Major News...

The CW Network!

Login to view embedded media

I noticed a new hotel being constructed in Laramie by the Curtis street I-80 exit. Looks like a big one too. 5 stories. Hopefully that helps drive down gameday prices.

Former Colorado OC and Kent State HC, Sean Lewis is heading to San Diego State to take over for Hoke. He'll ditch Hoke's run oriented offense for a wide-open spread passing attack which should be appealing to California's skill players.

I like what I see so far Far different and far better team than last year, they rebound, move the ball and have talent 15-15 so far

Is a coach on BYUs women's team 😁

beating #8 Creighton by 20

Here is a nice article that outlines everything in regards to coaching hires and hits vs misses. Despite my jumping on the Fire Bohl band wagon late, I still do not want a change based on the fact that we are still winning more than we are losing currently. If not for that 2-10 season in 2015 Craig Bohl would have a record above .500. There are still teams that wish they had what we do. Read and let me know what you think.

Pokes in the Pros: Week 12

LARAMIE, Wyo. (11/28/23) – Mike Purcell has spent nearly his entire football career on the Front Range. The Highlands Ranch, Colorado, native attended the University of Wyoming and after a few brief stops in San Francisco and Los Angeles returned to the Rocky Mountains to play for the Denver Broncos.

He enjoyed an impactful performance Sunday, as the Broncos took down Cleveland, 29-12, for their fifth consecutive victory. Purcell logged a fumble recovery and batted down a pass.

For the season, he has 12 tackles, four quarterback hits, one fumble recovery and two passes defended for 6-5 Denver. Purcell isn’t the only former Poke making headlines for his National Football League franchise, and below is a list of the former Wyoming student-athletes and how they did in Week 12.

Tashaun Gipson, San Francisco 49ers

Gipson boasted perhaps his strongest game of the season in the 49ers’ 31-13 victory over Seattle. He stuffed the stat sheet with five tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit.

For the year, Gipson owns 39 tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, three passes defended and one quarterback hit for 8-3 San Francisco.

The 49ers travel to Philadelphia in Week 13.

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Allen registered a very strong game in the Bills’ 37-34 loss at Philadelphia. He was 29-for-51 for 339 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Allen also ran it nine times totaling 81 yards with two scores.

For the season, Allen is 295-for-433 for 3,214 yards with 24 touchdowns and 13 picks. He’s added 342 yards on 62 carries with nine scores.

The Bills are idle in Week 13.

Carl Granderson, New Orleans Saints

Granderson couldn’t have asked for a better performance, albeit in a 24-15 loss at Atlanta. He piled up a team-high 10 tackles.

For the season, Granderson owns 53 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 14 quarterback hits, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for 5-6 New Orleans.

The Saints host Detroit in Week 13.

Logan Wilson, Cincinnati Bengals

Wilson also had a strong game, however, it was in a 16-10 loss to Pittsburgh. He made a team-high 10 tackles.

For the season, Wilson has registered 89 tackles, four tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, three interceptions, six passes defended and three quarterback hits for 5-6 Cincinnati.

The Bengals travel to Jacksonville for Monday Night Football.

Marcus Epps, Las Vegas Raiders

Epps logged a decent day in the Raiders’ 31-17 loss to Kansas City. He recorded two tackles.

For the season, Epps has 47 tackles, three tackles for loss, one fumble recovery and one pass defended for 5-7 Las Vegas.

The Raiders are idle in Week 13.

Tyler Hall, Las Vegas Raiders

Hall didn’t record a stat in the Raiders’ 31-17 loss to Kansas City. For the season, Hall owns 17 tackles for 5-7 Las Vegas.

The Raiders are idle in Week 13.

Andrew Wingard, Jacksonville Jaguars

Wingard didn’t record a stat in the Jaguars’ 24-21 victory at Houston. For the year, he lays claim to 26 tackles, two passes defended and an interception for 8-3 Jacksonville.

The Jaguars host Cincinnati on Monday Night Football.

Chad Muma, Jacksonville Jaguars

Muma didn’t record a stat in the Jaguars’ 24-21 win at Houston. For the season, Muma has registered 15 tackles for 8-3 Jacksonville.

The Jaguars host Cincinnati on Monday Night Football.

Per an Oregon Newspaper:

"Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes said he’s “super confident” the school will release a 2024 football schedule before the NCAA football transfer portal window opens Dec. 4.

Barnes said for various reasons, he must keep many details under wraps about the schedule. He said the goal is a 12-game schedule that includes five games against Power 5 schools, six games against Group of 5 – likely Mountain West – and one FCS, which is Idaho State.

