelined for the remainder of the season and his career in Logan.

The Georgia product confirmed the news to 7220sports.com during pregame.

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The 6-foot, 205-pound senior caps his final season with 55 grabs for 834 yards and six touchdowns. His 15.2 yards per catch was tops in the conference.

Royals is also one of the top kick returners in the nation, averaging 20.4 yards per attempt. He finished with total of 184 yards.

Only Boise State running back and Heisman hopeful Ashton Jeanty has more all-purpose yards in this league than Royals.

The Cowboys (1-6, 1-2) and Aggies (1-6, 0-3) will kickoff tonight at 5 p.m. inside War Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

 

PREGAME:

* It's unseasonably warm today on the high plains. It's currently 66 degrees Winds are gusting at 24 miles per hour.

* Wyoming is rocking their traditional uniforms today: Brown tops, gold pants, white helmets. The visiting Aggies are wearing white jerseys.

* Evan Svoboda is currently taking snaps in pregame from starting center Nofoafia Tulafono. Jay Sawvel said he was likely to start this one. Kaden Anderson, he said, will play in the first quarter. For those who have been wondering, Gage Brook is the third option under center. He's a redshirt freshman from Fort Collins.

* Looks like Boise State and BYU could have the inside track to the new 12-team College Football Playoff. Gross, huh? Colorado State could also move to 3-0 in Mountain West play with a win today over New Mexico.

* Sabastian Harsh, Wyoming's starting defensive end, is currently on the sidelines in street clothes. Not ideal for the Pokes' pass rush.

* Appears Harrison Waylee will not make his debut tonight against the Aggies. Not entirely surprised by that decision. He can play in 4 games to maintain his redshirt status. After tonight, that's how many games are left in the regular season. Sawvel wanted to make sure he was 100%

* These two teams have battled for Jim Bridger's rifle, a traveling trophy. This will be the 73rd meeting in the series.

 

FIRST QUARTER:

* Wow. Utah State, in lightning-fast fashion, just went right down the field and scored. That was a 36-yard touchdown hookup from Petras to Tia. Trick play left the WR all alone. That was a 7-play, 75-yard drive that took 2:33 off the clock. Utah State 7 Wyoming 0 12:27/ 1Q

* Svoboda is indeed under center to start this one. Kaden Anderson, per Sawvel, will get reps in the first quarter.

* After a nice 10-yard pick up on the jet sweep, TK King is down. Appears he took a shot to the head on his way down.

* Sawvel chooses to punt here on a 4th-and-2 at the 48-yard line. Fans are not happy. Svoboda with a pick up of just one on a 3rd-and-2. Questionable play call, to say the least. Why this offense refuses to pound it on short- yardage plays is beyond me. Utah State 7 Wyoming 0

* Pokes' D is going to get off the field here. That felt like a big stop. Kaden Anderson time ...

* Sam Scott with a big run around the right side. Svoboda, by the way, still in this game.

* Svoboda with a nice run there. Gain of 14. Pokes are running behind Caden Barnett so far in this one.

* *FIELD GOAL* John Hoyland is true from 43 yards and the Pokes are on the board. That was an 8-play, 55-yard drive. Scott had 43 of those on one run. Drive took 3:25 off the clock. Utah State 7 Wyoming 3 5:19/ 1Q

* Mistake there on the kick return Utah State will start this drive at its own 5. That likely doesn't happen with Royals in the game.

* DeVonne Harris with the sack on first down. Senior had a serious elbow injury and has really battled back to play. Good for him

* Here comes redshirt freshman QB Kaden Anderson. Roar from the crowd inside the War

* Anderson to Durr for 8 on a 3rd-and-5. Stood tall in the pocket and made the throw. That's the end of one quarter in Laramie. Utah State 7 Wyoming 3 END of 1Q

 

SECOND QUARTER:

* Anderson to Durr again on third down. The true frosh picks up 20. He's is fast ...

* *TOUCHDOWN* Sam Scott with the big boy run from 11 yards out. He just tossed an Aggie defender on his way into the Tetons. Really nice drive right there: 10p, 70 yds, 5:05 off the clock. Wyoming 10 Utah State 7 11:19/ 2Q

* Wyoming DT Ben Florentine is down on the turf. He went down last week at SJSU, too. Utah State facing a 3rd-and-10 from its own 46 after the injury TO

* Looked like Tyrecus Davis just made a really nice play on the ball on a 3rd-and-10. He is instead getting hit with a PI. Sawvel is livid. Looked clean from up here.

* *TURNOVER ON DOWNS* Keany Parks turned his head at the last minute and batted it away. Big stop for the Cowpokes on that 4th-and-5. They will take over at their own 38. Anderson still in

* Pokes go three-and-out. Anderson sacked on 3rd down. Culbreath in to punt.

* Faison with consecutive runs of 9, 9, 12. Better get that figured out in a hurry. Aggies at the Pokes' 44.

* Keany Parks with another really nice play. Great coverage on that throw to the end zone. Aggies drill a 3-yard field goal to tie this one up. That was a 12-play, 65-yard drive. Wyoming 10 Utah State 10 1:19/ 1Q

* Svoboda in at QB on what could be the final drive of the first half. He begins this one with an 11-yard run

* Svoboda's pass intended for Stevenson gets picked off near the sideline. Vincent jumped that route with ease. Aggies ball at the UW 44 with 0:35 left in the half

* Ouch. Aggies take just two plays to get in the end zone. Faison catches a 36-yard pass down the sideline then bullies his way in from 8 yards out. Pokes continue to falter in the middle 8. Brutal turn of events. Utah State 17 Wyoming 10 0:19/ 2Q

* Pokes leaving the field to boos. Just a terrible ending to the first half. Give up a long drive and a FG only to throw an INT and give up a touchdown in two plays.

