CASPER, Wyo. — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is asking sage grouse hunters to help with conservation efforts by submitting a wing from each harvested bird. The wings are used to monitor the health of the sage grouse population and to make informed management decisions.
Hunters are asked to deposit one wing at the elbow joint in roadside collection barrels located in the state’s sagebrush steppe regions. The other wing must remain attached to the bird while in the field and during transport, as is required by law.
“The collection of sage-grouse wings provides crucial data for monitoring population health and making informed management decisions,” said Nyssa Whitford, Game and Fish sage grouse and sagebrush biologist. “Wildlife biologists gather data from wings that would otherwise be difficult to obtain and offer important information about reproductive success.”
After the hunting season, which runs from Sept. 20 to Sept. 30, biologists analyze the wings to estimate reproductive success. By using the length and wear of the primary feathers, they can age the wing as a chick, yearling or adult and determine its sex. The data, combined with spring lek counts, helps guide long-term conservation efforts and habitat improvement projects.
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A new requirement for 2024 is that all licensed sage grouse hunters must carry a free, annual sage grouse hunting permit. The permit is available at Game and Fish offices and online through the department’s website.
Bluesky will now check the ages of users located in South Dakota and Wyoming to comply with local online safety laws. The platform announced on Wednesday that users in both states will be able to prove their age using an ID, payment card, or other method.
Both South Dakota and Wyoming pushed ahead with their online safety laws after a Supreme Court ruling upheld a Texas law requiring age verification for porn sites. While many states only apply online safety laws to adult websites or platforms containing a certain threshold of harmful content, 404 Media points out that South Dakota and Wyoming’s laws don’t include this carveout. That means they could affect a much broader swatch of online platforms, including Reddit, X, and Discord, according to the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
Last month, Bluesky and Mastodon stopped operating in Mississippi after the Supreme Court refused to block a “likely unconstitutional” law that forces platforms to verify the ages of users when they create an account. Bluesky said the law “would block everyone from accessing the site — teens and adults — unless they hand over sensitive information.”
Just like in the UK, Bluesky spokesperson Elisabeth Diana confirmed to The Verge that the platform will restrict unverified and underage users in South Dakota and Wyoming from accessing adult content, as well as from using certain features, like direct messaging.
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Update, September 10th: Added information about the age verification process.
Looking to remain unbeaten before embarking on a rigorous Big 12 slate, Utah wraps up its nonconference schedule Saturday with a trip to Laramie, Wyoming, to take on the Cowboys.
The Utes (2-0) enter the matchup following consecutive wire-to-wire victories to open the 2025 regular season, having thumped UCLA (43-10) and Cal Poly (63-9) in their first two games.
The Cowboys (2-0) also have an opportunity to move to 3-0 after beating Akron (10-0) and Northern Iowa (31-7).
Here’s a look at some key numbers and statistics ahead of Saturday’s game.
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7,220: Elevation of War Memorial Stadium (in feet)
No venue in Division I sits at a higher elevation than Wyoming’s War Memorial Stadium. Located in the heart of Laramie, Wyoming, the home of the Cowboys is positioned at a staggering 7,220 feet above sea level, according to the team’s official website. Perhaps the only stadium in the country that sits at a higher elevation is Division II constituent Western Colorado’s Mountaineer Bowl in Gunnison, Colorado (7,750 feet above sea level).
For comparison, Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium is approximately 4,600 feet above sea level. Whittingham doesn’t expect the discrepancy to impact Saturday’s game much, though it’s still worth mentioning for any fans who plan on making the trip to Laramie for the first time.
200: Receiving yards for Wyoming’s Chris Durr
Just two games into his sophomore season, Wyoming’s Chris Durr has already accounted for 57% of his total production from last season (348 receiving yards in 12 games). The 5-foot-10 Chicago native is putting up 100 yards per game and has scored touchdowns in each of the Cowboys’ wins over Akron and Northern Iowa to start 2025, with 146 of his 200 total receiving yards coming in the 10-0 victory over the Zips in Week 1.
Oct 26, 2024; Laramie, Wyoming, USA; Wyoming Cowboys wide receiver Chris Durr Jr. (15) runs against the Utah State Aggies during the fourth quarter at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. / Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images
Utes head coach Kyle Whittingham mentioned in the lead-up to Saturday that his secondary has allowed too many opposing pass-catchers to turn “loose up the field” due to what he called “poor eyes” from his younger defensive backs. The Utes’ pass defense could be something to monitor against the Cowboys, especially with regard to Durr.
83: Previous meetings between Utah, Wyoming
For those who didn’t hear Whittingham or Jay Sawvel discuss it already, Saturday’s matchup will be a brief rekindling of an old Mountain West Conference rivalry between the Utes and Cowboys, as they’ll square off on the gridiron for the first time in roughly 15 years when they take the field at War Memorial Stadium.
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According to Utah’s team site, the Utes lead the all-time head-to-head record 49-31-1, with victories in eight of their last nine meetings dating back to 2000. Their last four wins over the Cowboys came by an average margin of 29.8 points, including a 50-0 thumping in 2007. Granted, the two schools haven’t seen each other since October 2010.
82.4: Utah’s third down conversion rate
No Division I team has been as efficient on third down as Utah has been through the first few weeks of the season. The Utes lead in the country with the most third down conversions per game (14.0) and rank No. 2 in the land in third down conversion rate at 82.4% — just slightly behind Arkansas at 83.3%.
