Wyoming
Wyoming sputters once again, loses by 20 to BYU
If you continue to perform the same action over and over again, expecting a different outcome, that is the definition of insanity.
Wyoming’s offense has looked no different from their opener in Tempe to last night’s game against BYU.
Coach-speak isn’t the answer.
Staying the course isn’t the answer.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter (7-0 BYU Advantage)
5:58 – 20-yard pass from QB Jake Retzlaff to WR Keanu Hill (Will Ferrin PAT)
Wyoming 0 – BYU 7
2nd Quarter (10-7 BYU Advantage)
9:12 – 3-yard pass from QB Jake Retzlaff to WR Kody Epps (Will Ferrin PAT)
5:11 – 2-yard run by QB Evan Svoboda (John Hoyland PAT)
Wyoming 7 – BYU 14
0:45 – 49-yard field goal by K Will Ferrin
Wyoming 7 – BYU 17
HALFTIME
3rd Quarter (17-0 BYU Advantage)
14:45 – 100-yard kickoff return for WR Keelan Marion (Will Ferrin PAT)
Wyoming 7 – BYU 24
9:42 – 37-yard field goal by K Will Ferrin
Wyoming 7 – BYU 27
0:02 – 20-yard pass from QB Jake Retzlaff to WR Darius Lassiter (Will Ferrin PAT)
Wyoming 7 – BYU 34
4th Quarter (7-0 WYO Advantage)
6:29 – 1-yard run by QB Evan Svoboda (John Hoyland PAT)
Wyoming 14 – BYU 34
FINAL
BYU COUGARS 34 – WYOMING COWBOYS 14
WYOMING PLAYER OF THE GAME
N Wrook Brown – The most impactful defender, Brown came up with an early interception to stymy the Cougars’ redzone offense. He had chances to bring down another pick or two, but was unable to come down with them. Showcasing his role as an on-field leader, Brown will need to maintain his efforts if Wyoming looks to find their first win of 2024.
GRADES
Offense – D-
The score doesn’t reflect how anemic this side of the ball has been since Jay Sawvel has taken over in Laramie.
Alex Taylor, writer for WyoSports, reported on the newly-updated statistics as of Sunday.
*These rankings are out of 133 FBS teams
Total offense: 132nd (201.7 yards per game)
Scoring offense: Tied for 130th (11.3 points per game)
Passing offense: 128th (114.7 yards per game)
Rushing offense: 120th (87 yards per game)
Only two out of 12 drives ended in points.
QB Evan Svoboda had moments of solid play, throwing receivers open and delivering darts.
Alas, that is still far and between – exemplified by a 43.8% completion percentage.
The running game was nowhere to be found.
Sam Scott, D.J. Jones and Dawaiian McNeely combined for 19 carries and 45 yards.
2.36 yards a carry is not going to cut it.
Even the return of John Michael Gyllenborg was underwhelming – the tight end didn’t record a single reception.
Many fans clamored for one of Wyoming’s backup QBs (Jayden Clemons or Kaden Anderson) to get some snaps in the 4th quarter.
That did not happen.
Sawvel made it known to the media after the game that his confidence in Svoboda has not wavered and that the Pokes have played two P4 teams in their first three games.
Wyoming plays North Texas in Denton, Texas, next week.
If a similar performance occurs in the Lone Star state, change should be expected.
Defense – C-
As the offense goes, so does the defense.
The thing is, I can’t blame those under Aaron Bohl’s leadership to have a tough time maintaining their defensive fortitude.
If you know the offense isn’t going to do squat when they get the ball back, motivation is hard to come by.
The defense held strong in the 1st half, limiting BYU to 17 points and keeping the Cowboys in the fight as they went to the locker room.
However, Cougar QB Jake Retzlaff found his rhythm coming out out of the half – finishing the game with 291 yards and 3 TDs.
I will say that outside of Retzlaff’s improvisation when forced out of the pocket, Wyoming held the run game in check – limiting BYU to 78 yards.
An interception by Wrook Brown prevented the Pokes from losing the turnover battle.
Special Teams – D+
Punting can only curve your performance so much.
Credit to Jack Culbreath and his ability to flip the field – he had eight chances to do so.
But when you allow a kick return touchdown right out of halftime that swings momentum violently in one direction, the fallout is on you as a unit.
A potential three-and-out on BYU’s opening possession of the second half could have been massive.
That TD put the game out of reach due to the Cowboys inability to march down the field when in possession.
Kicker John Hoyland converted two PATs, but nothing more.
WHAT DOES THIS RESULT SIGNIFY?
Not even a storied rivalry going back to 1922 was able to turn this ship around.
Sometimes, teams can have disappointing starts, yet, they see a bright light up ahead and know that the season will get better.
Wyoming?
You lost your lone FCS game and haven’t looked anywhere near competitive against two Big 12 teams expected to finish in the middle-to-bottom tier of the conference.
More importantly, I haven’t seen any contagious energy on the sideline or buzz within the team.
Lethargic, melancholy…you can pick whatever adjective you like.
But a team under a new head coach should never evoke this feeling three games in.
GOING FORWARD
North Texas.
Your last non-conference opponent before Mountain West play begins.
The Mean Green are 2-1 with not much on their resume.
A 52-38 win @ South Alabama.
A 35-20 vs FCS Stephen F. Austin.
A 66-21 loss @ Texas Tech where UNT gave up 52 points in the 1st half.
As of now, DraftKings favors North Texas by nine points.
Barring a miraculous turnaround after the bye week in early October, this team will not go bowling.
Mountain West cellar dwellers have improved (New Mexico, Utah State, San Jose State).
The Cowboys’ next two games are arguably their easiest left on the schedule (UNT and Air Force).
Jay Sawvel, Evan Svoboda, and everyone associated with Wyoming football need a win in the next two weeks.
JACKSON, Wyo. – Jackson Hole Public Art (JHPA) is proud to announce the
public installation of 250 Portraits, a community art project featuring self-portraits created and submitted by Wyoming residents from across the state. Launched in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary, the project invited Wyomingites of all ages and backgrounds to submit portraits of themselves or other Wyoming residents, resulting in a vibrant and deeply personal collection of artwork.
Portraits were submitted by artists ranging in age from 5 to over 80, representing residents from 16 of Wyoming’s 23 counties. Participants included individuals, families, school groups, and educators who worked with their students to take part. The result is a wide-ranging snapshot of the people who call Wyoming home, from young children just beginning to express themselves through art to lifelong residents reflecting on decades of experience and identity.
The portraits are now on display in five large-scale grid installations located throughout downtown Jackson. They can be found at the Center for the Arts, JH Book Trader, the Antler Inn, the alley at Pinky G’s, and the Jackson Hole Elks Lodge. The exhibition will remain on view throughout the summer, giving locals and visitors alike the opportunity to take in the full collection at their own pace.
The exhibit, 250 Portraits, was designed to highlight both individual identity and collective belonging, weaving together faces from communities large and small into a single, statewide visual portrait of Wyoming’s people. By placing the work in accessible, high-traffic locations in downtown Jackson, JHPA hopes to spark conversation among residents and visitors about what it means to be part of a community that spans such a wide and varied landscape.
A self-guided walking map is available to help visitors navigate between the five sites and experience other public art projects throughout Jackson. For more information and to access the 2026 Public Art Map, visit https://www.jhpublicart.org/art/2026map.
Pair your portrait with an audio story! Please consider adding your voice to another state-wide project celebrating the stories of everyday Wyomingites: Re-Storying the West.
All over Wyoming, there are little free libraries in neighborhoods for those who are looking for a new book. The process is simple. Take a book and leave one for others to experience.
READ MORE: Wyoming’s Little Libraries
We also have neighborhood food pantries for families in a pinch who need a little help. Again, the process is easy. Take a meal, and when you’re able, leave one for another family in need.
READ MORE: A New Local Neighborhood Food Pantry System in Wyoming
Several of the North Platte River’s access points have loaner life jackets. Once again, it’s simple. If you need a life jacket, take one, then return it to another access point for others who need it.
READ MORE: Return The Loaner Life Jackets After You Use Them
These are fantastic programs across the state that show how much communities care about others. I found another program that I think would really fly here, and it’s already going strong in some places around the country, like Montana.
The process, just like these other programs, is simple but very effective. With Wyoming fisheries being so popular, these could help make it an even bigger global sensation.
Flybrary – Take a fly, leave a fly.
I saw this article on FlyLordsMag.com and thought it was fantastic.
Montana artist Brandi Massey is passionate about fly fishing, and she used her own experience of leaving her fly box at home when leaving for a fly fishing trip. After that experience, she remembered seeing a “Flybrary” on her social media timeline and decided to jump into action and do her own version of the “Flybrary” to ensure other fly fishing trips don’t get ruined because of not having any flies.
She had her dad build the box, got her permits, and put up her first “Flybrary” on the Blackfoot River, and has more in the works.
In the article, Brandi explained why she decided to do it.
I’ve been fly fishing since I could hold a fly pole in my hand. Always trying to catch more fish than my dad. I love the fly fishing community and this is a great way to stay connected to the community. I’m an artist and this is an amazing way to show a piece of myself to the world.
Have you ever seen a “Flybrary” out in the wild? LET ME KNOW HERE
The 22 Top Game Fish Of Wyoming
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