Wyoming
Bridger's Rifle goes to Aggies: Wyo's QB solution and controversial calls make for unique trophy game
LARAMIE, Wyo. — In what may be become Wyoming’s most remembered conference game of the season, the Cowboys were forced to hand over the Bridger Rifle trophy to the Utah State Aggies after a 27-25 home loss. Six lead changes, back-and-forth quarterback switching and a call so controversial it warranted an official statement from the referee made this evening one the Pokes won’t soon forget.
Wide Receiver Tyler King was having a good game. He rushed for 79 yards, received for 52, ran a 21-yard kick return and ran a 54-yard touchdown constituting half of Wyoming’s touchdowns tonight. When he was on the field and had the ball in his hands, the Cowboys were getting downfield.
That was until he received the ball and an ensuing tackle that knocked him to the ground and made him fumble the ball, which Utah State took advantage of by running away with it. King was knocked to the ground and had to be assisted walking off the field. Cowboys fans were enraged because there was no call for targeting.
Following the game’s conclusion, Mountain West official Cal McNeill, lead ref in tonight’s contest, released a statement defending the lack of call.
“The play in question was reviewed for all elements of targeting and did not meet the requirements for rule 9-1-3. The offensive player was a runner, not a defenseless player,” McNeill said. “In that situation, in order for it to be targeting, it would have had to have been leading with the crown of the helmet.”
In his post game press conference, Wyoming Football Head Coach Jay Sawvel accepted the decision. Although, he added that it was not a positive force in momentum-building and did make a comment earlier in the conference suggesting that he didn’t think the officiating has been up to snuff.
“We got the ball deep in their territory,” Sawvel said. “We’re at least going to get something out of it, right? And flip—the ball is in our territory. If I remember right on that series, we stopped them in that situation but, still, we were in a position to get points.”
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Wyoming Football Head Coach Jaw Sawvel speaking on Oct. 26, 2024 (Garrett Grochowski, Oil City News)It’s circumstances like that that explain the disparity between touchdowns and total offensive yards: a ratio 2:470. Instead, the bulk of Wyoming’s points were field goals from kicker John Hoyland. Hoyland scored a total of 12 points for the Cowboys in the contest.
The other noticeable change in the Cowboy’s offense was the team’s new two-quarterback solution. Starting quarterback Evan Svoboda wasn’t performing to the caliber expected of him, but backup quarterback Kaden Anderson still has uncertainties surrounding his leadership and play-making. The solution? play them both.
In total, Anderson rushed for a gain of 33 yards. He passed for 182 yards and was 15-24 on attempts. Svoboda, meanwhile, passed for 12 yards and had an interception.
Whether this will continue to be the offensive strategy for the Pokes or whether one will usurp the other is something Sawvel did not make a definitive comment on.
“With the quarterbacks, it’s something that we have to go back, watch all the videos and see where we’re at with certain things,” Sawvel said.
Anderson spoke at tonight’s press conference as well. There, he dismissed the potential notion that he was at all discouraged by the new system, even in moments where he drives the ball close to the end-zone just to be switched out with Svoboda.
“I had a three-and-out there and coach said he’s gonna ride the hot hand. I did have a three-and-out in the second quarter,” Anderson said. “When he pulled me or whatever, I was fine. I love Evan. I feel like we support each other very well.”
Either way, Sawvel said he doesn’t think the offensive capitalized well on the opportunities they had in the second half and especially the third quarter where the defense held the Aggies to just nine yards.
“We won the third quarter six to nothing. With the way that we played the third quarter, both offensively and defensively, that should have been 10. It should have been 14. There could have been some separation in the game,” Sawvel said. “I think the fact that we didn’t win that quarter by a margin bigger than six to nothing, with the way that quarter went, there’s a big chunk of your reason why we lost.”
The Cowboys now move down to 1-7 for the season and 1-3 in conference-play. The team has just four more contests to go in the year, with only one being at home. That final home game is against 6-1 and nationally ranked conference powerhouse Boise State Nov. 23. Before that, the Cowboys will head to Albuquerque to play the New Mexico Lobos next week at 2 p.m.
For more information on the University of Wyoming Cowboy’s football team, including the team’s current roster and schedule, visit the university’s athletics webpage.
