OREM, Utah - With playoff seedings already determined, both the Wyoming Cavalry and Utah Valley Thunder used Saturday's American Indoor Football Association game as a tune-up for the Western Conference championship July 10 in Casper.

Both teams went with their backup quarterbacks in the second half as the Thunder scored the final 21 points to upend the Cavs 54-44.

Sete Aluai scored on a one-yard run to pull Utah Valley (10-3) within five points at 44-39 with 8 minutes, 30 seconds left. The Thunder then recovered an onside kick - the third time this season it has pulled the feat off against the Cavs - which led to the go-ahead score when Jason Swanson threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Travis Brown with 51 seconds to play.

"I've got a pretty good way of taking care of those [onside kicks]," Cavs coach Dan Maciejczak said, "but I didn't want to give anything away in a game that doesn't count.

"The playoff game is all that matters."

The Cavs (11-2) earned homefield advantage throughout the playoffs with its 56-9 victory at New Mexico on June 21.

Wyoming's final scoring opportunity ended in disaster when Anter Brame picked off Cavs backup quarterback Jamar Culver and returned it 25 yards for a score with 35 seconds remaining.

Culver finished 7 of 12 for 54 yards and two touchdowns, while starter Matt Strand completed 13 of 24 passes for 128 yards and three scores, all in the first half.

Running back James Jones led the Cavs offense with three touchdowns and receivers Dante Dudley, A.J. Street and B.J. Charlton each had one touchdown catch.

Even though Wyoming lost to Utah Valley for the second time this season, Maciejczak was pleased with his team's performance.

"We got everything we wanted to out of this game, but it would have been nice to win the game," he said. "But to be down three points with 50 seconds to go is where you want to be."

The Cavs wrap up the regular season Saturday when they host Ogden.