Wyoming routs C. Michigan

BOISE, Idaho — When Wyoming junior quarterback Josh Allen stepped onto the stage to accept his MVP trophy following the Cowboys’ 37-14 victory over Central Michigan on Friday in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, it didn't take long for the chant to begin.

“Do it! Do it!” Wyoming players shouted in unison as snow began to fall on the field.

Surrounded by teammates and a throng of Wyoming fans, Allen couldn't resist the moment and hoisted the trophy over his head before declaring his intentions to skip his senior season to enter the NFL draft.

“I was hoping to spend at least a day or two thinking about it,” Allen said, “but I think my teammates knew, and they were chanting for me to do it. This was the idea the whole time, to come back and trust what coach [Craig] Bohl was doing and learn more on the offensive side of the football.

“It wasn't pre-planned before the season started, but we had a pretty good idea of what we were going to do.”

Allen missed the final two regular-season games with a sprained right shoulder, resulting in a pair of close losses. In warmups, he looked anxious to return to the field and didn't disappoint. Allen completed 11 of 19 passed for 154 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

He didn't have to do much thanks to Wyoming's suffocating defense. Central Michigan (8-5) had won five straight before its eight turnovers broke the previous Famous Idaho Potato Bowl record of six.

Wyoming entered the game first in the nation in turnover margin and second in forced turnovers.

NASSAU, Bahamas — Dorian Brown rushed for 152 yards on just 12 carries and scored four touchdowns, Nathan Rourke threw for two scores and Ohio beat UAB 41-6 in the Bahamas Bowl on Friday. It was a stirring comeback for the Bobcats, who lost their last two games of the regular season to miss a shot at the Mid-American Conference title.

“I feel like eight wins were not enough with this football team, so this ninth win puts a little icing on the cake,” coach Frank Solich said.

Ohio (9-4) averaged 38.9 points per game during the season, setting a school record with 467 points scored, and the Bobcats exhibited that prowess with big plays to build an insurmountable 27-3 halftime lead over the Blazers (8-5).