When: Saturday, October 20th @ 12:30 PM MST

Where: Laramie, WY – War Memorial Stadium

TV: AT&T Sportsnet

Radio: Cowboy Sports Network

Spread: Utah State -15.5

Wyoming (2-5, 0-3) lost another game on the road to Fresno State. The game was not very competitive, again and the offense is still non existent. The Cowboys will return home for their homecoming game as they host Utah State (5-1). The Aggies pose another challenge for the Pokes.    

The Standings:

 

Straight Up Against the Spread

Robert Gagliardi

6-1 3-3

Brandon Foster/Davis Potter

6-1 2-4

Brad Reed

6-1 5-1
Chad Smith 7-0

4-2

Connor Cunningham

6-1

1-5

Wyoming Cowboys 2-5

2-4

 

Robert Gagliardi, Wyosports.net

What are your thoughts on last week’s game against Fresno State?

Another brutal week for the offense, albeit against a very good defense in Fresno State. The defense hung in there for a while, but it wasn’t nearly enough. The game pretty much went as I thought.

Who was last week’s MVP? K Cooper Rothe

Rothe scored Wyoming’s only points with a 44-yard field goal on the Cowboys’ first drive of the game. He is 9 of 9 on the season.

This week’s Poke Pick: WR Austin Conway

 The junior wide receiver has’t been targeted or done much catching the ball the last few games. Teams may be taking him away, but Conway needs to help generate some plays by catching the ball and in the punt return game.

Wyoming wins if…

Utah State somehow doesn’t make it to Laramie . …. Seriously, the offense has to get going somehow, someway. The defense needs to hold up against a Utah State squad that is averaging 50-plus points a game. And, Wyoming can’t play from behind — or not too far behind. 

Game Prediction

I don’t see how Wyoming wins this game, baring a miraculous effort by all. Utah State 38, Wyoming 13

 

Davis Potter, Casper Star-Tribune

What are your thoughts on last week’s game against Fresno State?

Last week went about like I expected. Fresno State is, in my opinion, the most complete team in the Mountain West while Wyoming continues to flounder on offense. Fresno’s defense took Nico Evans away, and the Cowboys didn’t have much of a chance once that happened. With a Wyoming offense that isn’t finding the end zone, Fresno could essentially name its score.

Who was last week’s MVP? S Alijah Halliburton

Halliburton had one of his better games last week as he continues to round into a key depth piece in the secondary. The sophomore safety tied for a game-high eight tackles and is third on the team with 37 tackles, a career-high.

This week’s Poke Pick: RB Nico Evans

Can I pick Evans every week? Because unless the senior running back gets going (and even when he has), Wyoming has shown it has very little chance of scoring points and thus winning games. The MW’s leading rusher is coming off a season-low 58 yards but should at least be able to keep the Cowboys ahead of the chains against a Utah State defense that’s in the middle of the pack in the league when it comes to run defense.

Wyoming wins if…

the passing game can get in some kind of rhythm and the Cowboys win the turnover margin. It sounds like a broken record at this point, but teams are daring Tyler Vander Waal and this passing game to beat them and the Cowboys haven’t been able to do it. Wyoming will need as many possessions as possible to try to muster points to stay close against a high-scoring Utah State team.

Game Prediction

Utah State can score. Wyoming can’t. No amount of energy from the home crowd is going to change that. Utah State 31, Wyoming 10

 

Brad Reed, Wyonation.com

What are your thoughts on last week’s game against Fresno State?

Last week went about as I expected. The Cowboy defense played well enough to keep the Pokes in it for a while but the three and outs from the offense eventually took their toll and the game got out of hand. Such has been the case the last few weeks. The Cowboy defense is still an elite unit but are getting run down. On the other hand, Fresno State plays pretty good defense too, thus limited an already limited Cowboy offense. Nico Evans started hot, but once the Bulldogs started to pull away they became more dependent on playing catch up. 

Who was last week’s MVP? P Dontae Crow

A little out there but I’m going to say Dontae Crow. Crow has done an admirable job filling in for the injured Tim Zaleski, hitting two punts inside the 20 last week. Cassh Maluia gets a shout out here too, eight tackles and one and a half sacks. 

This week’s Poke Pick: RB Nico Evans

Cowboys need someone, anyone, to step up here offensively. Nico Evans looks like the guy who’s going to have to carry the load for the Cowboys this week. 

Wyoming wins if…

Pokes will win if they can somehow score points. Utah State is second in the country in points per game at 51.7, just behind Bama. I’m confident that the Cowboy defense will hold them under that total. However, gotta score something to win. Against Fresno State the Cowboys averaged 3.6 yards per play. Going to have to do better than that this week. 

Game Prediction

Cowboys aren’t scoring a lot of points, Utah State is scoring a lot of points. This is basically worst case scenario for the Cowboys. Defense will hang tough as they always do, but I don’t see a track meet happening in Laramie. Utah State 38, Wyoming 13

 

Chad Smith, Wyonation.com

What are your thoughts on last week’s game against Fresno State?

This offense is officially in a crisis. Scoring just 3 points with 221 yards is absolutely unacceptable in modern college football where pretty much every rile change in the past 15 years has been put in place to help the offense. This offense needs to change and it needs to change now or Wyoming will be looking at the worst scoring offense since 2008 where they scored just 12.7 points per game in the last season before head coach Joe Glenn was fired. 

Who was last week’s MVP?

I’m not handing out a participation trophy this week. We will save that for the pickup games at Half Acre.

This week’s Poke Pick: RB Nico Evans

The answer will be Nico Evans as default until someone knocks him off the Mountain. He’s the only Poke player who can be counted on week in and week out and currently ranks 15th in the country in rushing with 670 yards.  

Wyoming wins if…

Utah State gets lost on their way to Laramie from Logan. 

Game Prediction

Utah State 38 Wyoming 13

 

Connor Cunningham, Wyonation.com

What are your thoughts on last week’s game against Fresno State?

Another week, another loss. The Cowboys are not a good football team and Fresno State is. This team is hard to watch right now.

Who was last week’s MVP? K Cooper Rothe

Rothe has been solid all year and he is the Cowboys only scoring threat right now. He deserves some credit, because he has become a very reliable kicker.

This week’s Poke Pick: HC Craig Bohl

Bohl has to change something, whether it is by making some changes or firing up his troops. I would like to see him implement some game plan changes on offense because nothing is happening on offense and week after week nothing changes. It doesn’t look like they are trying new ideas or anything. It feels as if they are content trying to keep the score as close as possible. It all starts with the head coach. 

Wyoming wins if…

They cause 4 turnovers and score on at least one of those plays. The offense hasn’t shown any signs that they can carry this team to a win so the defense has to somehow do it.

Game Prediction

Wyoming has shown me nothing in the past few weeks and the Cowboys haven’t scored an offensive touchdown in their last 8 quarters… Utah State 31, Wyoming 10