Wyoming
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!
Monique Merrill
(CN) — A federal judge in Montana must determine whether or not to split up two cases challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s reduction of protections to the greater sage grouse across millions of acres in the West and transfer the claims to Wyoming.
Seven conservation groups — the Center for Biological Diversity, Gallatin Wildlife Association, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Rocky Mountain Wild, the Sierra Club, the Western Watersheds Project and WildEarth Guardians — sued the agency in March, challenging its approval of resource management plan amendments for greater sage grouse across nine Western states spanning from California to North Dakota.
Later that month, another three conservation groups — The Montana Wildlife Federation, the Wilderness Society and Defenders of Wildlife — also sued the agency, challenging specifically the Wyoming and Montana plan amendments.
In both cases, the plaintiffs accuse the Bureau of Land Management of weakening prior protections for sage grouse habitat by removing key restrictions and expanding oil and gas leasing. The bird is considered threatened, with populations in sharp decline due primarily to habitat loss.
Both cases were filed in Montana federal court and have not been consolidated, and on Monday, the state of Wyoming argued they should be dismissed or at least severed and have the case transferred to Wyoming.
“Wyoming is a sage grouse stronghold,” Ethan Paddison of the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office argued. “The group’s challenge to the 2025 Wyoming [Resource Management Plan Amendment] strikes at the heart of this longstanding cooperative conservation framework between the state of Wyoming and the federal government.”
According to Wyoming, its resource management plan is different than the other states because it took account of different underlying facts and local plans in its development.
But U.S. District Judge Brian Morris, a Barack Obama appointee, noted his concern at severing the cases in the event that the courts return conflicting decisions. Wyoming appeals go to the Tenth Circuit and Montana appeals go to the Ninth Circuit.
Wyoming argued there was more tying the cases to Wyoming than any other venue.
“The state has spent close to three decades and upwards of $100 million developing and implementing the sage grouse core area strategy,” Paddison said.
The federal government agreed and asked the court to move all claims raised by the seven conservation group plaintiffs to the District of Wyoming.
“What we’re asking here is to do something different, to keep the case together, but to put it in a place, at least one of these places, where there’s a higher concentration of sage grouse habitat,” Justice Department attorney Luther Hajek said.
Wyoming has 24% of Bureau of Land Management-managed surface lands designated as sage grouse habitats, roughly 17 million acres.
Michael Freeman, Earthjustice attorney representing the trio of conservation groups, implored the court to consider the case as a continuation of a recently decided sage grouse case in which Morris tossed oil leases on sage grouse habitat.
“Rather than conserving sage grouse by complying with prioritization, BLM has responded to this court’s decisions by attempting to just eliminate prioritization from its plans altogether,” Freeman said. “And just as this court found in the leasing litigation that national decisions need to be properly adjudicated together in a single court, and this court represents a proper venue for doing so.”
Transferring the case to Wyoming would reward a “rush to courthouse,” Freeman argued. Plus, it would be inefficient to have two courts deciding the same issues based on essentially the same administrative record, he said.
Morris questioned why there were even two lawsuits to begin with.
Freeman clarified that the trio of conservation groups are focused specifically on oil and gas prioritization issues, though admitted there were overlapping issues.
Andrew Missel, attorney with Advocates For The West representing the larger coalition of conservation groups, agreed with Freeman.
“I think transferring part or all of this case to Wyoming would not be in the interest of justice because it would effectively reward what I think is a pretty naked display of gamesmanship,” Missel said.
Morris again questioned why both sets of conservation groups filed separate suits.
“And you just happened to file both in the District of Montana,” Morris said.
Wyoming and the Western Energy Alliance filed suit against the Department of Interior in the District of Wyoming, seeking a declaration from the court that the state’s amended plan complies with the law. Missel characterized the suit as a sham.
Wyoming argued the lawsuit is further reason why Morris should move the claims to Wyoming, so the Montana court doesn’t run the risk of issuing a conflicting judgment with the Wyoming court.
Morris said he would return an order in the next couple of weeks.
GILLETTE, Wyo. — As the Aug. 18 primary election approaches, County 17 is introducing candidate questionnaires to help voters make informed decisions at the ballot box.
Every candidate in the primary field was sent the same three questions and given a limit of 500 words, which could be distributed among their answers as they saw fit. To ensure a fair and direct line to the community, all responses are published exactly as submitted, without edits or alterations.
Candidates were asked:
- What are the most crucial challenges your constituents are facing?
- If elected, how will you address these challenges?
- What qualities or qualifications do you possess that have prepared you to meet these challenges?
Questionnaires are being published on a rolling basis online through Aug. 11. They will be accessible via the County 17 Election Tracker.
Qwenton Eagle Oviatt (R), Wyoming secretary of state
What are the most crucial challenges your constituents are facing?
The most crucial challenges my constituents are facing are low voter turnout, outdated election processes that make voting harder than necessary, a business registration system being exploited by scammers, and a wide fracture within the Wyoming Republican Party.
If elected, how will you address these challenges?
If elected, I will address these directly. I will push for a long overdue election cleanup bill to make voting easier while ensuring strong security. I will implement top tier screening software and a small enforcement team to stop fraud using commercial registered agents. I will also work closely with county clerks to give them the training and uniformity they’ve requested. On party division, I will focus on repairing our Republican Party by practicing Alan Simpson’s collaboration and Mike Enzi’s 80/20 rule, bringing people together instead of tearing them apart.
What qualities/qualifications do you possess that have prepared you to meet these challenges?
What prepares me for these challenges is my diverse real world experience. I have worked in Wyoming’s oil fields, supported National Science Foundation research in Antarctica, built small businesses, and currently serve as an academic advisor at Central Wyoming College. As a certified mediator, I’ve learned how to bring people together to solve problems. This practical background gives me the judgement and skills needed to deliver real results for Wyoming.
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