Oregon State and Washington State are in a rare situation of having to put together their schedule for 2024, and likely 2025, after the Pac-12 folded in August. OSU and WSU are the only remaining members in the conference beyond the 2023-24 school year.

What’s public is that Oregon State has games against Idaho State (Aug. 31), at Boise State (Sept. 7), Purdue (Sept. 21) and Washington State (date TBA). The rest is unclear, though Barnes dropped some bread crumbs.

Asked if the Mountain West represents the Group of 5 schools on the schedule, Barnes hesitated, then said, “that is certainly a plan. That’s one of the considerations. But until it’s done, I can’t say much. But we’re very close.”

As for the five Power 5 opponents, OSU has two in Purdue and Washington State. The other three? Certainly, Oregon is in play. Barnes said he’s been talking to what will be former Pac-12 schools for several weeks, like Utah and California. But other schools could be in play as well."

Scott Barnes is a very careful individual, so if he is making this type of "almost" announcement, you have a sense that things are getting close to being put together as the lawsuit is nearing its end.

....to allow a temporary stay of the lower court ruling. We knew that the court would probably do this. I don't think that it is as big a thing as maybe some others. The Washington State Supreme Court also ruled that they would have a ruling on the appeal by the 10 departing schools by December 12th. This should not be construed as the 10 schools will win, it is just to allow the court to hear the case. I still feel that the PAC 2 will win the appeal. So instead of Dec. 4, things are pushed back to December 12th.

If by some incredible chance the 10 schools win, then all that will mean will be that the 2 schools will probably join the MWC immediately instead of acouple of years down the road, but it will also mean a big financial hit for OSU, WSU and the MWC, because the money that the PAC 2 were going to pay the MWC will probably not be there.

Another thing of note, it is also reported that the merging of the basketball scheduling between WSU and OSU and the MWC is "well down the road".

P.S. - I really hate to say this, and I am throwing in a huge disclaimer here, but I feel people need to know something. I argue if this were a normal State Supreme Court that this judicial review and decision would be a slam dunker, and the PAC 2 would win due to the way the By-laws of the PAC 12 were written, the way the precedence has been carried out by the 10 schools themselves in prior events in the PAC when it came to how UCLA and USC had been treated when they were kicked off the board, and by the actions and words of the PAC commissioner himself. The court that Judge Libey heard the case and ruled in favor of the PAC 2 is located on the eastside of Washington State and about 15 miles away from Pullman and the Washington State University campus. However, the Washington State Supreme Court is located on the other side of the state in Olympia, which is an area largely affiliated with the University of Washington. The court system on the western side of Washington and this includes some of the Justices on the State Supreme Court is so liberal and there are numerous activist judges, and I do mean some activist judges that will rule on a case from what they want to see rather than what the law calls for. I fear almost anything can happen due to the activist nature of the judges. It is not what is in the contract, and it isn't about precedence, and it is isn't about whether or not Judge Libey ruled within the law, it is more about what the judges want to see happen if they feel something is "unfair" and they want to right a wrong in their eyes.

With that disclaimer said, we will see what happens, and it will come down by Dec. 12, 2023.

I know I am generally considered negative towards Bohl, but I have said before and will confirm here that a 8-4 season with a winning MWC record, a P5 win, and the boot is a good year and I am happy with it.

A few quick hot takes:

1. Polasek is doing a really good job- I thought this was the best designed and called offense I have seen during Bohl’s tenure. It wasn’t the best because as good as Peasley, Waylee, etc. are they aren’t Allen, Hill, Gentry, Hollister, etc. However there were some very well designed players, timely calls, and balance.

2. Peasley will be missed- I saw CowboyJD mention in another thread that he thought Svoboda was better than Peasley but I don’t see it. Peasley’s speed is a game changer on scrambles. Svoboda is a more powerful runner but having a QB execute power runs and take hits is not a good recipe to have the QB upright all year. Svoboda did a fantastic job this year with his poise in a very difficult situation at Texas and executing when given the chance but he has a ways to go and there is no guarantee he gets there. I mean, I get it. He’s huge, mobile, has a big arm and wears #17. It’s hard to not get excited but in thought overall this year we had the best QB play that we have had since Allen because of Peasley. Which leads me to..

3. Our OL is not that good - This is my hottest take. I think Peasley was even more impressive because as the season went on I felt like we really lacked the ability to just line up and run the football. That’s what this team is built on and we couldn’t really do it, especially against good defenses. This is an area that needs a lot of focus in the offseason IMO. Along with..

