New Year's Eve was a great day for Wyoming.

The World needs more Cowboys, no doubt, but most of them were in Tucson! There was brown and gold everywhere.

But, then, what's new?

Wyoming fans enjoy a marvelous reputation for following their Cowboys and Cowgirls, and the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl was just another example.

I would venture a guess that just about any part of Tucson you wanted to visit, there was brown and gold somewhere.  There were varying estimates of upwards of 10,000 Cowboy fans were there.  

What a show of support!

 The Tailgate event before the game, and then the game itself could only be described as phenomenal.  From our vantage point in the press box, the stands across the field looked like a Wyoming home game.  The lower deck was completely filled with brown and gold, and they were having the time of their lives.

From the Western Thunder performance to the spirit squad and Hawk and Cowboy Joe running onto the field, it was a Cowboy day.

The bowl folks, and CBS television were blown away by the showing.  They should have been, it was terrific. But as I told a couple of the CBS guys, this is not unusual, this is what we are used to with our fans.

Watching the stands fill up with Wyoming fans was very emotional for me.  What a sight.

The Pokes didn't disappoint them either.  It was an impressive showing.

From a true freshman (Levi Williams) in his first Cowboy start, to healthy Xazavian Valladay running roughshod to the dynamic defensive performance by guys like Alijah Halliburton, Logan Wilson and Cassh Maluia, the game was Poke domination. Wyoming was in control outside of Georgia State's opening drive.

It was a big win for the program, and for the State of Wyoming.  The sounds of an eight-win season is much sweeter than that of a seven-win campaign.

The way Wyoming reacted after getting a punch in the nose to begin the game was another example of the Pokes' character and resolve. 

What makes the whole thing even better is that this is a young football team!  Craig Bohl likes to call it a "young, emerging" football team.  He's right, the Pokes lose just 14 seniors—each and every one of them impactful--but that's not a huge senior class.  Everyone else is back!

Take nothing away from this senior class, they changed the culture of this program. But 2020 could be a special year.  All signs certainly point that way at least.

Added to those prospects is a sensational 2020 home schedule.  Not only are there big conference  opponents like San Diego State, Boise State, Utah State and Air Force, coming to War Memorial Stadium, but they'll be an old rival returning as well in the University of Utah. They are now in the PAC 12, but the Utes are always going to be considered as family.  They will be here on Sept. 19.

There's plenty of which to look forward, that's for sure.

But let's finish 2019, and the bowl game.

The Cowboys scored more points than they ever had in a bowl game.  They finished the game with a balanced offense of 524 total yards, 290 rushing, 234 passing. That was their highest output of the season.

They were ready to play!

Levi Williams was special in directing the offense as a starter for the very first time.  His performance was a validation of how strong Wyoming's quarterback situation should be for next season.  With incumbent Sean Chambers returning from his injury this spring, and Williams, things appear to be in great hands.

Without question the football program is trending in the right direction.  

One thing is certain.  Where ever the Cowboys go, the brown-and-golf faithful will be there.