LARAMIE, Wyo. — Wyoming leaned on big plays in all three phases to beat Northern Iowa 31-7 on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium before a crowd of more than 25,000.

The Cowboys (2-0) forced two interceptions, blocked a punt, and recorded 13 plays of 10 yards or more on offense, 10 of them on the ground.

“Winning is hard,” head coach Jay Sawvel said. “Northern Iowa came in with a goal to control the clock and bleed the game out. There are things we have to clean up, but I liked that we had no real lulls. Defensively, we played well start to finish. Offensively, we were efficient in a lot of situations. We’re happy with the win.”

Wyoming’s rushing attack featured three players topping 50 yards. Terron Kellman had a career-high 87 yards on seven carries, averaging 12.4 per rush. Samuel “Tote” Harris added 61 yards and a touchdown, while Sam Scott ran for 58 yards and a score.

Quarterback Kaden Anderson completed 17 of 23 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end John Michael Gyllenborg caught five passes for 65 yards and a score, and Chris Durr Jr. added four receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown. Anderson left the game and was taken to the hospital for scans shortly after a full speed hit from a Panther cornerback. Anderson’s status will be updated during the Monday morning press conference.

Linebackers Enock Sibomana and Brayden Johnson, along with cornerback Tyrese Boss, each posted six tackles for the Cowboys. Defensive lineman Ben Florentine added five tackles and a sack, his third straight game with one.

Wyoming held Northern Iowa to 170 total yards, its fewest allowed since giving up 147 against Northern Colorado in 2022. It also marked the second straight game the Cowboys held an opponent under 100 yards rushing.

After both teams missed field goals to open the game, Scott capped a five-play, 78-yard Wyoming drive with an 18-yard touchdown run. Northern Iowa tied it at seven before Anderson connected with Gyllenborg on a six-yard pass to reclaim the lead.

The Cowboys blocked a punt late in the first half and turned it into a 40-yard Erik Sandvik field goal, giving them a 17-7 lead at halftime. Anderson extended the advantage in the third quarter with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Durr. Harris closed out the scoring with a touchdown run in the fourth.

Wyoming hosts No. 25 Utah next Saturday at 6 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.