Wyoming
Hiker mauled by grizzly in Grand Teton National Park played dead, officials say; bear won’t be pursued
A grizzly that accidentally inflicted itself with a burst of pepper spray while attacking a hiker in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park won’t be captured or killed because it may have been trying to protect a cub, park officials said in a statement.
While mauling a hiker on Signal Mountain, the grizzly bit into the man’s can of bear repellent and was hit with a burst of it, causing the animal to flee. The 35-year-old Massachusetts man, who’d pretended to be dead while he was being bitten, made it to safety and spent Sunday night in the hospital.
There was no word when Signal Mountain or a road and trail to its 7,700-foot (2,300-meter) summit would reopen after being closed because of the attack. Such closures are typical after the handful of grizzly attacks on public land in the Yellowstone region every year.
The decision not to pursue the bears, which officials determined behaved naturally after being surprised, also was consistent with attacks that don’t involve campsite raids, eating food left out by people, or similar behaviors that make bears more dangerous.
Rangers track and study many of the Yellowstone region’s 1,000 or so bears but weren’t familiar with the ones responsible for the attack Sunday afternoon, according to the statement.
The attack happened even though the victim was carrying bear-repellant spray and made noise to alert bears in the forest, the statement said.
Speaking to rangers afterward, the man said he came across a small bear that ran away from him. As he reached for his bear repellant, he saw a larger bear charging at him in his periphery vision.
He had no time to use his bear spray before falling to the ground with fingers laced behind his neck and one finger holding the spray canister.
The bear bit him several times before biting into the can of pepper spray, which burst and drove the bears away.
The man got to an area with cell phone coverage and called for help. A helicopter, then an ambulance evacuated him to a nearby hospital.
Investigators suspect from the man’s description that the smaller bear he saw was an older cub belonging to the female grizzly that attacked. Mother bears aggressively defend their offspring and remain with them for two to three years after birth.
Park officials didn’t release the victim’s name. He was expected to make a full recovery.
Recent grizzly attacks
The attack in Grand Teton National Park came just days after a man in Canada suffered “significant injuries” after being attacked by a grizzly bear while hunting with his father.
Last fall, a Canadian couple and their dog were killed by a grizzly bear while backpacking in Banff National Park. Just weeks before that, a hunter in Montana was severely mauled by a grizzly bear.
Last July, a grizzly bear fatally mauled a woman on a forest trail west of Yellowstone National Park. The bear was later euthanized after breaking into a house near West Yellowstone in August.
Also that month, a 21-year-old woman who was planting trees was seriously injured by a bear in British Columbia. Canadian officials could not locate the animal but believe it was a grizzly bear that attacked the woman.
Grizzly bears in the 48 contiguous states are protected as a threatened species, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Last month, the U.S. National Park Service announced it was launching a campaign to capture grizzly bears in Yellowstone Park for research purposes. The agency urged the public to steer clear of areas with traps, which would be clearly marked
The Colorado State Rams and Wyoming Cowboys have added two games to their Border War football series, both schools announced Wednesday.
Colorado State is leaving the Mountain West Conference after the 2025 season and will join the Pac-12 Conference beginning in the fall of 2026. As a result, their annual Border War game will have to be played as a non-conference contest.
Back in November, the two schools announced an agreement that included games beginning in 2028 and extending through the 2035 season. Today’s announcement includes the addition of a game on Sept. 5, 2026 at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, Colo., and on Sept. 6, 2036 at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyo.
“Rivalry games are important to us at Colorado State and are a part of what makes College Football so special,” said Colorado State Director of Athletics, John Weber. “Our scheduling goal for our football program is to host seven games every season on campus in Canvas Stadium. Ram Country and Canvas Chaos make a real difference on game day and there is no better place to play than at home on campus in Fort Collins.”
The two schools are scheduled to play this season on Saturday, Oct. 25 in Laramie.
“Having one of the oldest rivalries in the West that features one of the most iconic trophies in college football continue consecutively is outstanding,” added Weber. “The Boot Run with the game ball, the Border Ceremony, and the Bronze Boot Trophy all honor the values and rich ROTC history of both universities and will remain integral to this rivalry for years to come. This game is important to our universities, communities, and fans and I am thrilled that we were able to continue it in 2026.”
Although Colorado State and Wyoming are not scheduled to meet in 2027, there is still the possibility for that contest. When the series was announced last year, both schools stated they were “…working on amendments to schedules for the 2026 and 2027 season for potential additions to the current agreement.”
Colorado State and Wyoming first met on the gridiron in 1899 and have played a total of 116 contests. The Rams currently lead the overall series 60-51-5.
In order to schedule the 2026 game with Colorado State, Wyoming has rescheduled its previously slated home contest against North Texas for Sept. 9, 2034. Colorado State was previously scheduled to play at Indiana on Sept. 5, 2026, but Indiana will now host North Texas on that date instead.
