Wyoming

Why Wyoming fans are ready to welcome BYU football back to Laramie

Published

1 year ago

September 14, 2024

Why Wyoming fans are ready to welcome BYU football back to Laramie

LARAMIE, Wyo. — The most iconic bar in town may surprise you.

It hangs from the ceiling at the Buck Horn, a popular watering hole in downtown Laramie just a half mile away from the University of Wyoming campus, ripped from a football goal post with a simple, framed explanation hanging below:

Nov. 13, 1999. Wyoming 31, BYU 17.

The goal post crossbar from Wyoming’s 1999 win over BYU is displayed at the Buck Horn bar in Laramie. | Jackson Payne, Deseret News

On an unusually warm autumn evening a quarter-century ago, upon toppling the No. 15-ranked Cougars (and preventing them from earning an outright conference championship), a rowdy sea of Cowboy fans spilled onto the field at War Memorial Stadium in hysteria, tearing down a goal post and marching it down Grand Avenue through the heart of Laramie.

“They don’t like it when you do that now,” Wyoming student government representative Rece Robertson said of the impromptu goal post removal. “But there will be a lot of energy and hype around town if Wyoming beats BYU this weekend.”

There’s already a palpable buzz throughout Cowboy country as the Cougars come to visit for the first time since 2009. The Buck Horn’s famous crossbar is just one reminder of how hot the historic rivalry once burned, and those fiery feelings toward BYU have never been forgotten.

Wyoming fans tear down one of the goal posts after the Cowboys defeated BYU 13-10 in Laramie on Oct. 18, 2003. Wyoming fans pulled off the same stunt in another win over the Cougars in 1999. | Stuart Johnson, Deseret News

“It was always such a dark, good rivalry,” Wyoming alumna Erin Rumsey said. “The whole state felt that BYU was a team we couldn’t beat. Sometimes we did, but usually we didn’t. Winning against BYU is a huge deal.”

The Cougars and Cowboys shared four conferences — the Rocky Mountain, Skyline, WAC and Mountain West — over an 88-year span. They’ve faced off on 79 occasions, with BYU holding a 46-30-3 series advantage along with a current nine-game win streak.

With Saturday’s contest between the two teams being just the third since 2010, I set out to gauge the rivalry’s current temperature around Laramie, mingling with dozens of students, alumni and locals around town to see if any hostility toward BYU still remains.

Long story short: It does.

Many individuals I spoke with declined to be quoted, though their colorful vocabulary would have been impossible to print anyway. While not every conversation was R-rated, the overwhelming consensus suggested widespread contempt for the Cougars even after all these years.

“I could never forget our chants against BYU — they should never be repeated or printed,” said Lee Feather, a ′77 Wyoming grad who traveled from the northern part of the state for Saturday’s game. “I honestly don’t know why we don’t like BYU. It’s just always been that way. … Disliking BYU is just part of being a Cowboys fan, even still today.”

The Buck Horn bar, one of the prime gathering spots for Wyoming fans, is pictured here in Laramie. | Jackson Payne, Deseret News

Though Wyoming students still consider Colorado State to be their foremost foe, BYU still and will always register as a rival on campus, where hundreds of alumni are returning from all across the country to catch Saturday’s action. Given the excitement, you would hardly realize the Cowboys are 0-2 thus far on the season.

“I think it will always be a rivalry and the students will always consider it like that, just given the history of these two teams,” said Mason Riding, the sports editor for Wyoming’s campus publication the Branding Iron. “It just makes sense. There’s a lot of passion here when it comes to rivalries, and we get really excited for these games … especially just because it’s been so long since BYU has come to town, and it will probably be a really long time if they even come back again.”

I received a number of explanations for the continued angst against the Cougars. The win-loss record over the years is one thing, but BYU’s perceived arrogance in bolting from the Mountain West more than a decade ago is still a sore subject. Others claimed that LaVell Edwards-led teams played dirty or “held the refs in their pocket.”

“That 1981 game was so much fun,” Feather said of Wyoming’s 33-20 win over the No. 13-ranked Cougars. “Jim McMahon was such a turkey, I really hated him. Wins against BYU just stick with you.”

And then there is religion. “Christians in our community have a hard time with (BYU) for whatever reason,” Rumsey explains.

The Black 14 scandal is still a heavy chapter in school lore. Fraternity houses are currently flying flags with mild digs, and Wyoming’s Western Thunder Marching Band plans to change the lyrics to its famous “Beer Song” to poke light fun at BYU’s stone-cold sober status. “It’s out of love,” a band member insists.

One woman even took issue with BYU’s pregame alumni tailgate sponsoring a food drive to give back to underprivileged individuals in Laramie. “They think they’re so much holier than us, and it’s fake,” she ranted.

“(Wyoming fans) are not shy or afraid of talking trash,” said one male student who wished to remain anonymous. “You’re going to hear a lot of banter from the student section about that (religious) aspect, and there may be chants that are mocking the religion. … I don’t think it’s necessarily hate speech or anything like that, I just think it’s part of the rivalry that people get really into and (religion) is an aspect that plays into it.”

