Wyoming
Know Wyoming’s Foe: Fresno State Bulldogs
LARAMIE — Is there a more bipolar team of late in the Mountain West Conference?
Fresno State, led by first-year head coach Matt Entz, won five straight games after an opening-day blowout loss at Kansas. Fueled by a dominant ground game and a seemingly always stingy defense, the Bulldogs grinded out back-to-back wins over Hawaii and Nevada.
Then, the bottom fell out.
Facing a one-win Colorado State team in Fort Collins, EJ Warner, son of NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, tossed three interceptions and lost a fumble in a stunning 49-21 setback. Uncharacteristically, the visitors allowed the Rams to roll up nearly 200 rushing yards and three scores on the ground.
CSU quarterback Jackson Brousseau, making just his second-career start, also completed 12-of-18 throws for 144 yards and three touchdowns.
The Bulldogs made the switch under center the following week at home against San Diego State, inserting Carson Conklin into the lineup. The former Freshman All-American at Sacramento State was picked off twice in a 23-0 blanking at the hands of the Aztecs.
Was the ship sinking?
Not quite.
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Conklin, despite only connecting on 10 of his 21 passes for just 35 yards, helped lead Fresno State to an improbable 30-7 victory over Mountain West heavyweight Boise State, inside Albertsons Stadium, no less. The defense took center stage on The Blue, holding the high-powered Broncos to just 193 yards of total offense. They also took advantage of three turnovers and injured starting signal caller Maddux Madsen.
“I haven’t really even broached that topic with our team,” Entz said when asked if it gives his team hope they can still win a league title with all the upsets within the conference this fall. “All that matters is we got to take care of business this week. We’ve got to have a great week of prep, find ways to win each day and find ways to be competitive on Saturday.”
What does Wyoming’s staff make of this Bulldog team it will see Saturday night inside Valley Children’s Stadium?
“They’re still a team that is still competing for a conference championship,” cornerbacks coach Benny Boyd said, adding whether it’s Conklin or Warner at the helm, Fresno State has had plenty of success stretching the field horizontally. “So, regardless of what it may look like on the outside, they’re finding ways to win games.”
Boyd and Co. are focused on the ‘Dogs loaded backfield, which features Rayshon Luke and Bryson Donelson, but no one is sleeping on No. 17.
“He’s got some savvy to him,” Boyd added, referring to Conklin. “He has experienced some success. So our job is to make sure we can make him as uncomfortable as possible, to eliminate throwing windows, and again, when we have opportunities to capitalize, we need to make plays.”
Wyoming ranks 26th in the nation on pass defense, allowing just 184.9 yards an outing. The secondary has combined for five of the team’s nine interceptions, too.
Jay Sawvel said to become a truly dominant unit, the Cowboys need to put a halt to the run game completely. That hasn’t happened thus far this season. If that happens in California’s Central Valley, the underdogs could become one step closer to postseason eligibility.
There’s another category, though, the head coach has his sights set on.
“Minus-3.”
That’s where Wyoming sits in the turnover department. An unacceptable number, Sawvel said, when you consider his defense has forced 13 takeaways through nine weeks.
“That has been a problem,” Sawvel said. “We have 12 of them in Mountain West games. So, I think, if you single out one thing right away to start this game is the fact that we’ve got to win turnover margin. We’ve got to be able to do that. We’ve got to take care of the ball. We’ve got to make great decisions with the ball. That’s going to be important for us to get started.”
Fresno State, in its three conference victories, is a plus-9. In the two losses to Colorado State and San Diego State, that number plummets to minus-4.
Kickoff is slated for 8:30 p.m. Mountain Time and the game will be televised on FS1.
Meet the Bulldogs:
* Head coach: Matt Entz (1st year)
* Offensive coordinator: josh Davis (1st year); Defensive coordinator: Nick Benedetto (1st year)
* Record in 2024: 6-7 overall, 4-3 in Mountain West Conference
* Offense in 2025: Average 26.1 ppg, 347.9 ypg (154 rush, 193.9 pass)
* Defense in 2025: Allow 21.8 ppg, 300.9 ypg (127.7 rush, 173.2 pass)
* Key Returners/ Newcomers – Offense in 2025: EJ Warner (QB – 139-202, 1,486 yds, 10 TD, 9 INT; 31 rush, 69 yds, TD), Carson Conklin (QB – 35-69, 259 yds, 2 INT, 11 rush, -3 yds), Rayshon Luke (RB – 80 rush, 495 yds, 5 TD; 25 catch, 167 yd, 2 TD), Bryson Donelson (RB – 103 rush, 473 yds, 4 TD, 16 catch, 107 yds), Josiah Freeman (WR – 31 catch, 353 yds, 4 TD), Richie Anderson III (TE – 24 catch, 233 yds, 2 TD), Ezekiel Avit (WR – 19 catch, 197 yds)
* Key Returners – Defense in 2025: Jadon Pearson (LB – 78 tackles, PBU), Simeon Harris (CB – 38 tackles, sack, 3 PBU, 3 INT, FF), Finn Claypool (DL – 33 tackles, 5.5 sacks, PBU, FF), K’Vion Thunderbird (LB – 32 tackles, 3 PBU, 2 INT, TD), Camryn Bracha (DB – 32 tackles, 2 INT, FF), Jayden Davis (DB – 28 tackles, sack), Al’zillion Hamilton (DB – 27 tackles, 2 PBU, 2 INT), Martin Owusu (DL – 25 tackles, PBU)
University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players
The rules are simple: What was the player’s impact while in Laramie? That means NFL stats, draft status or any other accolade earned outside of UW is irrelevant when it comes to this list.
