History of the Border War

wyoming    bronzeboot    colorado-state

The Border War is an annual game between the Colorado State Rams and the Wyoming Cowboys. The history of the Border War started in 1899 when the Cowboys traveled to Fort Collins, CO to take on the Rams. The Cowboys lost that first contest 12-0, but this would be the first of many games played between the two schools. Laramie and Fort Collins are only 66 miles a part down highway 287. The game is longest continuous rivalry West of the Mississippi, and has been played over the course of three centuries.

In 1968 the two schools decided to give the game a traveling trophy, a trophy that is called the Bronze Boot. The Bronze Boot is a size 8 jump boot worn by Colorado State alum Dan Romero Sr., a Vietnam War veteran. The idea of the bronze boot was conceived by Maj. Vic Fernandez who felt nothing was more appropriate for a border war than a battle tested combat boot. Romero was deployed to Vietnam between 1966 and 1967. Romero had the boot bronzed and mounted on a walnut base and gave the universities the trophy. Dan Romero passed away on January 27, 2020.

Each year the game ball is carried to the host school by the two school’s ROTC detachments. The two ROTC detachments meet at the Wyoming/Colorado border, exchange the game ball, and run it to the stadium hosting the game.  The game has been played every year except for 12 (1901, 1902, 1906, 1907, 1918, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1943, 1944, and 1945). In past years the Wyoming ROTC has shown up at the Colorado border wearing 19th century cavalry uniforms and mounted on horseback to greet the Colorado State contingent. At this point the game has been played 108 times, Colorado State leading the series 59-48-5. Since the Bronze Boot has come into the annual game, Wyoming leads in the series 29-25.

