Wyoming Cowboys Football

The bowl season is almost under way, and it all starts with the Gildan New Mexico Bowl in Albuquerque, NM Dec. 17 at noon MT. 

The teams facing off in this matchup are the Wyoming Cowboys out of the Mountain West Conference and Temple University out of the Mid-American Conference. 

Both teams come into the game with 8-4 records, with Wyoming having a 5-2 record in conference and Temple with a 5-3 record in conference. 

This will be Wyoming's third bowl game in the last seven years—they won the previous two. 

This will be Temple's fourth bowl game in school history.  They lost their previous bowl game back in 2009 to UCLA.  Their last bowl before that was back in 1979.

This should be a great matchup showcasing two above-average football programs.  Let's take a deeper look at both these teams.

Wyoming Cowboys Offense

When we look at the Wyoming offense, one name stands out—Brett Smith.  The true freshman QB has been a savior to an offense that no one had any faith in. 

He's terrific in both passing and rushing the ball.  He keeps the opposing defenses always guessing.

At RB, Wyoming has a pretty decent one-two punch with Alvester Alexander and Brandon Miller.  Together with Smith, they're fourth in the MWC in rushing. 

The WRs are a young group that are slowly finding their niche in the system.  The offensive line has some senior leadership and can play very well at times.

Temple Owls Offense

The Temple offense is centered around stud RB Bernard Pierce, who is first in the MAC in rushing and scoring.  The Temple rushing attack is first in the MAC and seventh in the country.

But Pierce didn't do it alone, as they have their own one-two punch with junior Matt Brown. 

The QB position has had its struggles, and their leading receiver is TE Evan Rodriguez.  But the offensive line is solid and has shown it can move people around.

Wyoming Cowboys Defense

The Wyoming Cowboys have had their struggles this year against the run.  In fact, they rank near last in stopping the run. 

They're better in pass defense but not by much, as they fall in the middle of the pack in Div. I football.  However, they do have some great senior leadership on defense.

Seniors and MWC studs Gabe Knapton, Brian Hendricks, Josh Beizuns and Tashaun Gipson will be looking to make sure the defense brings it in this game.

Temple Owls Defense

Senior Adrian Peterson anchors a very good Owls defense.  In fact, their defense is ranked 15th in the country. 

Like Wyoming, they have studs in every aspect of the defense.  Players like Tahir Whitehead, Kevin Kroboth and Morkeith Brown will be looking to have a big game.

Wyoming Cowboys Coaching

Dave Christensen is entering his third year in Wyoming and has resurrected the program, giving the Pokes their best season since 1999. 

Before coming to Wyoming, this offensive mastermind was Offensive Coordinator of the Year with Missouri. 

His overall record is 18-19, including a win in the New Mexico Bowl back in 2009 against a very good Fresno State team.

Temple Owls Coaching

Steve Addazio is in his first year as head coach at Temple.  Before that, he served under Urban Meyer during his success at Florida. 

He seems to have Temple going in the right direction and looks to continue his success.  His overall record is 8-4.

Prediction

This game is going to be a knock-down, drag-out fight between these schools. 

I predict a low-scoring 20-17 win for the Wyoming Cowboys.

The Cowboys will take advantage of Temple, which is a one-trick pony with their rushing attack.

And with Wyoming being fourth-best in the country in turnover margin, they'll protect the ball and take it away from Temple when it matters.  Brett Smith has been able to make magic all year, and there is no way it'll stop in this game.

The Pokes play in a tougher conference and against tougher competition, and that too will factor in this decision.  But this is just a prediction, and anything can happen. 

So sit tight folks, as we get ready for the first bowl of the season.

After this weekend's 31-10 victory over the New Mexico Lobos the Wyoming Cowboys are 7-3 and bowl eligible.

A quick summary of the game for those who missed it:

-The Pokes scored first to take a lead 7-0

- The Lobos took a 10-7 lead

-The Pokes regained lead 14-10 at half

-The Pokes scored 17 unanswered points and won 31-10

-Smith ran for two TDs one of which was a 69 yarder (insert middle school joke here)

-Smith also threw for one TD and was 23 of 38 for 212 yards

-And that new uniform combination was snazzy if I do say so myself.

