Wyoming heads west for test against San Jose State

Published

2 months ago

October 18, 2024

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Wyoming heads west for test against San Jose State

WYOMING AT SAN JOSE STATE

Records: Wyoming (1-5, 1-1 in Mountain West play) and San Jose State (4-2, 2-1 in MWC play)

Location: San Jose, California (CEFCU Stadium)

Date/Time: Saturday, October 19th at 2:00 p.m. (Mountain Time)

Television: Mountain West Network

Streaming: Mountain West Network App

Radio: KOWB 1290 AM – 95.1 FM / KOWB App (Cowboy Sports Network)

Head-to-Head: Wyoming holds a 7-6 lead in the series. However, San Jose State has won five of the last six meetings between these two.

The Cowboys’ last win came in 2018.

Tale of the Tape

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACKS – Advantage to San Jose State

Evan Svoboda had moments of good against San Diego State, but his passing efficiency was nowhere near where it needs to be if the Pokes want to pull off an upset Saturday afternoon.

12/31 and two interceptions.

Not good.

Halfway through 2024, I don’t expect to see Svoboda reinvent himself.

He can burn you with his legs if needed, but he is not going to consistently beat you through the air.

Head coach Ken Niumatalolo and the Spartans are in a weird position.

QB Emmett Brown started the first four games for SJSU – nearly leading them to a shocking 4-0 start before Washington State outlasted the Spartans in double OT, 54-52.

However, in the last two weeks, Brown has been sputtering and backup Walker Eget was given the chance to spark SJSU’s offense.

Eget propelled them to a comeback win against Nevada.

Last week, neither Brown nor Eget found a way to push the Spartans past Colorado State.

There is uncertainty at the most important position in football, but both have shown the ability to lead San Jose State to wins.

RUNNING GAME – Advantage to San Jose State

Injuries continue to pile up for UW, and the running back room is no exception.

Dawaiian McNeely and DJ Jones have suffered from the injury bug – leaving Sam Scott to do the heavy lifting.

Scott is finding his way as the season progresses, but without a complementary passing game, it is challenging to run the ball positively.

Even though San Jose State likes to throw the ball around the yard, Chalk Floyd has done well for himself – punching the ball into the endzone seven times this year. He isn’t averaging an absurd amount of yards each game, but he is running for a shade under five yards each time he touches the rock.

When Floyd takes to the sideline, Jabari Bates steps in and has done a serviceable job thus far.

WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS – Advantage to San Jose State

There is not a lot to write home about for the Pokes.

Not a single receiver has reached the 200-yard mark.

Tight end John Michael Gyllenborg is the glue that allows Svoboda to get the ball out early.

But he can’t do it alone.

Jaylen Sargent had a nice 70-yard snag against San Diego State.

Tyler King caught a pair of passes for 34 total yards,

That is it.

Freshman Chris Durr Jr. didn’t find his way into the box score despite a high ceiling that coaches and media have raved about.

You have got to give the kid more opportunities.

There is no reason not to.

Not in today’s world of NIL and the transfer portal.

Nick Nash.

One of the longest-tenured players in Mountain West history.

Nash has been at SJSU for six years – starting in 2019 as a QB.

Since he transitioned to wide receiver, he has been stellar, already eclipsing his 2023 totals for receiving yards, receptions, and receiving touchdowns in just six games.

Justin Lockhart serves as Nash’s “Robin” – collecting over 400 receiving yards in his own right.

And Treyshun Hurry has over 200 receiving yards.

This trio will be darn-near impossible to stop, but the goal for defensive coordinator Aaron Bohl must be to limit the damage.

OFFENSIVE LINE – Advantage to Wyoming

How a given offensive line performs requires in-depth statistical tracking beyond how many sacks/tackles-for-loss a team allows.

That’s where Pro Football Focus (PFF) is such a helpful tool.

According to PFF, Wyoming holds a 67.0 pass-blocking grade and a 66.8 run-blocking grade.

8th and 6th in the Mountain West.

Pretty…pretty…pretty…bad.

Using the same PFF rankings, the Spartans have a 46.2 pass-blocking grade (only ahead of Air Force) and a 48.1 run-blocking grade (the worst in the conference).

11th and 12th in the MWC.

San Jose State can score with the best in the conference, but it’s because of their skill position players, not their offensive line.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE LINE – Advantage to Wyoming

The defensive line for the Pokes is stingy and always full of grit and toughness.

Last week, DE Sabastian Harsh brought his lunch pail and went to work – finishing with four tackles-for-loss.

Running on Wyoming is never easy, and despite this being a down year, that still rings true.

PFF ranks the Cowboys as the second-best rushing defense in the Mountain West (82.1 grade – just behind Hawaii’s 83.4).

The Spartans are generally on par with Wyoming regarding rushing yards allowed (166.2 yds for SJSU vs. 171.3 yds for WYO).