79.2: Devon Dampier’s completion percentage
Speaking of efficiency, Utah quarterback Devon Dampier has been superb through the air in his first couple of games as the Utes’ signal-caller. The junior who transferred in from New Mexico enters Week 3 with the second-highest completion percentage in the Football Bowl Subdivision at 79.2%, trailing only Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (79.5%).
Sep 6, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) is hit by Cal Poly Mustangs linebacker Troy Bean (2) as he passes the ball during the first quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. / Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Saturday will pose a different test for Dampier, as he faces a Wyoming defense that’s allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete 42.1% of their passes (No. 4 in the country) in 2025, and one that held Dampier to 16-of-31 (51.6%) through the air last season in a 49-45 win for Wyoming over his Lobos (albeit, Dampier also rushed for 207 yards in that game).
3.4: Yards per play allowed by Wyoming
There are only seven other teams in the country that have held opponents to a worse yards-per-play average than the Cowboys have this early into the season. After holding Northern Iowa to just 170 total yards of offense last week, Wyoming will attempt to slow down a Utah offense that’s averaging 492 yards per game (16th-best in the country).
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2: Total touchdowns allowed by both teams
Utah’s only offensive touchdown allowed so far this season will have been two weeks ago by the time Saturday rolls around, while Wyoming’s only touchdown score against it was to a Football Championship Subdivision team. Both defensive units have been stout out of the gate, though time will tell if one begins to crack on Saturday.
Coach Deion Sanders has received his least-favorite kickoff time for the Colorado Buffaloes’ Week 4 home game against the Wyoming Cowboys.
As announced by the Big 12 Conference on Monday, Colorado and Wyoming will get going at 8:15 p.m. MT on Saturday, Sept. 20. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN, which has now grabbed four of CU’s first five games this season (Georgia Tech, Houston, Wyoming and BYU).
Exactly one week after facing Wyoming, Colorado will host the BYU Cougars in another 8:15 p.m. MT game on ESPN (Saturday, Sept. 27). This Friday, the Buffs will battle the Houston Cougars at 5:30 p.m. MT (ESPN) in their first road game of the year.
Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter (3) following his rushing touchdown in the first quarter against the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
It’ll be another late night at Folsom Field as 8:15 p.m. (or later) starts have often attracted Colorado since “Coach Prime” was hired three years ago. Still, Folsom Field should be rocking as the Family Weekend game has been sold out since mid-June.
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Colorado last hosted Wyoming in 2009 and is 24-2-1 all-time against the Cowboys.
One year after finishing 3-9 (2-5 Mountain West), Wyoming is 2-0 to begin 2025 with wins over Akron and Northern Iowa. Quarterback Kaden Anderson has thrown for 427 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, and linebacker Brayden Johnson leads the team with 14 total tackles.
Wyoming will face a much taller task on Saturday, however, with the No. 20 Utah Utes set to visit Laramie.
MORE: Three Key Takeaways From the Colorado Buffaloes’ Statement Win Over Delaware
MORE: Quarterback Julian Lewis Makes History But Underwhelms In First Colorado Buffaloes Drives
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MORE: How No Rookie Reps Could Shape Colorado Star Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Future
MORE: Deion Sanders Reacts To Ryan Staub’s Breakout Game, Colorado Buffaloes Quarterback Situation
MORE: Colorado Buffaloes Quarterback Ryan Staub Turns Heads in Win Over Delaware
Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders (center) leads the team onto Folsom Field before the game against the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
*All times Mountain
Aug. 29 vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (L, 27-20)
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Sept. 6 vs. Delaware Blue Hens (W, 31-7)
Sept. 12 at Houston Cougars (5:30 p.m., ESPN)
Sept. 20 vs. Wyoming Cowboys (8:15 p.m., ESPN)
Sept. 27 vs. BYU Cougars (8:15 p.m., ESPN)
Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Micah Welch (29) celebrates a touchdown with offensive lineman Xavier Hill (71) in the second half against the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Oct. 4 at TCU Horned Frogs (TBA)
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Oct. 11 vs. Iowa State Cyclones (TBA)
Oct. 25 at Utah Utes (TBA)
Nov. 1 vs. Arizona Wildcats (TBA)
Nov. 8 at West Virginia Mountaineers (TBA)
Nov. 22 vs. Arizona State Sun Devils (TBA)
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Nov. 29 at Kansas State Wildcats (TBA)
Aug 30, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; A pylon displays the West Virginia University logo and the Big 12 Conference logo during the game against the Robert Morris Colonials at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images / Ben Queen-Imagn Images
Along with Colorado-Wyoming, the Big 12 Conference announced six other kickoff times and television selections for Saturday, Sept. 20. Plus, the Oklahoma State Cowboys’ Sept. 19 game against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane was changed from 5 to 5:30 p.m. MT (ESPN).
Texas Tech Red Raiders at Utah Utes (10 a.m. MT, Fox)
SMU Mustangs at TCU Horned Frogs (10 a.m. MT, ESPN or ESPN2)
North Carolina Tar Heels at UCF Knights (1:30 p.m. MT, Fox)
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West Virginia Mountaineers at Kansas Jayhawks (4 p.m. MT, FS1)
Arizona State Sun Devils at Baylor Bears (5 :30 p.m. MT, Fox)
BYU Cougars at East Carolina Pirates (5:30 p.m. MT, ESPN2)