Obviously the bowl the Pokes get is dependent upon the outcome of their last two games. So let's start by looking at the remaining two games on the Cowboy's schedule.

Next up is a road game against the Boise State Broncos. We all know how big of a challenge this game will be. In fact the line is set at +31.5 right now. I definitely think the Pokes have a chance in this game even though I wouldn't necessarily expect an upset. A win against Boise would be huge as it would put Wyoming alone at #2 in the conference.

After that the Pokes are on the road again for their final game of the season against Colorado State. All signs would point to the Pokes taking this game but in a rivalry game like The Border War anything can happen. The Pokes should still be fully expected to win this game though. I project the Pokes record being 8-4 after this.

Here's a list of the bowl the Mountain West Conference has ties to:

-Maaco Las Vegas Bowl

-SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl

-Advocare V100 Independence Bowl

-Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (choice between MWC and CUSA since BYU has bid)

-New Mexico Bowl

At the moment the Pokes are projected to be in the Independence Bowl since they are third in the conference. This likely will not be the bowl they end up at. Since the bowl system isn't really about where you place, it's about which bowl wants who and which pick they have, I actually see our Pokes going to the New Mexico Bowl.

There are several benefits to the New Mexico bowl though. For one it is in a location that is reasonable for fans to travel to. Unlike the Independence bowl the New Mexico bowl is in the western part of the country. This is the reason I don't think the Pokes will go to the Independence Bowl, the bowl committee their knows that Wyoming fans will have a tough time traveling there.

Another benefit would be that the game is played before the rest of the bowls. Giving Wyoming a chance to be watched by millions of people. More people will watch the game since it will be the only one on. Which will give them a chance for national recognition.

Given a victory in Boise and a 9-3 finish, or a BCS bowl for TCU or Boise I could see the Poinsettia Bowl taking Wyoming, depending on who the Las Vegas bowl gets. The only thing standing in the way given either of those scenarios is the fact that San Diego State would have a very easy time getting fans to the game.

The Poinsettia Bowl would be a great bowl for the Pokes. It's in the west, it'd be a great warm weather retreat from the cold Wyoming winter for fans and the opponent would be much better than the one they'd get in the New Mexico Bowl.

Issue is though considering the Armed Forces bowl tie in with BYU if Air Force does not get that bowl then there are only four bowls for five teams. There is a possibility Wyoming could get the shaft on these bowls and would have to hope for an invite from another bowl.

Several Poke fans and internet sources such as CBS Sports have speculated and in some cases even projected this as the case. In this scenario a lot of people think the Pokes could end up at the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. It wouldn't be terrible, at least it would be a bowl and a warm getaway for any fans going, but the level of competition and ability to travel fans would not be good.

Expect the Pokes to land in the New Mexico bowl, but I'd personally be hoping for the Poinsettia bowl.

It feels good for the Pokes to be bowl eligible again after the letdown last year. Keep on cheering fellow Poke fans!

Author's Note: This is the third in a five-part series detailing coaches who deserve Coach of the Year Award consideration for the jobs they have done this season in turning around once-dismal programs. Part I can be found here. Part 2 can be found here.

Fielding a consistently successful football team is not exactly one of the strengths of the University of Wyoming Athletic Department. The last time the Cowboys had consecutive winning seasons was in 1998-1999.

Two years ago, Wyoming had some success under then-first-year Dave Christensen, who led the team to a 7-6 record that included an epic double-overtime win in the New Mexico Bowl. Led by quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels, the Cowboys appeared to be positioned for a sustained stretch of success on the football field.

Last season, those hopes fell apart as the team finished with a 3-9 record. To make matters worse, Carta-Samuels decided to transfer to Vanderbilt  (looks like that was a bad choice, since Jordan Rodgers appears to have a firm hold on the starting job there for the next several years).

Suddenly, a 3-9 record looked like a reasonable goal for this season, if not even a bit overly-optimistic.

Except those feelings of unavoidable gloom and despair are nowhere to be found in Laramie right now, thanks to Coach Christensen. 