Related
A pair of bills signed into law last week aim to build out a more comprehensive system of literacy education across Wyoming’s public schools.
One mandates evidence-based practices and requires regular screenings for dyslexia, while the other enables the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) to hire a dedicated literacy professional to oversee statewide compliance.
Gov. Mark Gordon’s signing of both bills on Friday was the latest accomplishment of an ongoing push for improved literacy standards. That push has been spearheaded by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder.
“Wyoming is not going to let a single child fall through the cracks,” Degenfelder said during a public bill signing last week. “We are not going to fall behind when it comes to ensuring that our children can read at grade level.”
The primary bill, Senate File 59, establishes a statewide K-12 program for teaching students to read that is built on “evidence based language and literacy instruction, assessment, intervention and professional development that supports educators, engages families and promotes literacy proficiency for all Wyoming students.”
The bill defines evidence-based strategies as those that conform to the science of reading, a term that will be defined and updated by Degenfelder’s office. Nationwide, it generally means putting academic research into practice in classrooms. SF 59 specifically prohibits the exclusive use of “three-cueing” — a strategy once widely employed to teach reading but which education experts now say is outdated and less effective than other strategies.
It also requires annual dyslexia screeners for students below the third grade, and testing for reading difficulties for all students.
The screeners are used to identify the severity of reading difficulties in order to direct “tiered” support that offers the most intensive interventions to the students most in need, while still providing “evidence based” language instruction to all students.
Each school district must formulate an individualized reading plan “for each student identified as having reading difficulties or at risk for poor reading outcomes.”
Districts must now report to the state annually regarding their literacy-related work. Any district where 60% or more of the students are struggling will be required to implement “summer literacy camps or extended supports, including after school support and tutoring.”
The bill also requires literacy related professional development for teachers and specialists “appropriate to their role and level of responsibility” related to literacy education.
SF 59 was backed by dyslexia advocates and literacy specialists.
Senate File 14, the other literacy bill signed into law Friday, appropriates $120,000 annually for the next two years for a full-time position at WDE “to assist school districts in implementing a reading assessment and intervention program and language and literacy programs.”
Both bills go into effect July 1.
LARAMIE — The University of Wyoming and the Mountain West Conference announced the Cowboys’ 2026 football schedule Monday, a slate that opens with the Border War and concludes with back-to-back home games in Laramie.
Wyoming opens the season Sept. 5 on the road against Colorado State in the 118th edition of the Border War. The Cowboys then host Northern Colorado on Sept. 12 in the home opener before traveling to Central Michigan on Sept. 19.
The Cowboys begin Mountain West play Sept. 26 at home against Hawaii in a matchup for the Paniolo Trophy. Wyoming then faces back-to-back road games at North Dakota State on Oct. 3 and San Jose State on Oct. 10.
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Wyoming returns to War Memorial Stadium on Oct. 17 to host conference newcomer Northern Illinois before facing Air Force at home on Oct. 24. The Cowboys will have an open week on Oct. 31.
The Cowboys open November with road games at UNLV on Nov. 7 and at UTEP on Nov. 14, marking Wyoming’s first meeting with the Miners as members of the Mountain West. Wyoming closes conference play by hosting New Mexico on Nov. 21 and wraps up the regular season with a nonconference game against UConn on Nov. 28 in Laramie.
Each Mountain West team will play four home and four road conference games during the 13-week season, which will conclude with the Mountain West Football Championship Game featuring the two teams with the highest conference winning percentages. The championship game date will be announced later.
With the conference schedule set, Mountain West television partners CBS Sports, FOX Sports, and The CW will begin selecting broadcast games, which could include moving some contests to non-Saturday dates. Network assignments and kickoff times will be announced at a later date.
Season ticket renewals for the 2026 Wyoming football season are now available. Fans can renew their tickets online by visiting gowyo.com/tickets and logging into their account.
The 2026 Wyoming prep girls’ basketball season is nearly done. Two state champions were crowned in Classes 1A and 2A last Saturday. Southeast won the 1A title for the third consecutive season, and Sundance won the 2A title for the first time in eight years. Class 3A and 4A held their regional tournaments, which qualified teams for the state tournament later this week in Casper.
