MOSCOW - An 0-4 Idaho team was searching for a few more inches Saturday after a 40-37 loss to Wyoming.

In a battle of teams seeking their first win of the season, it was the Cowboys (1-3) celebrating inside the Kibbie Dome after Brett Smith found Jalen Claiborne for a 25-yard touchdown pass on Wyoming's first play in overtime. Idaho backup safety Trey Williams was in position to make a play on the ball, but the junior seemed to trip before he jumped, allowing Claiborne to play the role of hero in front of a crowd of 13,558.

"Where we are at right now, we are talking about inches - I mean, literally inches," Idaho coach Robb Akey said. "And you can pick your opportunity, it is not just that last play of the game."

Akey can point to several situations where the Vandals needed an inch or two in a game that featured more than 950 yards of total offense.

On the first possession of the game, for example, senior running back Ryan Bass fumbled just before being called down on Idaho's second play.

Wyoming's second play, meanwhile, was a 21-yard pass play in which Chris McNeill bobbled the ball three times before hauling in the circus catch. Two plays later, backup quarterback Jason Thompson took the snap 11 yards to give Wyoming a 7-0 lead less than 90 seconds into the game.

And that became a theme for the Cowboys. Any time the Vandals made a mistake, Wyoming made Idaho pay the price.

“Wyoming did a good job of taking advantage of those mistakes — quickly,” said senior wide receiver Mike Scott, who had eight catches as did Najee Lovett. “They are a good team that can definitely hit you with that one play that is going to turn the momentum of the game.”

Perhaps the biggest momentum shift came with Idaho leading 20-14 early in the fourth quarter. Propelled by big runs from Bass and James Baker, the Vandals found themselves on the Cowboys’ 2-yard line. Junior quarterback Dominique Blackman tried to use his 6-foot-5 frame to power the ball across the goal line like he did on a 1-yard TD sneak that had given Idaho the lead in the second quarter.

This time, though, freshman linebacker Siaosi Hala’api’api used a casted hand to knock the ball free from Blackman. Wyoming recovered the ball and three plays later tied the game on 15-yard pass by Smith to Justin Berger.

“I’ve just got to step my play up,” said Blackman, who passed for 306 yards and three TDs but fumbled twice. “It is just frustrating for me because I’m the only person that touches the ball every play, so I just have to be able to make those plays when I get the opportunity.”

The turnovers and a shoddy performance by an Idaho secondary that allowed Smith to pass for 365 yards and five TDs overshadowed another strong effort by Blackman. He led Idaho on three drives of at least 11 plays in the first half that gave Idaho an overwhelming advantage in the time of possession and the halftime lead.

Blackman also rallied the Vandals after they fell behind 34-27 with 3:37 remaining in the game. On the last play in regulation, Blackman managed to find Scott between two Wyoming defenders for the tying score just before the QB was hit.

Idaho had the ball first in overtime and took a brief 37-34 lead on Trey Farquhar’s 49-yard field goal. But much like in a 21-13 loss to Bowling Green two weeks ago, Akey and his players were left after Saturday’s game searching for the answers that might lead to the team’s first victory.

“I am sick to death for the (players),” Akey said. “They are fighting hard. They are working their tails off. They’ve gotten better, and they have not been rewarded yet.”

Wyoming 14 0 6 14 6 —40

Idaho 6 14 7 7 3 —37

First Quarter

Wyo_Thompson 11 run (Williams kick), 13:31.

Id_FG Farquhar 26, 7:28.

Id_FG Farquhar 53, 3:27.

Wyo_McNeill 73 pass from B.Smith (Williams kick), 2:48.

Second Quarter

Id_Lovett 5 pass from Blackman (Farquhar kick), 11:47.

Id_Blackman 1 run (Farquhar kick), 1:50.

Third Quarter

Wyo_Rufran 4 pass from B.Smith (kick blocked), 7:24.

Id_Lovett 19 pass from Blackman (Farquhar kick), 4:51.

Fourth Quarter

Wyo_Berger 15 pass from B.Smith (Williams kick), 11:26.

Wyo_Miller 8 pass from B.Smith (Williams kick), 3:37.

Id_M.Scott 8 pass from Blackman (Farquhar kick), :00.

Overtime

Id_FG Farquhar 49.

Wyo_Claiborne 25 pass from B.Smith.

A_13,558.

Wyo Id

First downs 22 26

Rushes-yards 30-80 39-203

Passing 365 306

Comp-Att-Int 23-36-0 34-48-0

Return Yards 15 41

Punts-Avg. 5-48.6 3-42.0

Fumbles-Lost 1-0 3-3

Penalties-Yards 3-20 5-47

Time of Possession 43:18 31:42

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING_Wyoming, Thompson 8-25, May 5-22, B.Smith 9-22, Miller 7-10, Wick 1-1. Idaho, R.Bass 19-121, Baker 10-75, Blackman 7-4, Handley 1-3, Level 1-1, Team 1-(minus 1).

PASSING_Wyoming, B.Smith 23-35-0-365, Thompson 0-1-0-0. Idaho, Blackman 34-46-0-306, Team 0-2-0-0.

RECEIVING_Wyoming, McNeill 8-219, Claiborne 5-49, Miller 3-63, Thompson 2-8, Wick 2-4, Berger 1-15, Rufran 1-4, Norman 1-3. Idaho, M.Scott 8-79, Lovett 8-73, Level 5-39, Runner 4-56, Handley 3-9, R.Bass 2-15, LaGrone 2-15, Baker 1-11, Elmo 1-9.