* indicates tie

Date Location Winning Team
 Score Losing Team
 Score
11-30-1899 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 12 Wyoming 0
11-24-1900 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 16 Wyoming 0
11-14-1903 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 17 Wyoming 0
11-24-1904 Laramie, WY Colorado State 6 Wyoming 6*
11-25-1905 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 34 Wyoming 5
11-14-1908 Laramie, WY Colorado State 20 Wyoming 0
10-16-1909 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 32 Wyoming 3
11-24-1910 Laramie, WY Wyoming 10 Colorado State 0
11-20-1911 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 27 Colorado State 0
11-28-1912 Laramie, WY Colorado State 33 Wyoming 0
11-27-1913 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 61 Wyoming 0
10-24-1914 Laramie, WY Colorado State 48 Wyoming 10
11-6-1915 Laramie, WY Colorado State 48 Wyoming 0
9-30-1916 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 40 Wyoming 0
10-6-1917 Laramie, WY Wyoming 6 Colorado State 0
9-27-1919 Laramie, WY Colorado State 28 Wyoming 0
10-4-1919 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 14 Wyoming 0
10-2-1920 Laramie, WY Colorado State 13 Wyoming 0
10-16-1920 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 42 Wyoming 0
10-1-1921 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 7 Wyoming 7*
10-14-1922 Laramie, WY Colorado State 60 Wyoming 0
9-29-1923 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 33 Wyoming 0
11-26-1925 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 40 Wyoming 0
10-4-1929 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 20 Wyoming 7
11-8-1930 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 20 Colorado State 7
11-7-1931 Laramie, WY Colorado State 26 Wyoming 6
11-24-1932 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 23 Wyoming 0
9-30-1933 Laramie, WY Colorado State 7 Wyoming 0
11-3-1934 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 16 Wyoming 0
9-28-1935 Laramie, WY Colorado State 12 Wyoming 3
10-17-1936 Laramie, WY Colorado State 0 Wyoming 0*
10-16-1937 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 7 Colorado State 0
10-1-1938 Laramie, WY Wyoming 0 Colorado State 0*
11-4-1939 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 22 Wyoming 0
10-5-1940 Laramie, WY Colorado State 0 Wyoming 0*
10-4-1941 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 27 Wyoming 0
9-26-1942 Laramie, WY Colorado State 10 Wyoming 0
10-5-1946 Laramie, WY Colorado State 7 Wyoming 0
11-27-1947 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 21 Wyoming 6
10-16-1948 Laramie, WY Colorado State 21 Wyoming 20
10-1-1949 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 8 Colorado State 0
10-7-1950 Laramie, WY Wyoming 34 Colorado State 0
10-13-1951 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 14 Wyoming 7
10-11-1952 Laramie, WY Colorado State 14 Wyoming 0
10-10-1953 Laramie, WY Wyoming 21 Colorado State 14
10-9-1954 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 34 Colorado State 0
10-8-1955 Laramie, WY Colorado State 14 Wyoming 13
10-6-1956 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 20 Colorado State 12
10-12-1957 Laramie, WY Wyoming 27 Colorado State 13
10-8-1958 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 7 Colorado State 6
10-10-1959 Laramie, WY Wyoming 29 Colorado State 0
10-15-1960 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 40 Colorado State 8
10-14-1961 Laramie, WY Wyoming 18 Colorado State 7
10-27-1962 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 28 Colorado State 7
10-12-1963 Laramie, WY Wyoming 21 Colorado State 3
9-19-1964 Laramie, WY Wyoming 31 Colorado State 7
9-25-1965 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 33 Colorado State 14
10-29-1966 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 12 Wyoming 10
9-30-1967 Laramie, WY Wyoming 13 Colorado State 10
11-2-1968 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 46 Colorado State 14
10-4-1969 Laramie, WY Wyoming 39 Colorado State 3
10-10-1970 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 16 Colorado State 6
10-2-1971 Laramie, WY Wyoming 17 Colorado State 6
10-14-1972 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 28 Colorado State 9
10-20-1973 Laramie, WY Wyoming 35 Colorado State 3
11-2-1974 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 11 Wyoming 6
10-4-1975 Laramie, WY Colorado State 3 Wyoming 0
10-30-1976 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 19 Wyoming 16
10-29-1977 Laramie, WY Wyoming 29 Colorado State 13
10-28-1978 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 13 Colorado State 3
9-29-1979 Laramie, WY Colorado State 20 Wyoming 16
11-1-1980 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 28 Wyoming 25
10-31-1981 Laramie, WY Wyoming 55 Colorado State 21
9-11-1982 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 9 Wyoming 3
11-19-1983 Laramie, WY Wyoming 42 Colorado State 17
10-27-1984 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 43 Colorado State 34
10-26-1985 Laramie, WY Colorado State 30 Wyoming 19
10-25-1986 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 20 Wyoming 15
10-31-1987 Laramie, WY Wyoming 20 Colorado State 15
10-29-1988 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 48 Colorado State 14
11-4-1989 Laramie, WY Wyoming 56 Colorado State 35
11-3-1990 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 17 Wyoming 8
10-26-1991 Laramie, WY Wyoming 35 Colorado State 28
10-24-1992 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 31 Colorado State 14
11-20-1993 Laramie, WY Colorado State 41 Wyoming 21
11-5-1994 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 35 Wyoming 24
10-28-1995 Laramie, WY Colorado State 31 Wyoming 24
11-16-1996 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 25 Colorado State 24
10-18-1997 Laramie, WY Colorado State 14 Wyoming 7
11-7-1998 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 27 Colorado State 19
10-23-1999 Laramie, WY Colorado State 24 Wyoming 13
11-16-2000 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 37 Wyoming 13
9-29-2001 Laramie, WY Colorado State 42 Wyoming 14
10-12-2002 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 44 Wyoming 36
11-1-2003 Laramie, WY Wyoming 35 Colorado State 28
10-22-2004 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 30 Wyoming 7
10-22-2005 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 39 Wyoming 31
10-21-2006 Laramie, WY Wyoming 24 Colorado State 0
11-23-2007 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 36 Wyoming 28
11-22-2008 Laramie, WY Colorado State 31 Wyoming 20
11-27-2009 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 17 Colorado State 16
11-20-2010 Laramie, WY Wyoming 44 Colorado State 0
12-3-2011 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming 22 Colorado State 19
11-3-2012 Laramie, WY Wyoming 45 Colorado State 31
10-19-2013 Laramie, WY Colorado State 52 Wyoming 22
10-25-2014 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State 45 Wyoming 31
11-5-2015 Laramie, WY Colorado State  26 Wyoming 7
10-1-2016 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming  38 Colorado State 17
11-4-2017 Laramie, WY Wyoming  16 Colorado State 13
10-26-2018 Fort Collins, CO Wyoming  34 Colorado State 21
11-22-2019 Laramie, WY Wyoming  17 Colorado State 7
11-5-2020 Fort Collins, CO Colorado State  34 Wyoming 24
11-6-2021 Laramie, WY Wyoming  31 Colorado State 17