The Cowboys currently sit at 6-3, and need only one more win in order to become bowl-eligible (Wyoming needs seven wins this season in order to become bowl-eligible because they played two FCS teams). With games against New Mexico and Colorado State remaining, it is highly probable that the Cowboys will get at least one more win.

Freshman QB Brett Smith has been an incredibly pleasant surprise for the Wyoming faithful, as he has already thrown for over 2,000 yards with 14 touchdowns and only five interceptions, as well as rushing 89 times for 378 yards and eight touchdowns.

Suddenly, Carta-Samuels' transfer seems like a blessing in disguise. Smith has shown a type of focus and determination notably absent from Carta-Samuels' play last season.

Coach Dave Christensen has turned despair and hopelessness into success and joy, and has been able to overcome the daunting obstacles thrown at him. For that, he deserves some serious Coach of the Year consideration.

The Wyoming Cowboys football team is having a great season, and it is very nice to see.  Head coach Dave Christensen has proven that he knows how to overcome adversity and keep himself and his players focused. 

With the transfer of their most experienced quarterback before the start of the season, no one knew how Wyoming would respond.  They seem to be doing just fine with freshman quarterback Brett Smith.  Last week against San Diego State, Smith threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns en route to a 30-27 victory. 

That win brought the Cowboys to 5-2 on the year and 2-0 in the Mountain West Conference—the same Mountain West in which media members predicted (before the start of the season) the Cowboys would finish second-to-last.

However, the conference schedule does get tougher for Wyoming the next four weeks, and it will be interesting to see how they respond.  In November the Cowboys will play TCU, Air Force, New Mexico and Boise State.  Realistically, they will probably only win the New Mexico game, but then again, you never know. 

If Wyoming can win just two of these games in November, they will become bowl eligible and prove that they are for real. 

It will be fun to watch, and it is nice to see Wyoming football bouncing back after a very disappointing season in 2010.

It looks like the future is bright in Laramie, at least for football.  With winter coming, I don't want to get anyone's hopes up for the chance of good weather.  But playing in snow, ice and bitter cold might be what's making the team so tough.

Good for you, Wyoming Cowboys, keep proving the critics wrong, and enjoy your season. 

This past weekend, I attended the University of Wyoming's homecoming football game against UNLV with a few of my fellow students.

Wyoming has always had a reputation for being sort of rowdy and perhaps, to some, even a little crude during football games.

However, this past weekend, I think a line was definitely crossed, and I have to start questioning how far "team pride" should go. When is it okay to cheer, holler or even curse?

I'm not sure how rowdy other college football crowds get—the only college stadiums I've been to besides Wyoming's were all in Utah, which has a reputation for being a pretty friendly atmosphere. So, forgive me if my perception of any of this is skewed.

At War Memorial Stadium, when the Pokes move the chains, the announcer (as is the case with almost every other team in America) sets up a collective first-down chant with "that's good for another W-Y-O..." The crowd (at least, the east side of the stadium where the student section is located) then yells, "First down, mother f****ers!"

For some people that, in itself, crosses the line.

However, considering the nature of the crowd and that being sort of a tradition, I am not offended by the profanity, which you're bound to hear at sporting events anyway (especially in a small town where there's a lot of drinking going on).

What made this upsetting for me was that this already-controversial chant was not given a rest—even with a 41-14 lead in the fourth quarter.

But, even that was not what set me off.

UNLV's starting QB was injured after being sacked late in the game. A chant began (and I've heard other schools do this chant too) of which I do not recall in it's entirety, which ended with "He's all f***ed up!" while the young man was down.

Perhaps all of this is only the result of people being drunk and unusually unruly considering it was a homecoming game, but cheering for an injury is not acceptable.

When somebody's health or well being is in question, no cheering should take place save for an applause when the player in question leaves the field safely. That is not team pride, but a display of tastelessness, classlessness and a lack of the basic concept of sportsmanship.

As far as continuing to cheer profanely and like crazy when you're blowing the other team out, I don't like it. I think it should be given a rest.

But, I can understand it; you want to cheer your team on and get excited. But, in that case, I think your cheering should be more for your own team than directed at the opponent, as the term "motherf***ers" would imply.

