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!
Wyoming
‘It’s going to kill us.’ Electric utility’s latest rate hike request especially steep for Wyoming ag irrigators
by Dustin Bleizeffer, WyoFile
The need to flip on electric pumps to irrigate alfalfa fields came early this season for Cokeville-area farmers and ranchers Tim Teichert and Jason Thornock, thanks to extraordinarily dry conditions.
Pumping water from streams and underground aquifers takes a lot of electricity, and ag folks like Teichert and Thornock wince when they have to flick their switches to the on position: Thus begins the ticking of the utility meter. What’s usually a $150,000 irrigation-season electric bill for Thornock and $90,000 for Teichert will be higher — possibly tens of thousands of dollars, they say.
But the drought-induced extra expense might pale in comparison to what their electric provider has in store for them — come drought or not.
Rocky Mountain Power, Wyoming’s largest regulated electric utility, filed a request to the Wyoming Public Service Commission in May for a $71 million rate hike, which averages to an 8.8% increase among its 150,000 customers in the state, according to the company.
For irrigators like Teichert and Jason Thornock, it’s a 37.7% increase — if state regulators give Rocky Mountain Power what it’s asking for.
“It’s going to kill us,” Thornock told WyoFile. “They’re going to make it very difficult to be a farmer in Rocky Mountain Power’s service area.”
Class system
Utilities commonly charge different rates to different customer classifications. Typically, customers with especially large electrical pulls on the system — think oil refineries and trona-and-soda ash operations, for example — pay higher rates because they demand more from the utility’s systemwide infrastructure and ongoing investments. Same goes for “Irrigation, Schedule 40,” where Teichert and Thornock — as well as about 1,000 other Wyoming irrigators — find themselves on the utility’s ledger.
Wyoming farmers and ranchers, who have the opportunity and means, have been shifting from flood irrigation — which requires no or minimal electricity — to pump-and-pivot irrigation in recent years to make more efficient use of limited water resources, Wyoming Stock Growers Association Executive Vice President Jim Magagna said.
“I don’t see how anybody can afford to do it when they suddenly face increases like this,” Magagna told WyoFile. “Particularly at a time of drought and when they’re already facing high costs, at a time when fertilizer costs have increased dramatically due to the Iranian situation.”
Rocky Mountain Power has been under scrutiny for a series of rate hikes in recent years. Excluding annual fuel cost adjustments, Wyoming regulators have allowed the company to increase its base rates nearly 16% since 2024. A 5.5% hike hit monthly bills in 2024, and rates increased another 10.2% in 2025.
Cost of service
So what’s driving this year’s proposed $71 million rate hike?
First, the company — a division of Warren Buffett’s PacifiCorp — wants to ensure a 7.56% rate of return, it said.
In public documents, Rocky Mountain Power also cites some $4.5 billion in new capital projects across six states, higher operations and maintenance costs, inflationary pressures and a projected $10 million to create a “Wyoming wildfire liability self-insurance reserve fund.”
For the average residential customer, the proposed hike pencils out to a monthly base rate increase from $23 to $25, according to the company. Base rate is a service charge, meaning customers will see an increase regardless of how much power they use.
Customer classification rate increases for various “large” electrical-demand users, excluding irrigated agriculture, range from 7.4% to 10.9%, according to public documents.
“The recommended cost of service study incorporated in this case fairly allocates costs among the service schedules in a manner that reflects the demands and energy usage of the customer classes,” Rocky Mountain Power states in documents provided to the state. Irrigation customers account for about 0.4% of total energy usage on Rocky Mountain Power’s system in Wyoming.
When pressed for details about what’s driving the proposed 37.7% rate increase for ag irrigation, Rocky Mountain Power pointed to a 638-page document filed with the Public Service Commission.
“It’s going to kill us. They’re going to make it very difficult to be a farmer in Rocky Mountain Power’s service area.”
Jason Thornock, ag irrigator
“The company proposes a rate design that makes movement towards [cost of service] while balancing impacts to individual customers,” according to one passage regarding the Section 40 classification.
“Rates for the various customer classes should cover the cost of providing service,” Rocky Mountain Power spokesperson David Eskelsen told WyoFile via email. “Different kinds of customers present different costs, such as the magnitude and characteristics of their demand on the electric system, voltage requirements and line extension costs.
“As the company has measured usage during peak periods by irrigation customers, their use of the system increased 30% compared to the 2024 general rate review, which contributes to the need for the above-average increase in rates,” Eskelsen added. “Combined with the smaller increases for this class in the past two general rate reviews, the increase proposed is necessary to move them closer to actual cost of service.”
Beyond a customer’s demand on a utility’s system, other factors define distinct customer classifications. Among them are voltage requirements. While the average home requires 120 and 240 volts, large irrigation pumps can require 480 volts.
If costs to reliably serve high-voltage power to irrigation customers are rising, it hasn’t been fully explained to them, Thornock and Teichert say. Plus, the service they’re paying for hasn’t been reliable.
“Rocky Mountain Power sends us dirty power,” Teichert said, describing power currents that send fluctuating, rather than stable, currents of voltage. He added that their irrigation pumps and motors require a consistent 480 volts. But, “it fluctuates all day long.”