 

THIRD QUARTER:

* Kaden Anderson is the QB to start the second half

* Nick Miles with a helluva blitz pickup on that long toss. Pelissier -- allegedly -- was interfered with. Pokes ball near midfield.

* Another third-down connection from Anderson to Durr. Pokes at the Aggies 15. That's three hookups between those two on third down.

* Anderson with a nifty run that will be negated thanks to a block in the back called on Sargent. Pokes ball at the 12 instead of the two.

* Sargent with the catch but couldn't get a foot down in the end zone. Cannon fires off anyway. Here comes Hoyland

* *FIELD GOAL* Hoyland connects from 27 yards out. That caps a 12-play, 66-yard drive that took 5:30 off the clock. Utah State 17 Wyoming 13 9:30/ 3Q

* Anderson has led the Cowboys on 2-of-3 scoring drives tonight. Svoboda, who is just 2-7 for 12 yards and an INT, is responsible for the first scoring drive that ended with a 43-yard Hoyland FG

* Big 3-and-out for the Pokes D right there. Tyrecus Davis on coverage. Here comes the punt team.

* There's the fourth third-down pick up for Durr from Anderson. Pokes at the 26.

* Svoboda is back in the game here after Anderson was just hammered out of bounds. Aggies getting hit with a late hit out of bounds here. Pokes are now inside the 10

* Fans are chanting "Anderson, Anderson" Svoboda in for two plays, Pokes go backward. Fans just got their wish. No. 12 back in

* *FIELD GOAL* Hoyland boots through his third of the night. That one was from 23 out. Anderson has now led three of the Pokes' four scoring drives tonight. That was a 12p, 69 yarder. Utah State 17 Wyoming 16 3:08/ 3Q

* Not sure what TV is saying, but I figured Anderson's helmet came off or he got dinged up a bit and that's why Svoboda came back in?

* There's another 3-and-out. This defense is flying around. Aggies to punt

* Anderson with another beauty to Durr. The rookie got smoked after that 22-yard gain

* Wyoming has held opponents to 21 yards or fewer in the third quarter of the last three home games, per UW. Utah State with just nine total in that frame.

 

FOURTH QUARTER:

* It's a gift to the Cowboys that Utah State got away from the run when it did. Visitors were making hay.

* Make that three straight 3-and-outs. Pokes should have great field position here

* *TOUCHDOWN* Don't give that guy too much space. TK King absolutely flies down the sideline for a 54-yard touchdown on the jet sweep. Pokes are back on top. Wyoming 22 Utah State 17 13:36/ 4Q

* Wyoming's 2-pt conversion try fails. Wow, is TK King fast. Once he got a crease, he was shot out of a cannon. Dude has some wheels

* Ekeler getting a PI right here. That's Utah State's initial first down of the half. Ball all the way down to the UW 37. Refs also tacke3d on an unsportsmanlike.

* Petras to Sterzer on the 10-yard touchdown toss. 30 yards worth of penalties aided that 5-play, 75-yard drive. That took 1:38 off the clock. Utah State 24 Wyoming 22 11:58/ 4Q

* Jay Sawvel was tagged with the unsportsmanlike call on that last drive. That's a killer, especially on the heels of a PI. Can't happen

* Anderson + Durr on third down ... automatic. Drive continues.

* There goes that man again. TK King showing off the speed on a 20-yard grab

* TK King is down on the play. He got absolutely wrecked ... and fumbled. Looks like Utah State's ball at Wyoming's 39. The Texas product is still down.

* King got hammered in the head on that jet sweep. How that's not targeting is beyond me. Utah State has the ball at its own 48.

* Wyoming's D is getting off the field again here. That unit, for the most part, has been rock solid tonight. This drive starts inside the Cowboys own 1.

* That Sam Scott kid is pretty good, huh? Huge run for the big man. Ball at the USU 32 with 5:22 to go

* That’s Scott’s first 100-yard performance. The big man has 115 tonight

* Hoyland will attempt his fourth FG of the night here to potentially give the Pokes a lead with 2 min to go. This will be a 31-yarder

* *FIELD GOAL* Hoyland does it again. Wyoming 25 Utah State 24 1:57/ 4Q

* Wrook Brown is getting hit with targeting here. I’m on the field. It wasn’t targeting. Fans are livid. Brown is stunned.

* No targeting. Horrible call.

* Utah State will attempt a 39-yard game-winning FG

University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players

During the summer of 2021, 7220Sports.com counted down the Top 50 football players in University of Wyoming history, presented by Premier Bone & Joint Centers, Worthy of Wyoming.

The rules are simple: What was the player's impact while in Laramie? That means NFL stats, draft status or any other accolade earned outside of UW is irrelevant when it comes to this list.

This isn't a one-man job. This task called for a panel of experts. Joining 7220's Cody Tucker are Robert GagliardiJared NewlandRyan Thorburn, and Kevin McKinney.

We all compiled our own list of 50 and let computer averages do the work. Think BCS -- only we hope this catalog is fairer.

Don't agree with a selection? Feel free to sound off on our Twitter: @7220sports - #Top50UWFB

Gallery Credit: 7220Sports.com

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players

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