Wyoming puts stamp on Vols’ bad year

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Just when it seemed it couldn’t get any worse for Phillip Fulmer and Tennessee, Wyoming came to town.

Five days after Fulmer became a lame-duck coach, ousted effective the end of the season, the Volunteers lost 13-7 on Saturday to the Cowboys.

Wyoming came in a nearly four-touchdown underdog, the lowest-scoring team in major college football and languishing near the bottom of the Mountain West Conference.

It seemed like a perfect opportunity for a homecoming pick-me-up for Fulmer and the Vols, who still had hopes of qualifying for a bowl.

Instead, the Volunteers (3-7) will be home for the holidays in the 17th and final season under the coach who led Tennessee to its last national title.

“Obviously, it’s been a really hard week on everybody,” Fulmer said. “If anything, I should be apologizing to the fans and everybody for this whole week coming about.”

Ward Dobbs returned an interception 24 yards for Wyoming (4-6), which improved to 3-1 against Southeastern Conference teams under coach Joe Glenn.

It was the first time the Vols lost to a Mountain West opponent and only the second time in history Tennessee has had seven losses in a season. The Vols have never had eight. They’ll try to avoid that against Kentucky and Vanderbilt.