Senior Soane Toia is the stat leader on the defensive line – accounting for two tackles-for-loss and one sack.

Not much meat on the bone for the Spartans in the trenches.

LINEBACKERS – Advantage to San Jose State

Wyoming’s linebackers showed some mustard last week as tandem Shae Suiaunoa and Connor Shay combined for 1.5 tackles-for-loss and one interception.

The next step for those two is to consistently churn out that type of production instead of it being a blip on the radar.

Without question, the leader of the Spartan defense is LB Jordan Pollard.

He leads SJSU in total tackles with 60 so far.

Next on the list?

Robert Rahimi with 38 tackles.

Pollard has also registered two sacks and an interception.

Pairing up with Pollard is Jordan Cobbs.

He adds two sacks to the list and two interceptions.

Both of these guys make plays and can swing momentum heavily in their favor.

SECONDARY – Advantage to San Jose State

Wyoming recorded its second interception of the season in their loss to San Diego State.

The not-so-good?

It came via the linebackers.

You take interceptions any way you can, but in 2024, Wrook Brown is the only Cowboy in the secondary to convert an interception.

Last week, Wyoming allowed San Diego State to pass for over 250 yards.

On average, the Aztecs pass for 201 yards each outing.

Danny O’Neil was afforded time to be efficient in the pocket and finish the night with a 59.2% completion percentage.

If the secondary doesn’t shape up prior to kickoff, it will be a long day for Wyoming.

San Jose State’s backline has been awfully good at forcing turnovers.

Out of their ten total interceptions as a team, six have come from the secondary.

Five of those six have come from a trio of starters – Robert Rahimi (2), DJ Harvey (2), and Michael Dansby (1).

Wyoming’s Svoboda threw two interceptions last Saturday.

Mistakes could let this game get out of hand quickly.

SPECIAL TEAMS

KICKERS – Advantage to Wyoming

John Hoyland has been consistent.

From inside 50 yards, he is a perfect five for five.

Beyond 50, he has missed both of his attempts.

Last year, Hoyland had a knack for making some difficult attempts.

Not this year.

San Jose State relies on Kyler Halvorsen for kicking duties.

In 2024, he is four of six, with his long being just 34 yards.

That’s why I don’t trust him to outduel Hoyland.

PUNTERS – Advantage to Wyoming

After a terrific start to 2024, Jack Culbreath has settled into a rhythm – averaging a dependable 42 yards night in and night out.
I don’t love the Spartans using two punters.

Trent Carrizosa is the “big leg” of the two, while Dino Beslagic is primarily used for short-field, accurate attempts.

Just like with any other position on the field, switching folks in and out doesn’t allow either player to develop a rhythm.

RETURNERS – Advantage to Wyoming

Last week was an abysmal one for the Pokes’ return game.

They fielded zero yards the entire game.

Tyler King and his lone kickoff return touchdown is the only reason I give this advantage to Wyoming.

San Jose State has done nothing in this department.

Zero TDs and a long of 37 by the unit as a whole.

No threat has been established.

Notable Injuries/Announcements

WR Malikhi Miller – QUESTIONABLE

LG Alex Conn – OUT

LB Connor Shay – DOUBTFUL

S Wyett Ekeler – QUESTIONABLE

S Isaac White – QUESTIONABLE

OL Wes King – QUESTIONABLE

OL Jack Walsh – QUESTIONABLE

DE Tyce Westland – QUESTIONABLE

DT Ben Florentine – QUESTIONABLE

Why San Jose State Will Win

The Spartans torch Wyoming’s pass defense.

Wyoming won’t be able to keep up in a shootout.

The Cowboys have broken the 20-point barrier twice this season.

San Jose State has scored less than 20 points just once.

Whether it’s Emmett Brown or Walker Eget, SJSU staying with one QB throughout the game would prove dividends.

Throw in a few forced turnovers by way of WYO’s Evan Svoboda and the Spartans could wrap this puppy up early.

Why Wyoming Will Win

They control the clock and establish a reliable ground attack.

SJSU’s defense is quite good in the air…so limiting the chances for the Spartans to create a takeaway is critical.

Let RB Sam Scott try to win this game for you.

The trenches are where the Pokes can create an advantage.

On defense, the best thing you can do is force SJSU to make small gains and drive down the field.

Explosive plays will kill the Cowboys.

3 Players to Watch

Each week, I will highlight three players who may not be household names but could be the difference-makers in this matchup.

Sam Scott (Running Back – Wyoming)

Listed down the depth chart to begin 2024, Scott has taken grabbed the opportunity given to him via injuries

Floyd Chalk (Running Back – San Jose State)

Assuming that Wyoming attempts to key in on SJSU’s passing game, Chalk has a chance to churn out a big day on the ground.