WYOPREPS WEEK 12 GIRLS BASKETBALL STANDINGS 2026
These are the girls’ basketball team records for all games played through March 7, 2026. For all but 16 teams, this is the final record of the season. Those squads will play in the 3A-4A state tournament starting on Thursday in Casper.
1A Northwest: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)
Burlington 24-5, 8-0
Riverside 14-10, 6-2
Dubois 11-10, 4-4
St. Stephens 3-16, 1-7
Meeteetse 1-20, 1-7
1A Southwest: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)
Cokeville 23-4, 10-0
Little Snake River 23-4, 8-2
Farson-Eden 16-12, 5-5
Saratoga 13-11, 5-5
Ft. Washakie 8-13, 2-8
Encampment 3-19, 0-10
1A Northeast: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)
Upton 16-7, 10-0
Kaycee 13-12, 7-3
Hulett 12-13, 7-3
Arvada-Clearmont 9-12, 4-6
Casper Christian 4-13, 2-8
Midwest 1-16, 0-10
1A Southeast: (Overall Record, followed by Reg. Season Points)
Southeast 24-5, 40 points
Lingle-Ft. Laramie 17-11, 31 points
Lusk 15-13, 26 points
H.E.M. 13-11, 24 points
Rock River 6-14, 12 points
Guernsey-Sunrise 2-18, 4 points
2A Northwest: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)
Thermopolis 16-13, 5-1
Greybull 16-15, 4-2
Rocky Mountain 9-17, 2-4
Shoshoni 11-18, 1-5
2A Southwest: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)
Wyoming Indian 23-7, 6-0
Big Piney 8-16, 4-2
Kemmerer 2-21, 1-5
Wind River 2-23, 1-5
2A East: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)
Sundance 23-4, 5-0
Big Horn 21-6, 4-1
Tongue River 18-11, 3-2
Pine Bluffs 17-12, 2-3
Moorcroft 7-18, 1-4
Wright 3-23, 0-5
Read More Girls Basketball News from WyoPreps
WyoPreps 1A-2A Girls State Basketball Scoreboard 2026
WyoPreps 3A-4A Girls Regional Basketball Scoreboard 2026
WyoPreps Coaches and Media Final Basketball Poll 2026
WyoPreps 1A-2A Girls Regional Basketball Scoreboard 2026
WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Poll 2-25-26
WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 10 Scores 2026
WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Poll 2-18-26
WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 9 Scores 2026
WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-11-26
WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 8 Scores 2026
WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-4-26
WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 7 Scores 2026
Nominate A Basketball Player for the WyoPreps Athlete of the Week Honor
3A West: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)
Cody 24-0, 10-0
Lander 21-4, 9-1
Pinedale 20-5, 7-3
Powell 16-9, 6-4
Lovell 16-10, 4-6
Worland 9-16, 2-8
Lyman 10-11, 2-8
Mountain View 4-19, 0-10
3A East: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)
Wheatland 22-4, 10-0
Buffalo 13-11, 8-2
Douglas 14-11, 6-4
Burns 16-13, 5-5
Torrington 10-11, 5-5
Glenrock 12-13, 3-7
Newcastle 1-22, 1-9
Rawlins 2-21, 0-10
4A Northwest: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)
Green River 23-2, 6-0
Natrona County 9-16, 4-2
Kelly Walsh 8-15, 2-4
Rock Springs 5-20, 0-6
4A Southwest: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)
Star Valley 16-7, 5-1
Evanston 16-10, 5-1
Riverton 7-19, 1-5
Jackson 3-19, 1-5
4A East: (Overall Record, followed by Conference Record)
Cheyenne East 21-3, 11-1
Cheyenne Central 16-9, 10-2
Sheridan 14-10, 7-5
Thunder Basin 14-10, 6-6
Laramie 12-11, 6-6
Campbell County 1-19, 1-10
Cheyenne South 1-21, 0-11
*The second Campbell County-Cheyenne South girls’ game was canceled.
Wyoming 3A Boys Swimming & Diving State Championships 2026
Photos from the 3A Boys State Swim Meet
Gallery Credit: Courtesy: Marcello Monterastelli Photography & Jared Newland, WHSAA
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