So, reader, what do you think crosses the line?

Is it rubbing in a blowout? Personally insulting a fan of the opposing team? Profanity? Cheering for an injury? Killing a baby? What?

After the the '09 season where the Cowboys went 7-6 and won their first bowl game since '02 there was a lot of optimism in the state of Wyoming.  Then 2010 came around and the Pokes fell to a 3-9 record.  Devastating blow to the Wyoming faithful but there was still hope in Coach Christensen to rebound in 2011.  But is there still hope now after four promising students left the program earlier this year?

Earlier this year the University of Wyoming was informed that Freshman All-American Shamiel Gary was not going to be returning to the program.  Gary was a stud in that secondary, recording almost 200 tackles and four interceptions.  And with the loss of S Chris Prosinski and CB Marcell Gipson due to graduation, that secondary could be in trouble this year.

Then not long after that we find that both K Ian Watts and WR David Tooley also left the program.  Ian Watts was an above average kicker who helped the Pokes stay in games.  But the real hit to the program was when the captain and face of the Cowboys, Austyn Carta-Samuels, left the program earlier this week.  Carta-Samuels was a fine QB for the Pokes.  His ability to make plays always gave Wyoming a shot at winning the game.  He had great awareness of how to pick up yardage when the play would breakdown.

So what caused these players to leave UW and can the Cowboys bounce back in 2011?  Gary's uncle passed away last year and sources say this was very devastating to the young man.  Could it be possible that he just doesn't have the same desire to play any more?  Or is it something else.  As for Carta-Samuels, he's leaving to go to a Junior College next year, and so it's possible he'll try to make a run at playing Division I football the year following.  Did he leave the program because the offense went to more of a running spread offense instead of a passing spread offense?  Or did all these players leave because they weren't confident in the direction of the team or Coach Christensen?  Only time will tell.

But maybe we won't have to worry too much Cowboy fans.  High School standout QB Adam Pittser has verbally committed to Wyoming and if the scouts are right, he could a real talent.  The Cowboys are also first on K Daniel Sullivan's list of places to play football next year.  The linebacking crew is talented and the D Line is coming along, so if they play to their capacity, the Cowboy's secondary might be in good shape.  Guess we'll just have to see what Spring Football brings for the Pokes to know for sure how they'll look next year

Their is plenty to look forward to for the 2010 season.  The Cowboys have Austyn Carta-Samuels at quarterback, pictured above, who was the Mountain West Freshman of the year.  Carta-Samuels almost single handedly helped the Cowboys beat Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl.

Dave Christensen, previously the offensive coordinator for Missouri, came in last year and brought in excellent recruits.  The Cowboys finished 2009 7-6 a their bowl win over Fresno State.  Christensen has once again recruited young athletic players this year.

The offense needs to show more consistency.  As Carta-Samuels matures the unit will only become better.  The offense returns many young players such as Carta-Samuels and running back Alvester Alexander.  The offense has 7 returning starters.  One with experience who has sure hands and excellent size is Carta-Samuels go to receiver David Leonard.  The Cowboys need another wide receiver to step up across from Leonard and a playmaking tight end.  The offensive line lost two starters and could stand to pick up their play.  A freshman player to look out for is Nehemie Kankolongo at running back.

The defense lost all three starters along the defensive line.  The Pokes are switching to a 4-3 defense from a 3-4 defense.  The Cowboys are looking to move players that started at outside lineback to defensive end to help fill this positional void.  The hope for the switch to the 4-3 is to add speed on the defensive side of the ball.  Coach Christensen hopes to move Gabe Knapton, Josh Biezuns, and Ben Durbin to defensive end.  Devyn Harris will be looked at to step in as the starting outside linebacker as a redshirt freshman.  A player who could compete for a starting role at defensive end is redshirt freshman Mark Willis.  The secondary returns all of the starters and will feature the tackling machine Chris Prosinski, the Gibson brothers, and Shamiel Gary.

The defense should be solid as it's been for years; however, the offense needs to improve from one of the worst in the nation.  With Christensen's guidance the offense should turn around.  The Pokes are on the rise and should build on their 2009 season.