Michael Dansby (Cornerback – San Jose State)

He may not lead the team in interceptions, but he creates plenty of opportunities.

Dansby leads the Spartans with six pass breakups, double the amount anyone else has on the San Jose State roster.

Spread: Wyoming +11.5, San Jose State -11.5 (-110 to WYO and SJSU)

Total: 52.5 points (-112 to the over and -108 to the under)

Straight Up Money Line: Wyoming +330, San Jose State -425

Prediction

This is a bad schematic matchup for the Wyoming Cowboys.

Playing a pass-heavy team with talented personnel on the perimeter is not what the Pokes look forward to when scouting opponents.

I don’t see Wyoming compiling enough stops and scoring enough to pull off a Mountain West upset.

San Jose State wins and covers.

SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS 35 – WYOMING COWBOYS 17

In the comments, let us know your predictions for Saturday’s game between the Cowboys and Spartans!

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Ohio court transfers second transgender-sorority case to Wyoming

Published

3 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Ohio court transfers second transgender-sorority case to Wyoming

by Maggie Mullen, WyoFile

An Ohio court transferred a lawsuit Thursday to Wyoming’s U.S. District Court because of its similarity to a high-profile case involving Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Wyoming and its admission of a transgender woman.

“This case is about whether Kappa Kappa Gamma (“Kappa”) may allow transgender women to join its sisterhood,” U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Judge Michael H. Watson wrote in his decision.

The same issue is the subject of another case in another federal district court, Watson wrote, and “because they are duplicative, these two cases should not proceed simultaneously, for a plethora of prudential reasons.”

More specifically, Watson pointed to the “first-to-file rule,” which calls for the court in which the first suit was filed to oversee subsequent cases, too.

The initial suit began in April 2023 when six members of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Wyoming filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming against the sorority for admitting Artemis Langford, a transgender woman.

The lawsuit was dismissed. The suing sorority sisters’ appeal was also unsuccessful. In the midst of that legal battle, Patsy Levang and Cheryl Tuck-Smith, two Kappa Kappa Gamma alumni, filed a separate complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against the organization after they were expelled from it.

The Kappa Kappa Gamma house is pictured on a fall day in 2023. (Madelyn Beck/WyoFile)

Levang and Tuck-Smith openly opposed Kappa’s trans-inclusive policy and supported the plaintiffs in the Wyoming case, including publishing an op-ed in the National Review. That violated the organization’s media policy, according to the sorority’s court filings.

Kappa Kappa Gamma also claimed that Tuck-Smith violated a separate policy when she used the organization’s membership list to contact other alumni about the ongoing litigation.

Ultimately, the organization’s fraternity council — which functions as a board of directors — voted to terminate both Levang and Tuck-Smith’s membership.

In their complaint, however, Levang and Tuck-Smith argue the termination was retaliatory.

They also claim that Kappa Kappa Gamma “is bound to defend the single-sex nature” of the organization, and by including transgender women it has “improperly attempted to broaden its membership criteria,” among other things.

“This case raises issues about whether a private, non-profit organization can disregard its mission and fiduciary duties, disavow its governing rules and bylaws, ignore its legal and ethical obligations, deceive and silence its members, and retaliate against those members who object to this conduct,” the complaint states.

The case is now in the hands of U.S. District Court Alan B. Johnson, who dismissed the Wyoming complaint last year.

How did we get here?

The plaintiffs in the Wyoming case — Jaylyn Westenbroek, Hannah Holtmeier, Allison Coghan, Grace Choate, Madeline Ramar and Megan Kosar — accused the sorority of breaking its bylaws, breaching housing contracts and misleading sisters when it admitted Langford by vote of its members.

In August 2023, Johnson dismissed the Wyoming case, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to adequately state a claim against Langford or her sorority, and that the government cannot interfere with how a private, voluntary organization determines its membership.

Johnson ruled “without prejudice,” giving the plaintiffs the option to refile an amended complaint. He also gave them advice on how to do so.

“If Plaintiffs wish to amend their complaint, the Court advises Plaintiffs that they devote more than 6% of their complaint to their legal claims against Defendants,” Johnson wrote regarding their 72-page complaint.

Instead of refiling, the plaintiffs hired two high-powered attorneys to appeal the dismissal to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In June, the appellate court dismissed the plaintiffs’ appeal, ruling that it did not have jurisdiction over the case since the lower court had not issued a final order.

The court also told the sorority sisters they could either seek a final judgement from the district court, or amend their complaint as Johnson suggested. In the six months since then, the plaintiffs have done neither and the case remains pending.

First-to-file rule

When actions involving nearly identical parties and issues have been filed in two different district courts, Watson wrote in his decision, the court in which the first suit was filed should generally proceed to judgment.

“And, as a corollary, the court in which the later suit was filed should generally transfer, stay or dismiss,” he wrote.