The variation of voltage is problematic, Thornock said, because it can cause pumps to malfunction. “I had to replace a pump-motor yesterday — probably a $10,000 motor — because of dirty power.”
Equally perplexing, Thornock and Teichert said, is this the first time in recent history that Rocky Mountain Power has singled out agricultural irrigation for a major rate hike. In 2023, the state allowed a 1.5% increase, and in 2024 it ordered a 2.9% reduction.
No relief
Two years ago, Teichert and Thornock rang alarm bells about the threat of rising electrical costs to the agriculture industry. They concluded that a personal investment in solar arrays might help — if only the Legislature would raise the cap on net metering from 25 kilowatts of self-generation to 200 kilowatts.
Net metering is a credit system. If a utility customer generates their own electricity, and occasionally more than they need, the extra power goes back onto the grid for use by other customers. The customer feeding electricity back to the utility earns credits at the retail rate for the power on a month-to-month basis. If there are remaining credits at the end of the year, the utility pays out those credits at a lesser, wholesale rate.
But Wyoming law caps the net-metering credit system at 25 kilowatts.
“We can’t provide enough power on demand for those three months when we’re using it,” Thornock said, “but we can bank enough power for the nine months that we’re not using it to offset our power demand.
“We’re not asking for a handout,” Thornock added, “but apparently we can produce power for less than Rocky Mountain Power can. Unfortunately, we have to use their grid to bank the power.”
Although the irrigators earned allies in their net-metering cap increase quest, House Bill 183, “Net metering amendments” in 2025 got so watered down in the legislative process that it died for lack of support, according to proponents.
Without any avenues for relief, Rocky Mountain Power’s proposed increase on ag irrigation is a threat to Wyoming’s agricultural industry, said Magagna of the Stock Growers Association.
“I just don’t think it’s defensible in any way,” he said. “Even if they, perhaps, undercharged in the past, you gradually make up for that. You don’t try to do it in one fell swoop. I think it’s just an embarrassment regarding their understanding of and respect for the ag industry.”
Green River Republican Rep. Scott Heiner, who co-chairs the Legislature’s Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee, said he pressed Rocky Mountain Power representatives during a recent hearing about the steep rate hike proposal for irrigators. They were not “aware of this part of the proposal,” Heiner told WyoFile, adding, “I will do all I can to be a voice for agriculture as we oppose this rate increase.
“It appears that [Rocky Mountain Power] may be trying to ‘cost shift’ with this rate increase to put more of the burden on those that don’t have the voice to be heard,” Heiner continued. “With the Wyoming drought and shortage of water, this may drive our ranchers and farmers out of business.”
The Wyoming Public Service Commission is accepting public comment through June 18 for the initial review phase of the rate case. Written comments should mention Docket No. 20000-710-ER-26, and can be emailed to at wpsc_comments@wyo.gov.
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.
Related
CASPER, Wyo. — On Tuesday, the Casper City Council approved a trio of infrastructure projects aimed at upgrading the Fort Caspar campground and maintaining the cooling and accessibility of the Ford Wyoming Center.
At the Fort Caspar campground, the council authorized a $110,250 agreement with local contractor Arc Electric LLC for electrical utility upgrades. The project includes the installation of new utility conductors, a transformer pad, a new electrical panel and the replacement of RV pedestals.
Councilors also authorized an $11,000 construction contingency, bringing the total project amount to $121,250. Funding for the upgrades will be drawn from Capital Fund Reserves previously allocated for repairs at the Izaak Walton Campground, with an expected completion date of Nov. 15.
In other business, the council addressed critical maintenance needs at the Ford Wyoming Center by approving a $38,870 contract with Long Building Technologies to repair the facility’s cooling tower.
Casper Parks, Recreation and Public Facilities Director Zulima Lopez said one of the tower’s two industrial gearboxes failed, leaving the HVAC system operating at approximately half of its capacity and increasing the risk of a complete cooling loss.
Work on the cooling tower is expected to be finished by July 31.
In a separate project at the Ford Wyoming Center, city leaders voted to accept a $75,000 grant from the Office of State Lands and Investments for pedestrian and lighting improvements.
The grant, which covers up to 30% of the project costs, will be used to enhance walkways and parking lot lighting, Lopez said. A primary focus of the work will be improving access from the Cowboy Lot, which supports parking for events like the College National Finals Rodeo and others at both the events center and the nearby WYO Sports Ranch.
The required local matching funds will be provided through fifth-cent tax allocations and in-kind work from city staff, according to a city memo.
Related
Heather Schmidt
TUNKHANNOCK — The Wyoming County Prison Board today (June 16) voted to ratify the termination of Heather Schmidt as the warden of the Wyoming County Correctional Facility (WCCF).
Schmidt, a 1996 graduate of Wyalusing Valley High School, had served as the warden since January 2025.
Previous to that, she had served as the facility’s training lieutenant and its deputy warden.
No reason was given as to why Schmidt was terminated. She has been on administrative leave since May 1.
Members of the prison board noted that the issue was a “personnel matter.”
The county is currently advertising for a new warden at the WCCF.
Further reporting on this matter will appear in this week’s edition of the Rocket-Courier.
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