He was larger than life to me.

They didn't make quarterbacks as big as Roman Gabriel back in the day.  But there he was on the grass turf of War Memorial Stadium. He was 6-5, 225-pounds, and could make any throw you wanted him to make.  He was most certainly bigger than any quarterback we had ever seen in Laramie.  He was an All-American, and he played for North Carolina State.

I was a 12 years old when Gabriel and the Wolfpack came to Laramie. The Cowboys were my heroes.  My seat for the game was in the Knot Hole section at the north end of War Memorial Stadium.  Not that we ever stayed in our seats.  We spent a lot of time playing football underneath the stands. This game was different, however. I remember what a big deal it was for Wyoming to host the Wolfpack.  Back then, there was no "Autonomous Five" or "Power-Five" or whatever designation.  All we knew, they were a national program from a larger conference with a great quarterback.

Wyoming's quarterback Chuck Lamson out-played Gabriel that day (September 23, 1961) and the Cowboys won 15-14. Wyoming's winning points came a bad snap on a punt attempt.  The long snap sailed over the head of the punter who was standing at the back of his own end zone at the north end of the stadium.  I almost caught it in the third row of the Knot Hole section.  Okay, the play was a gift, but Wyoming gladly accepted.  By the way, Bob Devaney was Wyoming's head coach that year, his last season before heading to Nebraska.

What a victory for the Cowboys, and what a memory for me.  After the game I raced under the stadium, as all of us kids would do following the game, to see about collecting chin straps (that was our post-game ritual each home Saturday).  I was lucky enough to get Gabriel's (still have it) to complete an amazing day.  Gabriel went on to become the second overall pick in the 1962 NFL draft and played 16 seasons, 11 with the Los Angeles Rams and another five with the Philadelphia Eagles.

North Carolina State was my first real recollection of a "big time" program playing in Laramie. A few years earlier I had come with my Dad from Cheyenne, to see Oregon State (1958). I don't remember much about the game (Wyoming shut out the Beavers 28-0). That was my very first exposure to a big "intersectional" team coming to War Memorial Stadium.  Of course the stadium was dedicated in 1950, with Baylor as the visiting team.

I remember Washington State coming to War Memorial in 1962 (Cowboys lost 21-15 on Sept. 29) with its All-American receiver, Hugh Campbell. He would later become a Hall of Fame player in the Canadian Football League.  A remarkable receiver (caught seven passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns against Wyoming), his trademark was playing in tennis shoes rather than wearing football cleats.  Never forgot that.

Another great memory came for me a year later. Back in the early 1960's, Kansas was a football power with its sensational All-American running back Gale Sayers.  The Jayhawks came to Laramie on Oct. 5, 1963.  The Cowboys lost that day, 25-21, but at least it wasn't Sayers who did the damage.  Of course he would go on to stardom in the NFL with the Chicago Bears, prematurely retiring, unfortunately, due to a knee injury.  His famous quote, "all I need is 18 inches of daylight" proved very true.  He was something and is honored in the pro football Hall of Fame. He died of dementia many say because of football.

I'll bore you with one more memory of a "P-5" coming to Laramie.  It was Sept. 19, 1987, and the Big 8's Oklahoma State Cowboys came to Laramie.  We didn't know it at the time, but the Cowboys suited two guys who would become two of the greatest NFL running backs to ever play the game, Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders.  Both All-Americans are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and of course Sanders won the Heisman Trophy. Both played in War Memorial Stadium that day.  After romping for 193 yards and a touchdown Thomas suffered an injury.  OSU went to its bench for Thomas' backup, none other than Sanders.  Playing in the second half only, Sanders carried nine times for 91 yards and a touchdown.  I remember wondering why wasn't Sanders starting? Thomas and Sanders became one of the greatest one-two running-back combinations in college football history. By the way, current Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy was the quarterback of that team which by the end of the year was one of the best teams in the country. The Cowboys lost that day (35-29).

Through the years a number of Autonomous Five schools have visited Laramie—some long before there was such a designation--including Colorado (numerous times way back in the day), Kansas State (numerous times in the early-to-late 1950's) Wisconsin (1985), Baylor (1950, 1986), Iowa State (1987 and 1997), Louisville (1989 and 1995), Washington State (1962, 1989), Oregon State (1980, 1993), Oklahoma State (1987, 1995), Iowa State (1987, 1997), Texas Tech (1991)Texas A&M (2001), Kansas (1963, 2003), Ole Miss (2004, a heck of a memory as the Cowboys won 37-32), Virginia (2007) and of course the two biggest of all, Texas (2009) and Nebraska (2011).

And now, it's Oregon.

There will be some big-time electricity Saturday in the stadium, I'm sure similar to the Texas and Nebraska games.  Saturday's 5 p.m. contest should be sold out by game time.  The Ducks have produced one of the premier college programs in the country over the last decade. Their uniforms alone give them swagger unlike any other collegiate program.

They have a great running back in Royce Freeman, who continues his assault on the record books. He needs two rushing touchdowns to tie for third in the PAC-12 history, and the most in Oregon history.   He needs just 17 rushing attempts to pass LaMichael James for most in Duck history.  With 66 yards he will be fourth on Oregon's list of all-purpose yardage leaders.  He comes to town Saturday having produced five consecutive games of at least 100 yards rushing.

Oregon has a big, strong quarterback by the name of Justin Herbert (6-6, 225, ironically about the same size as Roman Gabriel was back in the day) who throws to a stable of gifted receivers. Herbert is currently ranked eighth in the country in passer rating (199.01). He can make all of the throws.  Should be an entertaining shootout between Herbert and the Pokes' Josh Allen, a pair of very talented quarterbacks.

The Ducks have a 16-game winning streak over non-Power 5 (okay, Autonomous Five) opponents. They enter this game averaging 59.5 points per game which is ranked third in the country.  They are second in the land in total offense at 634.5 per game.  With 17 rushing touchdowns thus far, Oregon leads the country

Pretty heady stuff.  We know this, having Oregon in Laramie, just like Texas, just like Nebraska, is great for Cowboy fans.  It's also a tremendous opportunity for the Pokes themselves.  The Ducks are a big favorite, but of course anything can happen, and usually does.  It should be a great day/evening at the War.

Wyoming certainly hasn't played its best football yet offensively.  Its ground game has sputtered.  This is the time to get it untracked. This is the time for the Pokes to run on all cylinders. The Cowboys will have to play their very best to win this one.  You know the energy will be there.  Hopefully the execution will be as well.  The defense has been a huge bright spot thus far, it will be tested Saturday.

Through the years Wyoming has been able to attract a number of major programs to War Memorial Stadium. To do that they have usually had to schedule "two-for-ones" (play on the road twice to have one game at home), a sacrifice to be sure.  But it's all worth it, to host those schools in our stadium in front of our fans.

A few more of those P-5's dot future schedules, Washington State next year, and Missouri the following year, then Utah and Texas Tech in future years. There's no telling how much longer those matchups will happen.  There are some P-5 coaches who believe they shouldn't have to play the likes of Wyoming any longer.  Only time will tell how that goes.

One thing is for sure.  We have one of college football's premier names in War Memorial on Saturday.  Have a great time at the game.   Here's to the Pokes making new memories.