AUBURN 35, WYOMING 21

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - Rudi Johnson rushed for 174 yards and three touchdowns, and Ben Leard threw two TD passes to lead Auburn to a 35-21 season-opening victory over Wyoming on Thursday night.

It was the Tigers' 26th victory in their last 27 non-conference games.

The Cowboys rallied from a 28-7 deficit on two TD passes from Jay Stoner to Ryan McGuffey in a four-minute span of the fourth quarter.

Then, Johnson busted loose for a 70-yard TD run, shedding a pair of would-be tacklers downfield and dragging cornerback Sidney Lewis most of the final 10 yards to score with 3:24 left.

Johnson, a junior college transfer, brought instant life to a running game that ranked 112th in Division I-A and didn't produce a 100-yard rusher last season. He rushed for a 6-yard score in the second quarter and a 33-yarder in the third, recovering from a lost fumble on his second carry.

Johnson and most of Auburn's other starters appeared done for the night before sub Ronnie Brown fumbled at the Auburn 12. That set up McGuffey's 12-yarder from Stoner with 7:49 to play.

Auburn's starters returned, but Wyoming stopped Johnson for a 1-yard loss on three carries to force a punt. Stoner led a seven-play, 60-yard drive capped by his 8-yarder to McGuffey with 3:52 to play. Stoner was 4-of-5 for 41 yards on the drive.

Two plays later, Johnson sealed the win for Auburn.

Leard, who finished 12-of-19 for 266 yards, threw touchdown passes of 66 yards to Ronney Daniels and 15 yards to tight end Robert Johnson in the first quarter. Leard was 9-of-14 for 228 yards before halftime.

Stoner finished 19-of-35 for 158 yards with an interception.

Wyoming's first score came on a perfectly executed trick play late in the first quarter. Receiver Matt Swanson, also the backup quarterback, took a pitch from Stoner and heaved a 55-yarder to Brock Ralph, streaking alone down the sideline.

Auburn outgained Wyoming 443-242 and held the Cowboys to minus-9 yards on 12 third-quarter plays. 

AUBURN 35, Wyoming 21
(Recap)


                   1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH  FINAL
                   --- --- --- ---  -----
Wyoming             7   0   0  14    21
Auburn             14   7   7   7    35

First Quarter
     Aub-Daniels 66 pass from Leard (Duval kick), 8:39.
     Aub-Ro. Johnson 15 pass from Leard (Duval kick), 2:42.
     Wyo-Ralph 55 pass from Swanson (Elling kick), :30.
Second Quarter
     Aub-Ru. Johnson 6 run (Duval kick), 10:21.
Third Quarter
     Aub-Ru. Johnson 33 run (Duval kick), 2:57.
Fourth Quarter
     Wyo-McGuffey 12 pass from Stoner (Elling kick), 7:49.
     Wyo-McGuffey 8 pass from Stoner (Elling kick), 3:52.
     Aub-Ru. Johnson 70 run (Duval kick), 3:24.

                          Wyo     Aub
                          ---     ---
First downs                15      19
Rushes-yards            27-29  45-177
Passing                   213     266
Comp-Att-Int          20-36-1 12-21-0
Return Yards                0      99
Punts-Avg.             9-44.2  5-40.8
Fumbles-Lost              0-0     2-2
Penalties-Yards          5-47    4-50
Time of Possession      27:45   32:15

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Wyoming, Rich 13-35, Armah 5-14, Scott 1-11, Swanson 2-7,
Stoner 6-(minus 38). Auburn, Ru.Johnson 27-174, Evans 3-11, Brown
6-10, Moore 3-1, Leard 6-(minus 19).
PASSING-Wyoming, Stoner 19-35-1-158, Swanson 1-1-0-55. Auburn,
Leard 12-19-0-266, Cobb 0-2-0-0.
RECEIVING-Wyoming, McGuffey 5-42, Swanson 5-24, Floyd 3-42, Ralph
2-65, Scott 2-16, Tesinsky 1-16, Armah 1-5, Rich 1-3. Auburn,
Worthy 3-50, Carter 2-75, Daniels 1-66, Robinson 2-35, Ro.
Johnson 1-15, McIntyre 1-13, Willis 1-9, Evans 1-3.
A-76,128.
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