This isn’t a one-man job. This task called for a panel of experts. Joining 7220’s Cody Tucker are Robert Gagliardi, Jared Newland, Ryan Thorburn, and Kevin McKinney.
We all compiled our own list of 50 and let computer averages do the work. Think BCS — only we hope this catalog is fairer.
Gallery Credit: 7220Sports.com
– University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players
Wyoming
Fourth Annual Wyoming Firearms & Outdoor Recreation Expo, Wyoming Governor’s Match returning to Casper July 18, 19
CASPER, Wyo. — The Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation recently announced that the community is invited to a series of events happening on July 18 and 19.
The weekend will feature the Wyoming Governor’s Match, as well as the Firearms & Outdoor Recreation Expo.
A release from the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation says that the 10th Annual Wyoming Governor’s Match, hosted in partnership with the Casper Shooter’s Club, will run July 18–19 at the Stuckenhoff Shooters Complex, 10 minutes outside of Casper.
The event will bring together spectators, shooting sports organizers and elected officials to interact with more than 360 competitive shooters from across the country.
Eye protection is required for spectators, and ear protection is highly recommended.
Additionally, on Saturday, July 18, the fourth annual Wyoming Firearms & Outdoor Recreation Expo is taking place at David Street Station from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The expo is free and open to the public, and it will feature exhibitor booths, a legislative panel and family-friendly activities. It will also feature local food and drink vendors, including WY Knot Pretzel Co., The Dog House and Kuver’s BBQ.
Expo attendees will be able to explore products and gear and will be able to witness demonstrations by the following Wyoming-based brands and organizations:
- 3C Guiding LLC
- 9×19 Fabrication
- ACG
- Adventure Ready RV Solutions
- Cutting Edge Tactics and Training
- Diamond R Saddlery
- DVL Custom Lures
- FEROX
- Freedom Tactical Firearms
- Guardian Warrior Solutions
- Gunwerks
- High Carbon Mercantile
- Kimber Tracks Big Game Recovery/Rocky Mountain Big Game Recovery
- Lucid Optics
- Maven Optics
- MOD Outfitters
- National Wild Turkey Federation
- Red, White and Blued
- Ridgeline Customs LLC
- Rocky Mountain Discount Sports
- Scouting America
- Sheridan Fly Rod Co.
- Thunder Beast Arms
- Wilkinson Tactical
- Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
- Wyoming Game & Fish Department
- Wyoming Gun Company
- Wyoming Motorcycle Trials Association
- Wyoming Patriots
The release notes that from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation will facilitate an Outdoor Recreation Legislative Panel on the lawn of David Street Station. The panel discussion is also free and open to the public and will offer legislators and elected officials an opportunity to discuss the importance of growing and sustaining the outdoor recreation and shooting sports industry.
To RSVP or learn more about the Wyoming Firearms & Outdoor Recreation Expo, visit wyorec.info/Expo2026.
To register or learn more about the Wyoming Governor’s Match, visit wyorec.info/GovMatch2026.
Related
BILLINGS — Two Wyoming women escaped unharmed after a black bear attacked their tents in the Big Horn Mountains while they were still inside.
Friends Maggie Bassett and Shonna Dehl were on a camping trip when the bear began tearing into their tents while they were asleep on Sunday night.
Click here to hear the story:
Wyoming women escape black bear attack on their tents in the Big Horn Mountains
“It was so scary,” Bassett said.
Basset said it jolted them and their four dogs awake and that both women were shocked at the bear’s behavior.
“It wanted in the tents,” Dehl said. “That’s all it wanted. It didn’t matter what we did.”
Dehl and Bassett proceeded to yell and scream at the bear, even firing gunshots in its direction in an effort to scare it away. None of those efforts worked.
“It was not scared at all,” Bassett said Wednesday afternoon in an online web call. “It didn’t even blink. It just kind of circled around and came back at me from a different angle.”
“It was circling us,” Dehl said. “It felt like it was circling our campground.”
Eventually, the bear scattered away after more gunshots were fired. Then, the two women fled to their vehicle, hiding out for a couple of hours and honking their horn to keep the bear away.
“We were in there for at least an hour,” Dehl said. “Just scared and shaking.”
Eventually, the two drove away unharmed and made their way to Dehl’s family cabin a few hours away.
When they returned the next day, they found their tents collapsed and torn to shreds. Wyoming Game and Fish responded and told the two women they plan to trap the bear and relocate it.
Both Bassett and Dehl said it was a frightening ordeal, especially because they followed all bear-aware protocol, including using bear containers.
“I will never forget that sound of my tent being ripped open,” Bassett said.
Chrissy Webb with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has not been involved in the investigation but said a bear’s memory can bring it back to places where it has encountered unnatural foods before.
“You know it’s not unreasonable for a bear to return to a site where they’ve gotten food in the past,” Webb said. “When bears start accessing those unnatural human-based food is when we start to see bears that can be potentially dangerous because, you know, they’ve got conditioned by this food.”
Webb said there is no way to know if that is what happened in this case, but staying bear aware is crucial for both campers and the animals.
“It’s safer for you to store things properly, and it’s better for the bear’s sake if they’re not able to access those human foods,” Webb said.
For Bassett and Dehl, it’s an experience that has changed the way the two plan to go camping in the future.
“I don’t see myself sleeping in a tent anytime soon, maybe never,” Bassett said.
“Yeah, we’re going to need four walls,” Dehl said.
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