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There's never a bad time to be a Wyoming fan.

Rooting for the Brown and Gold is always a good time.

But just maybe there's never been a better time to be a Cowboy and Cowgirl fan than right now.

It's been at least three decades since there has been as much excitement and anticipation for a Cowboy football season than this one that begins Saturday in Iowa City.  Certainly the extremely positive exposure that has been cast upon the program thanks to Josh Allen has fueled that anticipation.  I guarantee you, no one is more anxious to get the season started than Josh. I'm sure he is 'up to here' with interviews, and just wants to play football.

I will say, in my years at Wyoming, only Fennis Dembo and Marcus Harris have received as much national hype as Josh.  And, due to social media, those two could not come close to what Josh has experienced.  By the way, he has handled all of the attention extremely well, and represented his teammates, the athletics department, the university and the State of Wyoming, with great class and dignity. I know all of this isn't what he signed on for, who could have possibly imagined it. He's handled it exceptionally well.

But football isn't the only fall sport around here that is eagerly anticipated.  

The Cowgirl volleyball team hosts its second tournament in a row this weekend—the UniWyo Invite—with Purdue, Eastern Michigan and Jacksonville. The Cowgirls returning 10 letter winners from last year's outstanding team.  Playing in one of the best volleyball leagues in the country, the Cowgirls were picked fourth in the 2017 Mountain West preseason coaches' poll.  It was the third consecutive year Wyoming was picked among the top four teams in the conference.  Head Coach Chad Callihan and his fine staff have built a consistently sold program that over a long period of time.  That's the mark of an outstanding program.

In the season's first couple of weeks, Pete Cuadrado's Cowgirl soccer team has proven it can compete extremely well against a national schedule.  He returns the majority of his starters and goal scoring from last season's team that won 10 matches for the third straight season.  That's never happened before at Wyoming.  The Cowgirls have one of the strongest defenses in the Mountain West. Fans will have plenty of opportunity to see them.  Including this weekend's match with UTEP Friday and McNeese State on Sunday, they have nine home events remaining.

Expectations are also high for the Cowboy and Cowgirl cross country teams.  Both squads open their season Friday at Fort Collins competing in the Colorado State Invite.  Anchoring the Cowgirls, under new cross country head coach (not new to the program), Amanda Clower, will be Lauren Hamilton. Rock Springs native Ricky Faure should be the top runner on the Cowboys' side.

What a way for the Cowboy football team to start the season.  Wyoming and Iowa have not been on the field together since that Holiday Bowl game back in 1987.  

The game pits a couple of teams who both won eight games a year ago and played in a bowl game.  Within that scenario are a number of intriguing matchups.  Start with the two coaches, Craig Bohl and Kirk Ferentz.   While Bohl was the Mountain West Coach of the Year, Ferentz is the FBS' longest tenured head coach in the country as he begins his 19th season with the Hawkeyes.  He was the National Coach of the Year two seasons ago.

While the Pokes have the luxury of an outstanding returning quarterback, the Hawkeyes two QB's have thrown 13 passes between them as Hawkeyes.  It appears that sophomore Nathan Stanley will get the starting nod.  He has thrown just nine passes.  But Iowa's bread-and-butter is the running game.  The offensive line starts three seniors and two juniors and sports the nation's best center in James Daniels.  Combined, that front five has posted 117 career starts.  They have two outstanding running backs in Akrum Wadley, who rushed for 1,081 yards a year ago, and James Butler, a graduate transfer from Nevada, whom the Pokes have had a tough time slowing him down.  Both are top-notch backs.

The Hawkeye defense is anchored by senior linebacker Josey Jewell who was a First Team All-American a year ago.  He posted 126 tackles as a sophomore and 124 as a junior.  He is something to watch.

Speaking of something to watch, the Pokes' junior safety, Andrew Wingard, is worth the price of admission.  He is anchoring a defense that should be much better than last year.  Everyone is anxious to see how much the Pokes have improved on that side of the ball after last year's roller-coaster ride.  Wingard should be one of the best in the country.  Wingard certainly has help, especially in the person of last year's Freshman First-Team All-American, Logan Wilson.  Wilson has moved to middle linebacker and he, too, should be a huge key to the improvement of the defense.  

As always, the game boils to several key factors:  can the Cowboys control the vaunted Iowa running game?  Can the Cowboys find success running the ball themselves?  Can the Pokes make the new Iowa quarterback uncomfortable?  Can the Hawkeyes control Wyoming's Allen and the passing game with an inexperienced secondary? All those questions are what makes the game so much fun.

As always, turnovers and special teams also will play a huge role.

Thirty years ago the Pokes lost a heartbreaker to Iowa (20-19) in that Holiday Bowl.  This will be the third meeting ever between the two.  The Hawkeyes enter the game having won both of the previous meetings, that Holiday Bowl game, and a 21-7 win in Iowa City, in 1953.

The Fall Season is underway at Wyoming. Can't wait to see how it unfolds!