Watching Josh Allen carve up the defending Super Bowl Champion Rams last night got me thinking how fortunate we were to watch him play in Brown and Gold.
Obviously he is among the NFL's elite stars, and there isn't a Cowboy fan alive who isn't bursting with pride.
Watching him also got me thinking about his magnificent performance in the 2016 opener here in War Memorial when the Pokes beat Northern Illinois in three overtimes.
Josh threw for a pair of touchdowns in the game and rushed 10 times for 73 yards and another touchdown. That was the biggest score of the night, his seven-yard burst in the third overtime to win the game. As I think about it, he looked just like he did last night against the Rams.
Brian Hill also had a big game that night, rushing for 125 yards and two touchdowns. I said, that night, but the game went into early Sunday morning because of rain delays and the additional overtime sessions.
That also got me thinking about other memorable, if not significant, Cowboy football openers in War Memorial Stadium. Last week's double overtime win over Tulsa would be numbered among those. That was a great college football game, and is what makes the college game so special.
I'll work backwards with the opening-day memories. The Missouri win on the last day of August, 2019, will always come to mind for me when talking about openers. Quarterback Sean Chambers was magnificent that day.
Sean rushed 12 times for 120 yards including that amazing 75-yard touchdown run. Alijah Halliburton had a 79-yard interception return, C.J. Coldon scampered 30 yards for a touchdown after scooping up a fumble and Xazavian Valladay rushed for 118 yards, and a 61-yard touchdown run. What a day that was.
I loved the 2007 opener when the Pokes suffocated Virginia for a 23-3 win. It was so much fun having Virginia in the War. It had a very good football team, but the Poke defense was just too much. Julius Stinson produced two interceptions in the game, and the defense came up with three sacks in holding Virginia to just a field goal.
Running backs Devin Moore and Wynel Seldon had big days too. Moore rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries and Seldon added another 74 yards. Quarterback Karsten Sween was 25 of 34 through the air for 253 yards and a touchdown. Kicker Billy Vinnedge kicked three field goals for the Pokes. It was a glorious Wyoming Fall day, and a beautiful day for Cowboy football.
You knew I wouldn't leave out the 1988 opener. No Cowboy fan will ever forget that win over Brigham Young when the War was bathed in artificial light for the very first time in history during that Thursday nationally-televised night game. Randy Welniak made quite a debut at quarterback, but the Cowboy defense made a statement, and put together a tremendous performance.
Welniak threw for two touchdowns, one to tight end Tom Kilpatrick and the other to wide out Freddie Dussett.
But the story was the defense. Defensive end Dave Edeen sacked BYU quarterbacks six times and tackle Pat Rabold added two more. Linebacker Mike Schenbeck had a forced fumble and three pass-breakup.
It was an unforgettable night for Wyoming football.
I'll always remember the 1987 opener, Paul Roach's first game as Cowboy head coach. There were some questions about should he have taken the job in addition to his athletics director duties. Everyone's concerns were quickly dashed that early September day when Wyoming smashed a good Air Force team, 27-13.
Craig Burnett had a big day at quarterback with a touchdown pass while running backs Gerald Abraham and Steve Bena each had touchdown runs. Kicker Greg Worker booted a pair of field goals.
The 1969 opener was memorable to me because it was a conference game against Arizona, and because the Cowboys were expected to be good and they looked the part that day. Wyoming won it 23-7, over a Wildcat team that was predicted to be one of the top teams in the Western Athletic Conference. Quarterback Ed Synakowski, who would tragically drown that next summer, threw a touchdown pass and safety Jerry Berry returned an interception for an 88 yard touchdown were the highlights.
That season will always be remembered in Wyoming's football history for the Black 14.
Just a couple of other home-opening memories: The 1970 loss to Air Force (41-17), not a great football memory, but it was the grand opening of War Memorial's west side upper deck. It was a tough day for the Cowboys but the first game in the remodeled stadium was memorable; the 0-0 tie with Air Force to open the 1977 season, one of the strangest games I've ever seen on opening day, and, the 1964 opener when the Cowboys rushed rival Colorado State, 31-7.
We all have our great memories of Cowboy openers in the Stadium. Those were a few of mine. I know you have yours.
Good luck to the Cowboys tomorrow against Northern Colorado, and best of luck to Josh and his Buffalo Bills. It looks like this could be their year. Have a great time watching.
