LARAMIE – Wyoming's secondary came up with three interceptions in the Border War.
 
Nickel back Desman Hearns fought through a pick attempt by a wide receiver to grab the first turnover with a spectacular break on the ball in front of the Cowboy bench.
 
Free safety Jones Thomas, whose grandfather and father played for the Rams, hauled in his first career interception for the Cowboys on an overthrow by quarterback Jackson Brousseau.
 
Cornerback Markie Grant helped preserve the 28-0 shutout with an interception in the end zone despite wearing a club on one injured hand.
 
"Our players brought it the way that a rivalry demands you bring it," UW head coach Jay Sawvel said after reclaiming possession of the Bronze Boot in front of a sellout crowd at War Memorial Stadium. "I appreciate that."
 
Sawvel has been showing local media members the "All 22" coaches film of select plays – good and bad – to point out why certain calls have worked or not worked this season.
 
All three interceptions made the cut before Monday's press conference, but Sawvel's favorite play was Tyrese Boss coming up from the secondary like a freight train and putting a ball carrier on the turf with a textbook tackle.
 
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound redshirt cornerback plays with the "joyous rage" Sawvel described the Pokes having during the dominant performance against CSU.
 
"It's always been in my game," Boss said. "Playing safety in high school, I always liked to come down hill and make those plays. I loved the Legion of Boom. That (Seattle Seahawks defense) was the group I watched growing up. Seeing Kam Chancellor and guys like that being able to hit influenced my game.
 
"I just love making them feel me from a physical standpoint. I want them to know it's going to be a long game as long as I'm here."
 
Boss is always playing with his family on his mind.
 
Before games he bends down and scribbles "July 11, 2019" with his fingers as a tribute to his father, Glen, who died of colon cancer on that date. Boss also lost a beloved grandmother who helped raise him two years before his dad's death.
 
After winning a starting job during fall camp, Boss felt the weight of his journey on the way to the season opener at Akron. He finished with four tackles during the 10-0 win over the Zips.
 
"When we were on the bus it hit me. I'm not going to lie; I shed a tear or two on the way to Akron because all those emotions hit me," Boss said. "I know they're not physically there, but I know they can see. Every game I've been using that to get me going, get that fuel back in my body knowing you've got people that want to see this and don't let them down.
 
"They're not here but I've got to make it happen because I promised them."
 
Power 4 schools in Boss' home state showed interest but did not offer the Chino Hills, Calif., prospect. He considered playing at the FCS level for Eastern Washington and Montana State during the recruiting process
 
The opportunity to develop at UW into a high-level Mountain West player was the happy medium.
 
Boss' mother, Linda Scott, gave her blessing for him to leave the Southern California sunshine for 7,220 feet.
 
"She thinks it's better for me because in California there's a lot of distractions," Boss said. "She thought Wyoming and Laramie was the best place for me to lock into the game and focus on me."
 
A hand injury prevented Boss from playing as a true freshman until he was able to get on the field for UW's 15-14 win at Washington State to close the 2024 campaign on a high note.
 
Boss added about 20 pounds of muscle to his frame in UW bDirector of Sports Performance Eric Donoval's strength and conditioning program while also learning the finer techniques from cornerbacks coach Benny Boyd.
 
"The way he works," Boyd said when asked how Boss was able to develop into an impact player. "He's not a flashy guy; he just puts his head down and goes to work. There is also a quiet confidence that he has. I think that is based on his upbringing and how hard he has had to work to get to where he is now.
 
"The belief in himself is based on what he has experienced after he has worked hard. I expected him to be good, but maybe not this good this fast."
 
Boss is fifth on the team with 33 tackles to go with three pass breakups. He had six tackles in his first Border War, which was second on the team behind linebacker Evan Eller's seven tackles.
 
Over the weekend, Boss posted a photo of himself wearing sunglasses and clutching the Bronze Boot in the locker room.
 
"When that Boot got in my hands and I finally got to touch it after what happened last year, the best part is the memories that come with it," Boss said. "Seeing everybody go crazy with the Boot, everybody running across the field, it's a memory I'm never going to forget."
 
This Saturday will be a special sort of homecoming for Boss when UW plays San Diego State at Snapdragon Stadium. His mom will make the manageable drive down to San Diego from greater Los Angeles to watch the game.
 
"There was obvious talent on the tape but it's more his personality," Boyd said of recruiting Boss. "We connected kind of through the tragedy of his dad passing away and my father passed away a lot of years ago now. That was a connection, both having hard-working single mothers. His mom is a very strong-willed tough woman who has raised him well. I was raised in a very similar background, so I think we had an unspoken connection that way."
 
The Aztecs enter the matchup ranked second nationally behind Ohio State in scoring defense (10.4 points per game) and ninth in total defense (255.0 yards per game).
 
This is a chance for UW's defense to show SDSU who's Boss.
 
"Our defense is good at coming in with energy," Boss said. "I know they have a good defense, but I think we can match it and do even better. If we do what we did this week, and the offense keeps rolling and we keep that energy hopefully we get the same outcome."
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.
 
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