LARAMIE, Wyo. (Aug. 31, 2026) – The Wyoming Cowboys will head south to open the 2026 season with a contest against the Colorado State Rams on Saturday at 4 p.m. inside Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, Colo. for the 118th edition of the Border War.
It will mark the first time since 1964 that the Brown and Gold has opened the season against Colorado State.
Football Hour with Jay Sawvel Starts on Wednesday
The first episode of this year's Football Hour with Jay Sawvel will premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 2 on Cowboy Sports Network affiliate stations, beginning at 7 p.m. MT. The show will run each Wednesday throughout the season.
The show will be hosted by the Voice of the Cowboys Keith Kelley. Kelley and Sawvel will preview Wyoming's season opener at Colorado State. The show will also feature a Cowboy player and staff member.
Cowboy fans are also encouraged to attend the show live at Altitude Chophouse and Brewery located at 320 South Second Street in historic downtown Laramie.
Ticket Information for This Season
Fans may order tickets online, via email or by phone at:
•Go to GoWyo.com/tickets
•Email tickets@uwyo.edu
•Call (307) 766-7220
•Stop by the UW Athletics Ticket Office on the West Side of the Arena-Auditorium on the corner of Willett Drive and 19th Street.
Where to Watch
Saturday's contest will be televised on The USA network. Nate Gatter will be on the call with Ryan Leaf analyzing the action and Lauren Green on the sidelines.
MW+ - Watch Jay Sawvel’s Weekly Press Conference
You can watch Wyoming Athletics all season long on the MW+ with all UW home games and all MW conference games on the state-of-the-art app. Fans will also find replays of games, Ragtime Replays featuring great contests in Wyoming history along with other exclusive content including the Jay Sawvel Press Conference each week. A majority of each subscription purchased through Wyoming's dedicated page will directly support Wyoming Athletics and the Cowboy Joe Club, creating a scalable and sustainable revenue opportunity aligned with fan engagement.
Listen Live
The game will also be available on the 26 stations of The Cowboy Sports Network with Keith Kelley on the call, Kevin McKinney on color and Erick Pauley on the sidelines.
Notes on the Cowboys
Season Openers: As the Wyoming Cowboys enter their 130th season of college football in 2026, the Pokes record in season openers stands at: 81-65-2 (.636) in 129 previous season-opening games. The Cowboys are 60-18-1 (.772) in season-opening games at home, and are 21-28-1 (.430) in road games to begin the season.
Wyoming’s record in 129 Previous Season Openers (Home & Away) 81-46-2
UW in Season-Opening Games at Home (79 Games) 60-18-1 (.772)
The Cowboys in Season-Opening Games on the Road (50 Games) 21-28-1
UW vs. Non-Conference Opponents in Season Openers 67-29-1
The Pokes vs. Non-Conference Opponents at Home in Season Openers 51-11-1 (.817)
UW’s record vs. Non-Conference Opponents on the Road in Season Openers 16-18-0
Wyoming’s record vs. Conference Opponents in Season Openers 14-17-1 (.453)
Border War: The Cowboys and the Rams will meet for the 118th time on Saturday. The Cowboys are 52-60-5 all-time against the Rams. The Pokes are 32-26 in the Bronze Boot Portion of the series. The Pokes were 14-13 in the Mountain West portion of the series.
Maxwell Award Adds Tote Harris to Watch List: The Maxwell Football Club announced its watch list for the 90th Maxwell Award on Monday presented annually to the outstanding player in college football. Cowboy running back Samuel “Tote” Harris was named to the list for the first time in his career. The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert “Tiny” Maxwell who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official. Harris was a preseason All-MW selection by both Phil Steele and Athlon Sports. Harris was Wyoming’s leading rusher last season, appearing in 11 games with seven starts. He finished the season with 558 yards on 100 carries for 5.6 yards per rush.
Bogar Added to Watch List: The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame announced today the Watch List for the 2026 Polynesian College Player of the Year Award and Wyoming defensive end Esaia Bogar was named to the list. Presented annually, the award honors the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry who exemplifies exceptional ability and integrity both on and off the field. This year’s list features 69 players from 36 different NCAA Division I programs.
Bogar appeared in 10 games with one start for the Cowboys. He finished the season with 13 total tackles. He finished the season with seven solo stops and six assisted tackles. He also added 1.5 tackles for loss along with a sack.
Harris Added to Doak Walker Award Watch List: he PwC SMU Athletic Forum released today the preseason candidates for the 2026 Doak Walker Award. The Forum annually presents the award to the nation’s most outstanding college running back. Wyoming sophomore running back Samuel “Tote” Harris was named to the list. He was also named to the Maxwell Award Watch List earlier this month.
The list features 2025 Doak Walker Award finalist Ahmad Hardy (Missouri). Hardy rushed for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns, ranking second nationally in total rushing yards in 2025. The list also includes 2025 Doak Walker Award finalist Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss), who rushed for 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns while helping the Rebels to a Sugar Bowl victory, and 2025 semifinalists Cam Cook (West Virginia), Cameron Dickey (Texas Tech) and Lucky Sutton (San Diego State)
Hughes Added to Wuerffel Trophy Watch List: The Wuerffel Foundation today announced a record 113 nominees to the 2026 Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, recognizing college football players from across the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) who exemplify community service, academic excellence and athletic achievement. Wyoming quarterback Tyler Hughes was named to the list. Widely regarded as college football’s premier award for community service, the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy celebrates student-athletes who use their platforms to serve others and create positive change. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and University of Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel, who turned his football success into a lifelong mission of service, the award reflects his legacy of leadership and humanitarianism. This year marks the 21st anniversary of the trophy’s founding.
Wyoming student-athletes recorded 2,600-plus hours of community service this past season. Hughes contributed by working with the Boys and Girls Club hosting a camp in Casper with fellow quarterback Mason Drube. The Wyoming football program partnered with “Get in the Game” to encourage people to sign up and register as potential donors in the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) in April in the Wyoming Union. In the span of a few hours, 113 people volunteered for cheek swabs to have their DNA added to the NMDP registry. Hughes was also involved in other outreach events since his arrival in Laramie.
Tote Note: Running back Samuel “Tote” Harris is one of the top returning running backs in the MW Conference. He rushed for 558 yards last season to lead the Cowboys. He also grabbed 16 catches for 184 yards. He had a career-high 126 yards rushing against Colorado and added 102 yards against Fresno State on only 12 carries. He was named First Team Preseason All-MW by Phil Steele and was second team by Athlon Sports.
About Colorado State
Colorado State is entering its first season under head coach Jim Mora. Two transfer quarterbacks, Hauss Hejny (Oklahoma State) and K’saan Farrar (UConn), were the primary contenders for the starting job through fall camp. Mora told the media he planned for them to find out the winner of the battle during CSU’s first offensive series in the opener vs. Wyoming.
The Rams’ offense line is led by tackle Quinton Harris, a TCU transfer, with UConn transfers Toriyan Johnson and Diego Rodriguez also blocking for former UConn teammates Mel Brown and Oliver Lundberg-Coleman. Tight end Juice Vereen, yet another former UConn standout, has the talent to be an all-Pac-12 player. Mora was able to retain wide receiver Tommy Maher.
Tyson Summers, who was CSU’s interim head coach for five games last season, including the 28-0 loss to the Cowboys in Laramie, returns as defensive coordinator. Defensive end Stephon Wright and linebacker Oumar Diomande are the UConn transfers on the defensive side of the ball expected to have a big impact.
