LARAMIE — The second try against a top-five team at War Memorial Stadium felt almost exactly like the first.

Wyoming hung with TCU for the better part of two quarters, even had the Horned Frogs on the ropes following a non-offensive touchdown, but saw that play wake a sleeping giant.

Even the final scores were nearly identical as No. 4 TCU had its way with UW in a 45-10 rout on Saturday.

“I don’t know if it was a microcosm of that (game), but I was hired here to build a football program … and we’ve competed against two of the top four teams in the country,” UW coach Dave Christensen said. “We’ve got a long ways to go. We fought in both those games for 30 minutes and fought extremely hard.

“It’s a tough deal.”

The Cowboys hung tough for the first 25 minutes of the game, just like they did against No. 2 Texas on Sept. 12.

In that game, the Pokes took the lead in the second quarter off a blocked punt return for a touchdown.

Against the Frogs, the big play came from the defense as Mike Neuhaus forced a fumble and Chris Prosinski returned it 98 yards to tie the game 10-10 with exactly six minutes left in the second quarter.

“It was kind of like déjà vu,” Neuhaus said. “That one play I was on the ground, I turn around and look up and Chris Pro’s already at the 30-yard line. I was like, ‘This is just like Texas.’

“Unfortunately it was the same result.”

In September, UW’s big play seemed to work against the Cowboys, actually firing up the Longhorns.

The Horned Frogs followed suit, erupting for 35 unanswered points, including six on the very next play of the game as Greg McCoy returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards for a touchdown.

They added another touchdown just before halftime and the Pokes went to the half trailing by two touchdowns.

“We did what we needed to do today,” TCU coach Gary Patterson said. “It could have been worse, but I have a lot of respect for the Wyoming Cowboys and the job they are doing right now.”

The Pokes even had a shot to make it a game in the second half as their defense forced a three-and-out from TCU to open the half.

But UW running back Brandon Stewart fumbled the ball away on the Cowboys’ first play from scrimmage in the third quarter, the Horned Frogs found the end zone four plays later and the rout was on.

“That definitely put us in a bad position,” Christensen said. “The defense came out and did a tremendous job. … They stop  them, forced a punt and then the first play we turned the ball over. That’s devastating when you’re trying to get back into the football game. It’s one thing to go three-and-out and punt it away, it’s another thing to give it to them after one snap.”

The Horned Frogs then had their way the rest of the day, outgaining UW 507 to 178 in terms of total offense.

The Pokes amassed just 52 yards of offense in the second half and averaged just 2.3 yards per carry on 36 rushing attempts.

But they quickly turned their attention to Friday’s Border War at Colorado State, where their postseason hopes come down to one rivalry game.

“There’s an awful lot to play for,” Christensen said. “We’re not playing for bowl eligibility, we’re playing to be in a bowl game. If we win, we’ll be in a bowl game.”