Wyoming’s “Breakin’ Through” statue is shown in front of War Memorial Stadium in Laramie. | Jackson Payne, Deseret News

Even with all of the animosity, wherever it may be coming from, the Cougars’ return to War Memorial Stadium feels almost perfectly timed. With the Pac-12′s addition of four Mountain West schools — including Colorado State — Wyoming’s future seems to be in flux. Both its conference and rivalry outlooks are murky, and it would be easy for the Cowboys to be counted out of the new college football landscape.

“We’re definitely a much smaller campus and don’t generally get as many superstars; we’re always kind of (nationally) treated like the bottom of the barrel, which I don’t always think is fair,” Robertson said. “It will be a good feeling for the college and the community to have somebody in town (like BYU) that we’ve played constantly over the years.”

To many, BYU being back in town is an appreciated distraction from Wyoming’s uncertainty ahead, along with a reminder of torn-down goal posts, beating McMahon and other warm memories from the good ol’ days.

Clinging to such memories will be needed in a place like Laramie.

“Wyoming is never in the (realignment) conversation, their name doesn’t ever really get thrown around there,” Riding added. “With BYU coming in, it’s rejuvenating for everyone, especially if Wyoming wins.”

Source link

Wyoming

Wyoming Coaches Pick the Best of 1A & 2A Boys Basketball in 2026

Published

2 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming Coaches Pick the Best of 1A & 2A Boys Basketball in 2026

The top boys’ basketball players in Wyoming for Classes 1A and 2A were chosen for the 2026 high school season. The Wyoming Coaches Association has unveiled the all-state awards for this year, as voted on by the head coaches in the two classifications, respectively. The Wyoming Coaches Association only recognizes one team for all-state, and only these players receive an award certificate from the WCA. WyoPreps only lists all-state players as defined by the WCA.

WCA 1A-2A BOYS BASKETBALL ALL-STATE SELECTIONS IN 2026

Each class selected 14 players for all-state, reflecting a broad recognition of talent across Wyoming. Notably, congratulations go to Hulett’s Kyle Smith, Brady Cook from Lingle-Fort Laramie, and Carsten Freeburg from Pine Bluffs, who earned all-state honors for the third straight year. In addition, eight more players achieved all-state status for the second time in their prep careers.

Class 1A

Paul McNiven – Burlington

Bitner Philpott – Burlington

Ammon Hatch – Cokeville (All-State in 2025)

Hudson Himmerich – Cokeville

Kyle Smith – Hulett (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Anthony Arnusch – Lingle-Ft. Laramie

Brady Cook – Lingle-Ft. Laramie (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Tymber Cozzens – Little Snake River (All-State in 2025)

Corbin Matthews – Lusk

Max Potas – Meeteetse (All-State in 2024)

Jace Westring – Saratoga

Hazen Williams – Saratoga

TJ Moats – Southeast (All-State in 2024)

Nic Schiller – Upton

Read More Boys Basketball News from WyoPreps

WyoPreps 1A-2A State Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps 3A-4A Regional Basketball Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Final Basketball Poll 2026

1A-2A Boys Basketball Regional Scoreboard 2026

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 11 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-25-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 10 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-18-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 9 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-11-26

WyoPreps Boys Basketball Week 8 Scores 2026

WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 2-4-26

Class 2A

Caleb Adsit – Big Horn

Chase Garber – Big Horn

Carsten Freeburg – Pine Bluffs (All-State 2024 & 2025)

Mason Moss – Rocky Mountain

Oakley Hicks – Shoshoni

Kade Mills – Sundance

Cody Bomengen – Thermopolis (All-State in 2025)

Zak Hastie – Thermopolis

Ellis Webber – Thermopolis (All-State in 2025)

Joseph Kimbrell – Wright

Mitchell Strohschein – Wright (All-State in 2025)

Adriano Brown – Wyoming Indian

Heeyei’Niitou Monroe-Black – Wyoming Indian (All-State in 2025)

Cordell Spoonhunter – Wyoming Indian

The 2026 state champions were the Saratoga Panthers in Class 1A. They beat Lingle-Fort Laramie, 50-45, in the championship game. The 2A winners were the Thermopolis Bobcats, who repeated as champions, after a 45-38 victory over Wyoming Indian in the title game.

Lusk versus Rock River high school basketball 2026

Game action between the Tigers and Longhorns

Gallery Credit: Courtesy: Lisa Shaw

Source link

Wyoming

New laws establish a statewide literacy program

Published

15 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

New laws establish a statewide literacy program

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.

Source link

Wyoming

Wyoming Announces 2026 Football Schedule – SweetwaterNOW

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming Announces 2026 Football Schedule

Samuel “Tote” Harris. Photo from gowyo.com

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.

Advertisement – Story continues below…

University of Wyoming sports coverage
in Southwest Wyoming is supported by these great sponsors:

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.

Source link