Furthermore, Watson wrote, to not apply the first-to-file rule “would be to condone forum-shopping.

“The Court does not accuse Plaintiffs of forum-shopping or bad faith, to be clear. But allowing Plaintiffs to proceed simultaneously on the same core claims in two fora, as Plaintiffs here seek to do, encourages forum-shopping.”

May Mailman, attorney for six students suing the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority for admitting a transgender woman to its University of Wyoming chapter, exits the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver after giving oral arguments in the case. She’s followed by plaintiff Hannah Holtmeier. (Tennessee Watson/WyoFile)

The status of the case in Wyoming makes that point clear, Watson wrote, since “six months have passed since the Tenth Circuit instructed the Westenbroek plaintiffs to either amend their complaint or move for a dismissal without prejudice.

“They have not done so. Why not?”

Watson wrote that someone in the position of the plaintiffs might respond with another question.

“Why would we proceed in a forum that dismissed our claim already when instead we can wait and see whether the Southern District of Ohio will be more receptive?”

Alongside Johnson, the case was assigned to Magistrate Judge Scott P. Klosterman. However, the case was reassigned to U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick after Klosterman recused himself for previously serving as an attorney for the defense in the Wyoming case.

This article was originally published by WyoFile and is republished here with permission. WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.

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Wyoming

Pokes in the Pros: Week 16

Published

11 hours ago

December 24, 2024

Press Room

LARAMIE, Wyo. — It wasn’t his sharpest game of the season, but at this point in the season it’s more about the end result than it is a beauty contest.

That result was a 24–21 comeback victory for Buffalo over New England. Josh Allen was 16-for-29 for 154 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He added 30 yards on six carries.

For the season, the former University of Wyoming quarterback is 291-for-456 for 3,549 yards with 26 touchdowns and just six picks. He’s rushed it 97 times for 514 yards and 11 scores.

Buffalo, which is 12–3, hosts the New York Jets in Week 17. The Bills still have a shot at the AFC’s No. 1 seed and are also closing in on locking up no worse than the No. 2 seed.

Below is a list of the other former Wyoming Cowboys and how they performed in Week 16.

Carl Granderson, New Orleans Saints

Granderson logged a decent game in the Saints’ 34–0 loss at Green Bay. He recorded three tackles.

For the season, Granderson lays claim to 53 tackles, 5.5 sacks, eight tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one pass defended and 13 quarterback hits.

New Orleans, which is 5–10, hosts Las Vegas in Week 17.

Tashaun Gipson, San Fransisco 49ers

Gipson didn’t record a stat in the 49ers’ 29–17 loss at Miami. For the season, he’s registered three tackles and one pass defended.

San Fransisco, which is 6–9, hosts Detroit in Week 17.

Andrew Wingard, Jacksonville Jaguars

Wingard enjoyed a decent day in the Jaguars’ 19–14 loss at Las Vegas. He made one tackle and had a season-high three passes defended.

For the season, Wingard has recorded two tackles and now has three passes defended.

Jacksonville, which is 3–12, hosts Tennessee in Week 17.

Chad Muma, Jacksonville Jaguars

Muma didn’t record a stat in the Jaguars’ 19–14 loss at Las Vegas. For the season, Muma has logged 31 tackles.

Jacksonville, which is 3–12, hosts Tennessee in Week 17.

Frank Crum, Denver Broncos

Crum didn’t play in the Broncos’ 34–27 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers. For the season, Crum has played in six games, participating in 33 snaps, with 24 of those occurring on special teams.

Denver, which is 9–6, travels to Cincinnati in Week 17.

Treyton Welch, New Orleans Saints

Welch is currently participating on the Saints’ practice squad. He has yet to be elevated this season.

Logan Wilson, Cincinnati Bengals

Wilson was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury prior to Week 14. For the season, Wilson recorded 104 tackles, two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, four quarterback hits and one pass defended.

Marcus Epps, Las Vegas Raiders

Epps’ season came to an end in Week 3. He tore his ACL after a 10-tackle effort. Epps finished the season with 19 tackles and one tackle for loss.

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Wyoming

Chance of a white Christmas wanes in southeast Wyoming

Published

22 hours ago

December 24, 2024

Press Room

Chance of a white Christmas wanes in southeast Wyoming

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Snow showers may grace Wyomingites west of the Laramie Range, but Cheyenne residents may only see rain during Christmas.

The National Weather Service in Cheyenne reports that temperatures will continue to hover in the mid-40-degree range Christmas Eve through the end of the week. Skies will be sunny Tuesday.

Clouds will set in overnight and cover the skies during Christmas on Wednesday. There will be a slight chance of rain showers from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., then a slight chance of rain and snow after 4 p.m. Skies will return to mostly sunny Thursday.

The highs and lows over the next several days are as follows: