Wyoming4-83Wyoming's 4-8 record this season contrasts with its 2017 11-2 peak, highlighting the challenge of recapturing the altitude-driven, high-octane identity that once defined Laramie football.
Wyoming plays the highest home games in major college football — 7,220 feet up in Laramie, where the thin air and the cold are the program's best recruit, and 'Cowboy Tough' is a literal description.
Cowboy fans are tired of being filed under 'cold, remote, forgettable' by people who've never had to play a December night in Laramie. They say the altitude humbles every recruiting-ranking darling wh…
Approaching
30 days
until kickoff · at Colorado State · Sat Sep 5 · 22:00 UTC
Wyoming is the Mountain West program whose 7,220-ft War Memorial Stadium altitude + Craig Bohl 2017 11-2 + Josh Allen 2018 #7 NFL draft define what Laramie-frontier-football looks like.
With a high continuity roster and balanced portal churn, Wyoming is positioned for a modest improvement over its 4-8 record from 2025.
Cowboy Joe rides patient.
the open questionwhere does it go from here?
Wyoming's 4-8 record this season contrasts with its 2017 11-2 peak, highlighting the challenge of recapturing the altitude-driven, high-octane identity that once defined Laramie football.
Wyoming enters 2026 — the 4-8 record and 1% returning production create a stark contrast to the program's altitude-driven identity and 2017 legacy.
Jay Sawvel enters his third season with a 4-8 losing record to uphold, as Wyoming's altitude advantage and past success remain the only markers of its identity in a weak FBS tier.
Johnmichael Gyllenborg is used almost exclusively underneath -- a low share of his targets are downfield shots.
Michael Fitzgerald is a real deep-ball threat -- a high share of his targets come on throws past the sticks.
Wyoming enters 2025 at No. 110 in SP+ — top-quintile returning production can't mask Jay Sawvel's 4-8 record in his second year under the Laramie altitude.
Tim Polasek joins NDSU staff
Polasek leaving Wyoming for NDSU while the Cowboys carry a class ranked 89th and a falling SP+ isn't a lateral move — it's a signal about which program he thinks has actual upward trajectory right now.
Top 3 commits
Among the stronger offseasons on record for this program
88th percentile among FBS programs
Market outlook
Sportsbook consensus · best odds across multiple books · 2026-08-06
Wyoming · Next-Season Outcome Band
Final-season-aware projection: floor / base / ceiling include conference title and CFP games where the model supports them, so a ceiling can exceed a 12-game regular season.
Wyoming enters 2026 rated No. 110 in 2025 SP+ (-11.3). It is top-quintile returning production in FBS — 1% of production comes back. SP+ describes what the program HAS done, not what it will do. The season is the field test. The preview consensus leans in — but preseason ratings reward the recent past, not the season ahead.
The 'the projection is underselling us' read -- fans betting the season beats the preview number.
The 'the model has seen the tape' counter -- efficiency ratings reward what a program has actually done, not hope.
Nothing in our corpus yet — this door stays open for when there is.
Only 13 of 55 board posts mention it — below our floor to call a community stance. Shown as texture, not a verdict.
The boards ≠ the fanbase: a vocal, self-selected slice.
Wyoming: the fanbase's identity shifting.
The optimistic read: momentum, and the 'this is real' takes.
The analytical counter: rankings, results, and 'the hype is ahead of the tape' takes.
Nothing in our corpus yet — this door stays open for when there is.
Only 11 of 55 board posts mention it — below our floor to call a community stance. Shown as texture, not a verdict.
The boards ≠ the fanbase: a vocal, self-selected slice.
Recent Form · last 10 games
One of five. The film room is busy this week.
Opens Sep 5
vs Colorado State · away
✓ fact on line · ~ our read on style
Fan mood index · most recent r/cfb data
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
TX leads the 2026 class with 5 commits. National footprint reaching 11 states.
Where they recruit · 2023-2026
105 signees across 16 states, 2023-2026. TX leads the pull.
Top community posts · last 12 months · r/cfb
8 games with TV coverage: 1 ESPN, 7 cable
Kickoff windows: 1 afternoon, 7 primetime
Recovering 71% of the fumbles they've forced — running hot vs. the ~49% league rate.
5 of 7 forced fumbles recovered; 3 of 9 own fumbles recovered themselves, 2025 only.
Converting 22% of pass disruptions into takeaways — right in line with the ~19% league rate.
10 interceptions of 45 disrupted passes (35 deflected, 10 intercepted), 2025 only.
Winning the penalty battle: 79 penalties committed vs. 84 drawn on opponents, a 77-yard edge.
675 penalty yards committed vs. 752 drawn on opponents, 2025 season total.
What moved it — fall camp · last 14 days
Fanbase Signals
Position = mood · width = volume · color = the kind of feeling
What little we hear
Only 3 cohort(s) cleared the signal floor this week, so we won’t stage a split we can’t back. Here’s the honest read:
How Wyoming fans actually talk real · top-upvoted
The crowd’s loudest take by upvotes — read for mood, not as a side. The cohort read is the measured part.
What this fanbase keeps coming back to our read · topic model
Topics are model-labeled from Reddit — a rough signal of what this fanbase is circling right now.
~ our readWyoming fans are down on the program, with a bit less hard evidence than most fanbases.
✓ counted We read 105 posts from Wyoming fans this week.
“Happy for the win but maaaaan. Jay Sawvell and Jay Johnson need sent into the sun”— r/CFB
“SDSU fans, what changed? Y'all did not look particularly good the first several games. Your offense is still suspect at times but your defense is moving fucking mountains, and suddenly y'all are MWC favorites. Seems like a switch flipped a couple games ago?”— r/CFB
“Back from Boulder. Despite the loss I had an absolute blast, people around me were all chill and fun to be around. On to the next one.”— r/CFB
“What a crazy 4th. If they can beat ASU next week they're right back to where they were when Jedd Fisch pulled his stunt - 9-3, ranked and two one possession losses, with Fifita being a stud. Feels like destiny”— r/CFB
“Don’t let the score deceive you. Wyomings defense played their heart out, just got extremely gassed. You cannot expect your defense to be on the field the whole game and play 100% the whole time. Jay Johnson needs to go and Kaden Anderson regressed to Svoboda level tonight. Ve…”— r/CFB
Five Lenses
What people are saying right now
Fanbase Health Index · Wyoming · high confidence
“Lol Bohl is NOT happy about the defense. *Good.*”
FBS rankings · 2025 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs
| Player | # | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate | QBR | Adj ANY/A | Sack% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pocket Passer · +0.08 EPA/play | 12 | 12 | 189 / 336 | 56.2 | 1971 | 5.9 | 12 | 10 | 111.4 | 33.7 | 4.9 | 2.9 | |
Yards by week → Pocket PasserBalanced passer who operates within the system, without one standout number carrying the profile. Impact starter — above-average production for the conference. 97 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / attempt5.9 bottom 10th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Rush yards / carry-0.8 bottom 13th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Kaden Anderson's full player page | |||||||||||||
| -0.08 EPA/play | 7 | 3 | 20 / 38 | 52.6 | 187 | 4.9 | 0 | 1 | 88.7 | 9.4 | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Stuff% | 10+% | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Back · +0.10 EPA/play | 26 | 11 | 100 | 552 | 5.5 | 1 | 50 | 10.4 | 10.9 | 11.8 | 16.7 | 7.3% (22/301) | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 186 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry5.7 68th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Rush TD rate1.0% bottom 11th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint View Samuel Harris's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Workhorse · -0.04 EPA/play | 22 | 12 | 89 | 408 | 4.6 | 2 | 37 | 9.4 | 10.5 | 24.7 | 17.2 | 6.0% (18/301) | |
Yards by week → WorkhorseBuilt to take 20+ carries per game. Volume is the value. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 52 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight230 lb 95th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Yards / carry4.3 bottom 21th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Sam Scott's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Balanced Back · +0.24 EPA/play | 5 | 10 | 65 | 331 | 5.1 | 4 | 33 | 7.2 | 10.2 | 29.2 | 18.5 | — | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 186 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry5.5 bottom 47th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Yards / reception10.4 79th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Terron Kellman's full player page | |||||||||||||
| -0.18 EPA/play | 24 | 8 | 23 | 63 | 2.7 | 0 | 13 | 2.9 | 4.1 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot Technician · +0.61 EPA/play | 13 | 10 | 46 | 513 | 11.2 | 4 | 49 | 16 | 13.6 | 13.3% (40/301) | |
Yards by week → Slot TechnicianRuns precise routes in tight quarters. Volume player who keeps chains moving. 97 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Reception volume46 73th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Plays like View Chris Durr Jr.'s full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.23 EPA/play | 8 | 8 | 20 | 240 | 12 | 0 | 29 | 5.4 | 6.3 | 11.3% (34/301) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception12.3 bottom 40th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Jaylen Sargent's full player page | |||||||||||
| Jump-Ball Target · +0.53 EPA/play | 11 | 8 | 16 | 228 | 14.2 | 3 | 35 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 9.3% (28/301) | |
Yards by week → Jump-Ball TargetWins contested catches at the goal line. Size and catch radius are the weapons. 29 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TD rate18.8% 95th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Reception volume16 bottom 16th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Michael Fitzgerald's full player page | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.38 EPA/play | 84 | 6 | 24 | 217 | 9.0 | 1 | 24 | 9 | 9.6 | 11.0% (33/301) | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. The most common profile in its group this season — 177 of 223 classified this way. Played in 6 of 21 games this season · senior · 3-star, 2021 class View Johnmichael Gyllenborg's full player page | |||||||||||
| -0.19 EPA/play | 2 | 7 | 10 | 112 | 11.2 | 1 | 41 | 5.3 | 3.9 | 6.3% (19/301) | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| +1.24 EPA/play | 19 | 8 | 5 | 99 | 19.8 | 1 | 45 | 1.6 | 4.1 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.02 EPA/play | 9 | 8 | 12 | 95 | 7.9 | 0 | 20 | 3.8 | 5.7 | 7.3% (22/301) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception11.6 bottom 34th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.0 bottom 4th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Jackson Holman's full player page | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.05 EPA/play | 86 | 7 | 11 | 92 | 8.4 | 1 | 27 | 10.8 | 5.4 | 6.3% (19/301) | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception5.6 bottom 24th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.0 bottom 9th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Evan Svoboda's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.22 EPA/play | 3 | 8 | 17 | 90 | 5.3 | 0 | 20 | 4 | 5.3 | 6.6% (20/301) | |
Yards by week → Possession Receiver· Money-downReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. lives on the sticks and moves the chains 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception5.6 bottom 3th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 8th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Deion DeBlanc's full player page | |||||||||||
| +1.27 EPA/play | 6 | 4 | 5 | 64 | 12.8 | 0 | 22 | 6.1 | 4.5 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| -0.20 EPA/play | 82 | 5 | 5 | 33 | 6.6 | 0 | 20 | 5.5 | 3.9 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | TFL | Sack | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Versatile End | 40 | 11 | 43 | 24 | 7.5 | 2 | 4 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. The most common profile in its group this season — 139 of 200 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · senior · 3-star, 2021 class View Tyce Westland's full player page | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 94 | 12 | 33 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate18.2% 64th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile our readSustained Ascent: his CFB Index score shows two real climbs in a row — 10th to 77th to 97th percentile among FBS IDLs | |||||||
| Versatile End | 5 | 9 | 22 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. The most common profile in its group this season — 139 of 200 classified this way. Played in 9 of 21 games this season · senior View Brayden Wilson's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 98 | 8 | 20 | 12 | 2.5 | 0 | 3 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 8 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 3-star, 2022 class View Jayden Williams's full player page | |||||||
| Versatile End | 52 | 9 | 19 | 11 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 4 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. The most common profile in its group this season — 139 of 200 classified this way. Played in 9 of 21 games this season · senior View Chisom Ifeanyi's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 97 | 8 | 15 | 8 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. The most common profile in its group this season — 388 of 809 classified this way. Played in 8 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 3-star, 2023 class View Lucas Samsula's full player page | |||||||
| Versatile End | 11 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 1.5 | 1 | 0 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. The most common profile in its group this season — 139 of 200 classified this way. Played in 6 of 21 games this season · junior View Esaia Bogar's full player page | |||||||
| 18 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | |
| 90 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 9 | 11 | 74 | 44 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.6 81th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readUnranked recruit — top-quartile production against his own recruiting profile | |||||||||
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 6 | 11 | 62 | 43 | 19 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.7 96th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Tackle volume62 65th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Evan Eller's full player page | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 42 | 11 | 40 | 20 | 20 | 1.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Balanced LinebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. 362 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume40 bottom 35th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles TFL rate3.8% bottom 22th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Ethan Stuhlsatz's full player page | |||||||||
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 21 | 9 | 26 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.6 77th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles PD rate0.0% bottom 18th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Enock Sibomana's full player page | |||||||||
| 26 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | PD | INT | TFL | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid Nickel | 23 | 11 | 46 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Hybrid Nickel· Takeaway threatMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. the kind of DB who takes it back the other way Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · sophomore View Jones Thomas's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 3 | 11 | 43 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · senior · 3-star, 2021 class View Andrew Johnson's full player page | |||||||
| Cover Corner | 8 | 9 | 36 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cover CornerSteady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. 141 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate13.9% 51th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Tyrese Boss's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 12 | 11 | 28 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate17.9% 91th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Desman Hearns's full player page | |||||||
| Cover Corner | 20 | 11 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Cover CornerSteady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. The most common profile in its group this season — 141 of 270 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · senior View Dainsus Miller's full player page | |||||||
| Cover Corner | 7 | 11 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 |
Cover CornerSteady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. 141 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate8.0% bottom 28th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Markie Grant's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 4 | 9 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 9 of 21 games this season · sophomore View Justin Taylor's full player page | |||||||
| 25 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 31 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | FG M/A | FG% | XP M/A | Pts | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 47 | 11 | 6/11 | 54.5 | 24/24 | 42 | 41 |
| 99 | 2 | 0/1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | Long | In20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannon | 18 | 12 | 65 | 2997 | 46.1 | 68 | 20 | 10 |
Net average is unavailable — CFBD's punting feed carries gross yards only, with no return-yardage or touchback deduction.
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possession Receiver · +0.22 EPA/play | 3 | 8 | 6 | 109 | 18.2 | 0 | 23 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possession Receiver · +0.22 EPA/play | 3 | 8 | 9 | 151 | 16.8 | 1 | 73 |
| +1.24 EPA/play | 19 | 8 | 10 | 71 | 7.1 | 0 | 37 |
2025 stat leaders
finalRoster
2025+20 more
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 28 | #86 | #154 | -5 | @Akron | W 10–0 141 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 6 | #98 | #203 | -13.5 | Northern Iowa | W 31–7 121 | 2-0 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Sep 14 | #90 | #60 | +24.5 | Utah | L 6–31 143 | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| 4 | Sep 21 | #100 | #88 | +12.5 | @Colorado | L 20–37 125 | 2-2 | 0-0 |
| 6 | Oct 4 | #106 | #79 | +4.5 | UNLV | L 17–31 130 | 2-3 | 0-1 |
| 7 | Oct 11 | #114 | #101 | +1.5 | San José State | W 35–28 146 | 3-3 | 1-1 |
| 8 | Oct 18 | #106 | #91 | +3.5 | @Air Force | L 21–24 130 | 3-4 | 1-2 |
| 9 | Oct 25 | #99 | #121 | -6 | Colorado State | W 28–0 120 | 4-4 | 1-2 |
| 10 | Nov 1 | #91 | #43 | +9.5 | @San Diego State | L 7–24 124 | 4-5 | 1-2 |
| 12 | Nov 16 | #101 | #106 | +2.5 | @Fresno State | L 3–24 134 | 4-6 | 1-2 |
| 13 | Nov 22 | #110 | #169 | -6.5 | Nevada | L 7–13 122 | 4-7 | 1-3 |
| 14 | Nov 30 | #134 | #98 | +8.5 | @Hawai'i | L 7–27 123 | 4-8 | 1-4 |
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 30 | @Hawai'i | L 7–27 | 256 | 1 | 29:02 | -0.070 | 32.8% | 123.8% | |
| Nov 22 | Nevada | L 7–13 | 220 | 0 | 25:10 | -0.082 | 33.3% | 98.7% | One-score loss |
| Nov 16 | @Fresno State | L 3–24 | 184 | 1 | 25:55 | -0.084 | 28.6% | 99.7% | |
| Nov 1 | @San Diego State | L 7–24 | 185 | 4 | 29:33 | -0.191 | 20.3% | 137.0% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Oct 25 | Colorado State | W 28–0 | 372 | 0 | 31:49 | +0.206 | 39.7% | 134.1% | Blowout win |
| Oct 18 | @Air Force | L 21–24 | 409 | 2 | 26:57 | +0.266 | 58.5% | 97.3% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Oct 11 | San José State | W 35–28 | 413 | 3 | 25:06 | +0.114 | 36.9% | 163.6% | Most explosive |
| Oct 4 | UNLV | L 17–31 | 356 | 3 | 29:38 | +0.031 | 38.0% | 112.4% | |
| Sep 21 | @Colorado | L 20–37 | 348 | 0 | 32:04 | +0.102 | 35.8% | 129.2% | Defense's roughest night |
| Sep 14 | Utah | L 6–31 | 229 | 2 | 24:30 | -0.089 | 33.3% | 117.8% | |
| Sep 6 | Northern Iowa | W 31–7 | 379 | 1 | 29:19 | +0.222 | 53.5% | 94.9% | |
| Aug 28 | @Akron | W 10–0 | 426 | 1 | 33:16 | +0.084 | 37.7% | 126.9% | Best defensive stand |
| Season average (12 games) | 315 | 1.5 | +0.042 | 37.4% | 119.6% | ||||
Wyoming fields a struggling offense behind a strong defense.
Opponent-adjusted percentiles vs all FBS. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.
Team identity · competitive snaps only
8th percentile quality, 91st percentile boom-dependency. Garbage time excluded from both axes — the same correction that changes the Q4 story below.
| Team | Quality percentile | Boom-share percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 86th | 11th |
| Akron | 12th | 89th |
| Alabama | 58th | 17th |
| App State | 35th | 47th |
| Arizona | 64th | 37th |
| Arizona State | 41st | 62nd |
| Arkansas | 90th | 12th |
| Arkansas State | 17th | 66th |
| Army | 57th | 43rd |
| Auburn | 47th | 53rd |
| BYU | 78th | 19th |
| Baylor | 69th | 25th |
| Boise State | 66th | 20th |
| Boston College | 37th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 2nd | 98th |
| Buffalo | 11th | 88th |
| California | 28th | 48th |
| Central Michigan | 52nd | 64th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 16th |
| Clemson | 51st | 48th |
| Coastal Carolina | 17th | 83rd |
| Colorado | 18th | 84th |
| Colorado State | 16th | 83rd |
| Delaware | 38th | 58th |
| Duke | 80th | 14th |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 36th |
| Eastern Michigan | 49th | 42nd |
| Florida | 30th | 67th |
| Florida Atlantic | 62nd | 59th |
| Florida International | 42nd | 50th |
| Florida State | 83rd | 32nd |
| Fresno State | 26th | 73rd |
| Georgia | 81st | 3rd |
| Georgia Southern | 73rd | 21st |
| Georgia State | 36th | 70th |
| Georgia Tech | 84th | 5th |
| Hawai'i | 64th | 41st |
| Houston | 27th | 65th |
| Illinois | 75th | 26th |
| Indiana | 95th | 1st |
| Iowa | 44th | 40th |
| Iowa State | 68th | 22nd |
| Jacksonville State | 54th | 38th |
| James Madison | 65th | 44th |
| Kansas | 85th | 28th |
| Kansas State | 71st | 49th |
| Kennesaw State | 56th | 30th |
| Kent State | 21st | 86th |
| Kentucky | 15th | 85th |
| LSU | 14th | 81st |
| Liberty | 43rd | 56th |
| Louisiana | 19th | 73rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 39th | 61st |
| Louisville | 48th | 64th |
| Marshall | 55th | 39th |
| Maryland | 30th | 74th |
| Memphis | 80th | 24th |
| Miami | 76th | 5th |
| Miami (OH) | 34th | 67th |
| Michigan | 67th | 33rd |
| Michigan State | 27th | 75th |
| Middle Tennessee | 39th | 52nd |
| Minnesota | 29th | 77th |
| Mississippi State | 22nd | 77th |
| Missouri | 61st | 30th |
| Missouri State | 55th | 46th |
| NC State | 86th | 23rd |
| Navy | 94th | 17th |
| Nebraska | 48th | 57th |
| Nevada | 3rd | 97th |
| New Mexico | 58th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 9th | 87th |
| North Carolina | 13th | 89th |
| North Texas | 98th | 7th |
| Northern Illinois | 8th | 92nd |
| Northwestern | 52nd | 36th |
| Notre Dame | 99th | 20th |
| Ohio | 67th | 18th |
| Ohio State | 93rd | 4th |
| Oklahoma | 20th | 80th |
| Oklahoma State | 5th | 95th |
| Old Dominion | 83rd | 45th |
| Ole Miss | 89th | 2nd |
| Oregon | 91st | 10th |
| Oregon State | 2nd | 98th |
| Penn State | 73rd | 33rd |
| Pittsburgh | 60th | 39th |
| Purdue | 25th | 78th |
| Rice | 6th | 94th |
| Rutgers | 70th | 27th |
| SMU | 74th | 42nd |
| Sam Houston | 4th | 96th |
| San Diego State | 24th | 76th |
| San José State | 45th | 69th |
| South Alabama | 36th | 58th |
| South Carolina | 23rd | 86th |
| South Florida | 87th | 23rd |
| Southern Miss | 40th | 55th |
| Stanford | 10th | 90th |
| Syracuse | 5th | 95th |
| TCU | 72nd | 35th |
| Temple | 70th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 96th | 11th |
| Texas | 45th | 55th |
| Texas A&M | 82nd | 14th |
| Texas State | 92nd | 8th |
| Texas Tech | 77th | 31st |
| Toledo | 50th | 61st |
| Troy | 14th | 80th |
| Tulane | 79th | 15th |
| Tulsa | 20th | 70th |
| UAB | 61st | 45th |
| UCF | 33rd | 82nd |
| UCLA | 23rd | 79th |
| UConn | 95th | 13th |
| UL Monroe | 11th | 92nd |
| UNLV | 88th | 9th |
| USC | 98th | 2nd |
| UTEP | 1st | 99th |
| UTSA | 77th | 51st |
| Utah | 97th | 6th |
| Utah State | 46th | 63rd |
| Vanderbilt | 100th | 0th |
| Virginia | 59th | 27th |
| Virginia Tech | 32nd | 71st |
| Wake Forest | 42nd | 72nd |
| Washington | 92nd | 8th |
| Washington State | 33rd | 52nd |
| West Virginia | 7th | 93rd |
| Western Kentucky | 53rd | 29th |
| Western Michigan | 31st | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 0th | 100th |
| Wyoming | 8th | 91st |
Fourth-quarter reliability, corrected
Raw Q4 EPA/play ranks 31st percentile in FBS. Strip out snaps taken with a blowout margin and it drops to the 25th — the correction is the finding, not a footnote.
Standard downs vs. passing downs
23rd percentile success on standard downs, 15th on passing downs — little dropoff between the two — a schedule-independent identity.
| Team | Standard-downs percentile | Passing-downs percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 82nd | 69th |
| Akron | 20th | 36th |
| Alabama | 47th | 76th |
| App State | 41st | 80th |
| Arizona | 54th | 54th |
| Arizona State | 40th | 37th |
| Arkansas | 90th | 97th |
| Arkansas State | 51st | 40th |
| Army | 37th | 44th |
| Auburn | 73rd | 24th |
| Austin Peay | 56th | 13th |
| BYU | 91st | 46th |
| Ball State | 5th | 3rd |
| Baylor | 70th | 77th |
| Boise State | 42nd | 63rd |
| Boston College | 56th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 10th | 17th |
| Bryant | 7th | 2nd |
| Buffalo | 29th | 20th |
| California | 25th | 66th |
| Central Michigan | 57th | 11th |
| Charlotte | 7th | 7th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 65th |
| Clemson | 49th | 34th |
| Coastal Carolina | 16th | 22nd |
| Colorado | 8th | 48th |
| Colorado State | 29th | 35th |
| Delaware | 66th | 31st |
| Duke | 82nd | 63rd |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 91st |
| Eastern Michigan | 46th | 67th |
| Florida | 52nd | 45th |
| Florida Atlantic | 44th | 61st |
| Florida International | 50th | 26th |
| Florida State | 65th | 90th |
| Fresno State | 22nd | 71st |
| Georgia | 95th | 69th |
| Georgia Southern | 64th | 84th |
| Georgia State | 22nd | 75th |
| Georgia Tech | 92nd | 89th |
| Hawai'i | 33rd | 87th |
| Houston | 61st | 29th |
| Idaho | 30th | 78th |
| Idaho State | 93rd | 14th |
| Illinois | 79th | 95th |
| Indiana | 97th | 98th |
| Iowa | 74th | 19th |
| Iowa State | 80th | 58th |
| Jacksonville State | 59th | 56th |
| James Madison | 77th | 52nd |
| Kansas | 99th | 82nd |
| Kansas State | 37th | 59th |
| Kennesaw State | 44th | 67th |
| Kent State | 15th | 5th |
| Kentucky | 62nd | 29th |
| LSU | 18th | 52nd |
| Lafayette | 0th | 12th |
| Liberty | 65th | 53rd |
| Lindenwood | 4th | 1st |
| Long Island University | 24th | 78th |
| Louisiana | 24th | 23rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 41st | 24th |
| Louisville | 84th | 32nd |
| Maine | 3rd | 18th |
| Marshall | 71st | 62nd |
| Maryland | 11th | 86th |
| Massachusetts | 5th | 9th |
| Memphis | 75th | 68th |
| Merrimack | 1st | 83rd |
| Miami | 80th | 64th |
| Miami (OH) | 33rd | 39th |
| Michigan | 73rd | 74th |
| Michigan State | 48th | 39th |
| Middle Tennessee | 69th | 47th |
| Minnesota | 35th | 33rd |
| Mississippi State | 52nd | 35th |
| Missouri | 76th | 50th |
| Missouri State | 32nd | 50th |
| Murray State | 1st | 6th |
| NC State | 58th | 71st |
| Navy | 95th | 72nd |
| Nebraska | 78th | 51st |
| Nevada | 17th | 16th |
| New Mexico | 38th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 16th | 33rd |
| North Carolina | 14th | 30th |
| North Texas | 100th | 97th |
| Northern Illinois | 9th | 5th |
| Northwestern | 48th | 88th |
| Notre Dame | 88th | 99th |
| Ohio | 69th | 76th |
| Ohio State | 99th | 99th |
| Oklahoma | 39th | 41st |
| Oklahoma State | 14th | 7th |
| Old Dominion | 72nd | 79th |
| Ole Miss | 83rd | 95th |
| Oregon | 93rd | 55th |
| Oregon State | 54th | 25th |
| Penn State | 76th | 73rd |
| Pittsburgh | 35th | 56th |
| Purdue | 46th | 88th |
| Rice | 20th | 0th |
| Rutgers | 71st | 84th |
| SMU | 50th | 57th |
| Sam Houston | 26th | 4th |
| San Diego State | 84th | 1st |
| San José State | 68th | 70th |
| South Alabama | 53rd | 28th |
| South Carolina | 31st | 8th |
| South Carolina State | 10th | 3rd |
| South Florida | 86th | 46th |
| Southern Miss | 27th | 38th |
| Stanford | 12th | 12th |
| Syracuse | 19th | 10th |
| TCU | 63rd | 82nd |
| Temple | 85th | 22nd |
| Tennessee | 97th | 81st |
| Texas | 27th | 61st |
| Texas A&M | 88th | 59th |
| Texas State | 60th | 93rd |
| Texas Tech | 45th | 65th |
| Toledo | 67th | 42nd |
| Troy | 18th | 27th |
| Tulane | 81st | 86th |
| Tulsa | 43rd | 43rd |
| UAB | 34th | 94th |
| UCF | 39th | 20th |
| UCLA | 28th | 48th |
| UConn | 96th | 37th |
| UL Monroe | 13th | 14th |
| UNLV | 78th | 85th |
| USC | 94th | 90th |
| UT Martin | 2nd | 41st |
| UTEP | 3rd | 10th |
| UTSA | 67th | 92nd |
| Utah | 87th | 96th |
| Utah State | 31st | 49th |
| Vanderbilt | 90th | 100th |
| Virginia | 36th | 73rd |
| Virginia Tech | 59th | 21st |
| Wake Forest | 21st | 31st |
| Washington | 98th | 93rd |
| Washington State | 61st | 44th |
| West Virginia | 12th | 18th |
| Western Kentucky | 55th | 80th |
| Western Michigan | 86th | 16th |
| Wisconsin | 6th | 27th |
| Wyoming | 23rd | 15th |
Halftime identity
1st-half offense ranks 12th percentile in FBS; 2nd-half, 31st — competitive snaps only, garbage time excluded from both halves.
Schedule mirage
Raw EPA/play through week 21 is 0.04; 8th percentile once opponent strength is stripped out, it's -0.01. The widest gap came in week 2: 0.15 raw vs. 0.02 adjusted.
Wyoming reads strongest in passing epa allowed (top 16%) and success rate allowed (top 22%); the crux lives in epa / play, where Wyoming sits at the 8th percentile.
offense · strengths lead
defense · higher bar = harder to play against
hidden math · special situations
Most Similar Programs · Wyoming
Static-attribute similarity across tier, archetype, conference, and voice. Not a prediction — a calibration.
Home-Field Advantage · Wyoming · 2018-present
62% home win rate vs 33% on the road. margin runs +9.1 better at home. War Memorial Stadium seats 29,181, averaging 76% full (22,104 attendance, 25 games reported).
Positional competition · RB room
Samuel Harris and Sam Scott split the carries (100/193 vs 93/193) -- but the job isn't split the same way.
Positional competition · WR/TE room
Chris Durr Jr. (WR) and Johnmichael Gyllenborg (TE) split the targets (37/70 vs 33/70) -- but the job isn't split the same way.
What changed
The biggest shift: 4th-down go rate moved up 16 points. The rest held closer to steady.
The biggest shift: 4th-down go rate moved up 14 points. The rest held closer to steady.
Season by season
Defensive identity · pass zones
On short passes, Wyoming’s defense allows a completion rate below the FBS mean (63.9% vs 65.9% league-wide, shrunk toward the mean for its 95-play sample) — mid-pack, 26 of 133 qualifying defenses.
We won’t show a deep-ball leaderboard here: at the defense level, most teams face well under 30 rich-feed deep targets all season — too thin to tell a real tendency from noise, so we won’t guess.
58°F average kickoff temp; 5% of games had measurable precipitation; 11 mph average wind.
Based on 58 home games with weather data.
12 seasons inside the CFP era, no bids yet — the era the program is still trying to break into.
Wyoming's 2014–2025 record is 67-77. The era is still being written; the CFP line is the one the program is arguing for.
All-Time Record
since 1903 · 119 seasons · .463 win rate
Wyoming plays its home games at 7,220 feet — War Memorial Stadium is the highest venue in major college football, where the thin air and the high-plains cold are the program's most reliable asset. After a 4-8 season in 2025, they need every advantage Laramie provides.
There is no other Division I program in Wyoming. The Cowboys are the entire state's football — no rival flagship, no pro franchise, just the high-plains altitude and the Cowboy Joe pony circling the field after scores. Josh Allen came to Laramie with almost no recruiting interest and left as the seventh overall NFL draft pick. Craig Bohl built a decade of bowl trips from a roster of overlooked players who became exactly what the program promised: tougher than the recruiting ranking suggested. That identity is real, and it is what makes the 2025 backslide sting.
Jay Sawvel's second year went 4-8 in the Mountain West, no bowl game, the kind of season that makes a fanbase recalibrate. The timing is genuinely complicated: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State are all leaving the Mountain West for the rebuilt Pac-12 in 2026, which thins the competition at the top of a league Wyoming should be contending in. UTEP, Northern Illinois, Grand Canyon, and UC Davis join instead. If there was ever a year for Wyoming to seize a wide-open Mountain West, it is 2026 — and if Sawvel can't do it with a depleted conference, the patience question gets louder in Laramie. Sophomore quarterback Kaden Anderson runs the offense.
The 2026 question is not subtle: can Sawvel coach Wyoming back into a bowl game in a Mountain West that just lost its biggest names? The Cowboy Tough identity has always been about doing more with less. What the schedule will answer is whether 2025 was a building-year stumble or an early sign that the Bohl-era model doesn't transfer. Laramie, at 7,220 feet, will provide the hardest possible home environment. The Cowboys have to be good enough to use it.
Cowboy Tough — physical, cold-weather, high-altitude football that prizes grit and efficiency over recruiting-rank upside. Wyoming runs a pro-style base with enough spread wrinkles to create space for athletic playmakers, built around physical lines and a defense that takes pride in the altitude advantage. War Memorial Stadium is the most genuinely unusual home field in the Mountain West: visitors arrive short of breath, play in cold they didn't prepare for, and face a crowd that understands exactly what they're dealing with. The Cowboys have won games in Laramie that shouldn't have been winnable on paper.
Wyoming 2016–2025. Slipping -0.4 rungs across the last 10 seasons. Slope -0.18 rungs / year — moving down the prestige scale.
12 seasons on file
down middle peak CFP year
Season Standing · 2025 · 4-8
Wyoming: Below .500 in FBS play. The rebuild bar.
Mountain West Standing · 2025
Wyoming is 7th of 10 in the Mountain West at 1-4. The path to the title is steep — the focus is on bowl access and rivalry wins.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | UNLV | 4-1 |
| 2 | New Mexico | 3-1 |
| 3 | Hawai'i | 2-2 |
| 4 | Nevada | 2-2 |
| 5 | Air Force | 2-3 |
| 6 | San José State | 2-3 |
| 7 | Wyoming | 1-4 |
| 8 | North Dakota State | 0-0 |
| 9 | Northern Illinois | 0-0 |
| 10 | UTEP | 0-0 |
Coaching Era · Wyoming
Jay Sawvel in year 3 of the rebuild. The methodology is taking shape.
Three gameday rituals — the ones outsiders never quite catch.
since 1950
War Memorial Stadium sits at 7,220 ft — the highest-elevation FBS football stadium in the country. The thin air + Wyoming frontier setting + 30,000 capacity + the wind-and-cold game-day factor create a venue uniquely brutal for visiting teams. Visiting fans cite the altitude + the cold as defining the experience.
since 2014
Josh Allen — JuCo transfer to Wyoming 2014, #7 NFL draft 2018 to Buffalo Bills — is the program's most-iconic recent player. The Allen era (2014-2017) + Craig Bohl's recruiting + the cold-weather-QB-development narrative make Allen permanent Wyoming canon. His Buffalo Bills MVP-contender career retroactively elevates the recruiting story.
since 1950
Cowboy Joe — Wyoming's costumed mascot since 1950 — captures the program's frontier-cowboy identity. The mascot's pony + the brown-and-gold colors + the cowboy-hat-and-spurs imagery anchor every game-day visual. Wyoming football identity = cowboy identity uniquely.
Program memory
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
A 10-1 record and a Sugar Bowl berth — Wyoming's high-water mark and a top-ten national finish
2017
An overlooked quarterback becomes a first-round NFL prospect, putting Laramie back on the map
2025
A bowl-less season in Jay Sawvel's second year that tested the program's toughness identity
Wound
Moment of the Year · Wyoming · 2025
Week 3 of 2025. The single game that defined the season's arc.
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
Most recent: 2023 — win 16-15 (home). Last 5 postseason: 4-1.
NFL Draft Pipeline
2022–20221 picks last 5 cycles. Roster development still maturing.
Unit lineage
FBS-relative efficiency percentile per season (2014–2025), same population as the Coordinator Mirror board. Dashed vertical lines mark a coordinator change.
Hired for 2026: Christian Taylor — not yet reflected in on-field data.
All-time top community posts · ranked by upvotes
Wyoming · Next-Season Outcome Band
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
Fanbase Health Index · Wyoming · high confidence
2025 stat leaders
How They Play · 2025
Most Similar Programs · Wyoming
Season Standing · 2025 · 4-8
Coaching Era · Wyoming
Moment of the Year · Wyoming · 2025
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
NFL Draft Pipeline