Future Border War Games
Sept. 5, 2026 at CSU
Sept. 23, 2028 at CSU
Sept. 22, 2029 at WYO
Sept. 7, 2030 at CSU
Sept. 20, 2031 at WYO
Sept. 25, 2032 at CSU
Sept. 24, 2033 at WYO
Sept. 23, 2034 at CSU
Sept. 22, 2035 at WYO
Sept. 6, 2036 at WYO
Football Schedules
Future Colorado State Football Schedules
Future Wyoming Football Schedules
Laramie, WY—Saturday’s 31-6 win at Wyoming highlighted both the flaws Utah must clean up and the strengths it can lean on moving forward.
For one half, Utah looked like a team searching for answers, undone by penalties and missed opportunities. For the other, the Utes looked like the Big 12 contender they aim to be, dominating both sides of the ball and controlling the line of scrimmage.
Utah’s win in Laramie wasn’t always pretty, but it was decisive. After a sloppy, penalty-filled first half, the Utes hit the gas in the second, burying Wyoming with physical defense and a run game that finally found its groove.
Couldn’t have gotten the W without this crowd backing us‼️🫶#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/o4lgR6H9x3
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) September 14, 2025
Utah’s First Half vs. Second Half
This was a fascinating game that seemed to provide two distinctly different halves of football. However, the only real difference was that Utah simply finished drives better in the second half. Here’s a rundown of how similar the two halves were:
In one half, Utah gained 267 yards, and in the other, they gained 274 yards.
In one half, Utah gained 155 rushing yards, and in the other, 156 rushing yards.
In one half, Utah threw for 112 yards, and in the other, 118 passing yards.
In one half, Utah averaged 6.7 yards per play, and in the other, they averaged 7.1 per play.
In one half, Utah was penalized six times for 63 yards, and in the other, four times for 35.
That’s how similar the two halves of football were from a production standpoint. The issue was the most important stat of any game: points. Utah only finished with 3 first-half points, and in the second half, scored 28.
#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/8nW05pkhDG
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) September 14, 2025
The first half was sloppy and undisciplined, marred by untimely penalties that stalled drives and left points on the field. In the second half, though penalty issues remained, Utah was determined to convert all scoring opportunities with touchdowns.
The defense was tough throughout most of the game. Wyoming did have a couple of extended drives, but only one ended in points. The secondary looked better, but there are still some things to address.
In general, Utah clearly needs to clean up its play. The penalties simply cannot continue at this same rate. It cost them points in the first half, and against better competition in the future, that will hurt them.
Questions still linger around Utah’s passing game
Through three games, Utah’s passing attack is a mixed bag. Devon Dampier is completing passes at a very high clip, 73% to be exact. However, the yards per attempt still sits right at 7.0 yards, which would be in the bottom half of the country.
The passing game has been a heavy dose of short throws, which has created enough production to preserve Utah’s offensive balance. Until the Utes generate explosive plays downfield, the passing game will remain the biggest question mark heading into Big 12 play.
Still, with emerging weapons like Ryan Davis and Dallen Bentley, there seem to be enough sureties to build with. The passing game is going to have to evolve, and that starts with Beck and Dampier, not the receivers.
.@Utah_Football starting to fire on ALL cylinders 🔥 pic.twitter.com/sd1Bb0Qc4i
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) September 14, 2025
Dallen Bentley’s emergence
The tight end position has been a hallmark of Utah’s offense in recent years. After the change in coordinator, many believed the tight end spot would fall by the wayside. However, Dallen Bentley had other plans.
Against Wyoming, Bentley hauled in 4-of-7 targets for 46 yards. That included the game-defining 3rd and 21 conversion, where he hauled in a pass down the sideline and trucked a defender to gain the final yard he needed to get the 1st down.
His involvement in the passing game is a promising sign. The 6-foot-5, 259-pounder is now up to 11 receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns, and seems to be emerging as a go-to target for Dampier.
Whittingham credited Bentley for the work he put in this offseason. Bentley gives Utah a reliable target in critical moments and reinforces the importance of the position at Utah.
Also, tight end Hunter Andrews quietly put together 106 total yards- 44 receiving, 62 rushing, and one touchdown on 11 total touches.
Run game explosiveness
Utah as a whole ran for 311 yards, which included two ball carriers eclipsing the 80-yard threshold, and two others running for at least 60 yards.
Dampier led the team with 86 yards on 13 carries, while Wayshawn Parker got to 80 yards on 10 carries. Hunter Andrews ran for 62 yards on six carries, and NaQuari Rogers totaled 60 yards on 13 carries.
😳 @WayshawnParker GOT UP‼️#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/Sr2g5LhaGr
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) September 14, 2025
A complement to the offensive line is the lack of negative run plays. Out of 45 total runs, Utah only had four run plays that gained 0 yards, and just two that went for a loss.
This is remarkable run game production and player involvement. Perhaps the biggest positive was the explosiveness Utah displayed in the run game.
Against a competitive, tough, and well-coached defense, the Utes finished with 12 big run plays (gains of at least 10 yards) that generated 193 rushing yards, both being season highs.
Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You can follow him on X for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.
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