Wyoming Cowboys football

Updated on Dec 04, 2023

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First season 1892 Division Mountain Bowl record 6–8 (.429) Arena/Stadium War Memorial Stadium Head coach Craig Bohl Location Laramie, Wyoming		Athletic director Tom Burman All-time record 519–562–31 (.481) Conference titles 15 Seating capacity 29,181 Conference Mountain West Conference

Field surface Artificial turf; (2005–present) Rivals Colorado State Rams football, Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football Profiles Twitter Facebook Instagram

The Wyoming Cowboys are a college football team that represents the University of Wyoming. They compete in the Mountain West Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of NCAA Division I and have won 15 conference titles. The head coach is Craig Bohl, who entered his first season in 2014.

Stadium

War Memorial Stadium was built in 1950 with an original capacity of 20,000 fans; the current capacity is 29,181 after the completion of 2009-2010 stadium upgrades.

It is the highest Division I FBS football stadium in the nation; the elevation of its playing field exceeds 7,200 feet (2,195 m) above sea level. The playing surface was natural grass until 2005, when infilled artificial turf was installed.

Prior to War Memorial Stadium, the Cowboys played at Corbett Field, a small field located southeast of Half Acre Gym where the Business Building and the Student Union parking lot now sit. It was named for John J. Corbett, longtime all-sport coach and director of physical education at the school. The field was the first official stadium for the Cowboys; previously they had played on Prexy's Pasture, the main green of the school.

Bronze Boot

The Bronze Boot is awarded to the winner of the college football game between Wyoming and Colorado State, in nearby Fort Collins. The annual game has evolved into one of the most bitterly contested rivalries in college football. The teams have waged the "Border War" one hundred times since the schools began playing in 1899, playing every year except 1901, 1902, 1906, 1907, 1918, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1943, 1944, and 1945. This is one of the oldest interstate rivalries west of the Mississippi River, and the oldest west of Lawrence, Kansas. The series is the oldest rivalry for both schools and the "Border War" has been played in three different centuries.

Paniolo Trophy

The Paniolo Trophy is awarded to the winner of the college football games played between Wyoming and Hawai'i. This rivalry started in 1979 when Hawai'i joined the WAC conference and was played annually until 1997, shortly before Wyoming joined the newly formed Mountain West Conference. Hawai'i joined the MWC as a football-only affiliate member in 2012, renewing the rivalry.

Bridger's Battle

Bridger's Battle is the name for the college football games played between Wyoming and Utah State, the winner of which is awarded the trophy of the rivalry, a .50 caliber Rocky Mountain Hawken rifle. The rivalry started in 1903, and renewed as an annual game in 2013 when Utah State joined the Mountain West Conference.

Notable players

Mike Dirks - tackle - part of one of college football's best defenses in 1966 and 1967. He was selected as an All-American and All-Western Athletic Conference performer. He co-captained Wyoming's 1967 WAC Championship football team that finished fifth in the nation. Led the Cowboys to a 10-1 record and berth in the 1968 Sugar Bowl. He was part of the Cowboys line that was the nation's best rushing defense for two consecutive seasons. No team in the nation has since allowed fewer rushing yards than the 1966 and 1967 Wyoming defenses. Dirks produced 71 tackles, 30 unassisted tackles, and 26 tackles for a loss. He was inducted into the Wyoming Cowboys Athletic Hall of Fame on October 29, 1993.

Jim Kiick - running back - Wyoming's leading rusher for each of his three seasons, 1965-67. He totalled 1,714 yards and ten touchdowns on 431 carries, and 561 yards and five touchdowns on 52 pass receptions. He was the first player ever to earn first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors three times. Kiick was co-captain of the team as a senior. He was named the Most Valuable Player in the 1966 Sun Bowl victory over Florida State, rushing 25 times for 135 yards and two touchdowns, and catching four passes for 42 yards. He also played in the 1968 Sugar Bowl against LSU, rushing 19 times for 75 yards and a touchdown, and catching five passes for 48 yards. Kiick played in the 1968 Senior Bowl, and was selected to play in the 1968 College All-Star Game.

Jerry Hill - running back - was selected as Wyoming's Football Player of the Century during fan balloting in 1992. He was selected as an All-Skyline Conference running back in 1959 and 1960. In those two seasons, Hill was Wyoming's leading rusher. During his career, the Cowboys posted a 25-6 record. Hill was a member of the club that won the 1958 Sun Bowl. His career would finish with 1,374 rushing yards on 288 carries. He was inducted in the Wyoming Cowboys Athletic Hall of Fame on October 29, 1993.

Jay Novacek - tight end - was a two sport All-American at Wyoming, also excelling in track. He was the Wyoming record holder in the decathlon and pole vault. As a football player, he was selected to the Kodak All-American football team in 1984. The selection was attributed to setting an NCAA record for receiving yards per receptions by a tight end. Novacek finished his Cowboys career with 83 career receptions for 1,536 yards and 10 touchdowns as a tight end. He was inducted in the Wyoming Cowboys Athletic Hall of Fame on October 29, 1993. He was also inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame on July 19, 2009 [1].

Honors and awards

Mike Dirks, First Team All-Western Athletic Conference, 1967

Mike Dirks, Football writers of America, Look Magazine, Newspaper Enterprise Association All-American, 1967

Mike Dirks, Team Co-Captain on NCAA record setting defense

Marcus Harris, Fred Biletnikoff Award

Marcus Harris, inducted into the Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame on September 24, 2004.

Jerry Hill, First Team All-Skyline Conference, 1959, 1960

Jerry Hill, Selected Wyoming Football Player of the Century, 1992

Jerry Hill, Honorable Mention All-American, 1959, 1960

Jerry Hill, Admiral Emory S. Land Award Winner

Jim Kiick, Tailback, Most Valuable Player, 1966 Sun Bowl

Leonard Kucewski, Guard, Most Valuable Player, 1958 Sun Bowl

Jay Novacek, First Team All-Western Athletic Conference, 1984

Jay Novacek, Football All-American, 1984

Year-by-year

See List of Wyoming Cowboys football seasons

Conference affiliations

1893–1904: Independent

1905–1908: Colorado Football Association

1909–1937: Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

1938–1961: Mountain States Conference

1962–1998: Western Athletic Conference

1999–present: Mountain West Conference

Bowl history

The Cowboys have appeared in fourteen bowl games and have a record of six wins and eight losses (6–8). Their most recent bowl appearance came in their 24–21 loss to BYU in the 2016 Poinsettia Bowl.

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of September 8, 2015

References

Wyoming Cowboys football Wikipedia

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