4. RB position- even if Waylee comes back this is a position that needs a lot of focus. I am not being critical of Farrell or Scott but neither is good enough to be a primary back at this level. I wasn’t impressed with brief glimpses of Hollingsworth either. Need a talent infusion here either from redshirts, true freshman, or the portal . Maybe all of the above.

5. Bohl Adapting- As Nebraska pointed out in another thread, Bohl has made some real changes to adapt to the changes in the sport. He has embraced the portal to just the right amount IMO and he has apparently adjusted his approach to relationship building among the players. It’s time for one further adaptation: Game Management. We do not value possessions highly enough. We are too likely to punt or kick a FG. Significant evidence supports this point. Bohl has really shown the ability and willingness to adjust, time for one more.

Both coaches: too conservative, coach not win but not to lose; poor in-game management, continually think calling a TO before a field goal attempt will suddenly make the kicker turn into a steaming pile of dog poo; both run outdated defensive schemes; not playing best players or long benching of players for silly reasons; neither make adjustments when things aren't going as scripted; both defensive coaches that meddled in the offense and then scapegoated their OC; also scapegoated former DC's. Neither hold themselves accountable. Neither can win the "big game."

Please make it end on both accounts.

I just hope we won't go to Albuquerque or the toilet bowl in Arizona. With 8 wins I would hope also for something more than Boise! But I guess we will see.

Go Pokes and a great win to finish the season, a dominate road win!

There are seven bowl eligible teams in the MWC, and Wyoming is sitting in 5th place. If CSU wins tonight against Hawaii that will make 8 bowl eligible teams in the MWC.

Kolbey Taylor.....................Kid has serious athletic ability but a terrible attitude.

How does UW stand? Who will enter and what does Bohl need to look for?
I think UW could use a couple LBs and CBs
Offense another Asante type WR and OL
STs needs a punter. Is Hoyland a Senior?

A few that I found...

Yahoo Sports
Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl (Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX)
Saturday, 12/16/23 @ 7:30pm, ESPN
Wyoming vs. SMU

CBS
Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, ID)
Saturday, 12/23/23 @ 3:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bowling Green vs. Wyoming

Fox Sports
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, TX)
Friday, 12/22/23 @ 3:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Wyoming vs. Old Dominion

ESPN – (Kyle Bonagura)
EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl (Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI)
Saturday, 12/23/23 @ 10:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Rice vs. Wyoming

ESPN – (Mark Schlabach)
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, TX)
Friday, 12/22/23 @ 3:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Kansas vs. Wyoming

247 Sports
Camellia Bowl (Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL)
Saturday, 12/23/23 @ 12pm, ESPN
Wyoming vs. Jacksonville State

Athlon Sports
First Responder Bowl (Dallas, TX)
Tuesday, 12/26/23 @ 5:30pm
Louisiana vs. Wyoming

There is been talk about our offense; some think it's evolved for the better, some say Peasley played better. Lets take a look at the numbers. Our offense has improved but overall it hasn't been that significant of an improvement.

2023 Season - 108 in Total Offense: 12 games, 704 total plays, 3897 yds, 5.54 yds/play, 38 tds, 324.8 yds/game
2022 Season - 110 in Total Offense: 13 games, 782 total plays, 4079 yds, 5.20 yds/play, 26 tds, 313.6 yds/game

That pick 6 was sweet!

Hawaii makes long field at the gun. 🤣🤣

I was told it was just a matter of paperwork. Maybe a "scheduling alliance" or something in the interim.

Possible I missed it over Thanksgiving!

Will McNeely be back?

I have said this before, but I will say it again as the season ends as Bohl's contract looms. Waylee, Peasely and Asante are an example of the kind of player you can get in the portal. Maybe Bohl develops the lineman with his old school way and hope that he can get enough studs in the portal to get up to the promised land because Bohl has proven that he cant develop skill players. We are solid in the trenches under Bohl's tenure. Not always dominant but usually solid.


If I had my way Bohl would be retired and riding a lawn mower around his mega ranch next year, but I dont think Burman will pull the plug. Maybe the portal can find us some more help and get us to the chip'.

I’ll go ahead and pre-empt this:

Banging our heads against the wall that this team couldn’t win one meaningful conference road game in the most down of down years for the conference. That our coach botched that game against what turned out to be a pedestrian Air Force team.

I guess it’s good to be disappointed about being 8-4 but man, it was there for the taking this year and we sure as hell didn’t take it. Next year isn’t a given.