Wyoming Cowboys @ Colorado State Rams Football Recap

Wyoming 22, Colorado State 19

Raise your hand if you felt that the Wyoming Cowboys would win eight regular-season games in 2011, with a chance to post win number nine in a bowl game.

Anyone? Anyone other than players’ girlfriends or coaches wives? Okay then. We didn’t think so.

Yes, an amazing year of pigskin production in the Rocky Mountains was capped off with a rivalry-game triumph this past weekend. A plucky overachiever that has regularly found a way to win close conference games managed to affirm its reputation one more time in the Mountain West Conference. Before new arrivals Nevada, Fresno State, and Hawaii join the league in 2012, Wyoming clearly stole the spotlight in 2011. TCU earns profound praise as the champion of the league and Boise State certainly distinguished itself once again with an 11-1 record after moving in from the WAC, but Wyoming is the top overachiever in this particular part of the college football world. This squad has exceeded all expectations, bumping aside credentialed foes from Air Force and San Diego State to take third place in the conference. In many ways, the Cowboys are the happiest bronze medalist in any college football conference.

Wyoming forced freshman Garrett Grayson into three interceptions and took control in the fourth quarter to claim its third-straight Bronze Boot in a 22-19 win over Colorado State on Saturday afternoon in Fort Collins. The win gives the Cowboys a 23-21 series lead since the Bronze Boot was first awarded in 1968.

Brett Smith connected with Josh Doctson on two big scores that propelled Wyoming to the win. The first came on an 80-yard pass that gave Wyoming a 14-6 halftime lead. After Colorado State scored twice in the third quarter to take a 19-14 lead, Smith found Doctson again for a 35-yard score midway through the fourth quarter to take a 20-19 lead. Wyoming added a safety for the 22-19 win. Smith finished 11-22 for 191 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 90 yards on the ground. Raymond Maples rushed for 158 yards for the Rams in place of Chris Nwoke, who left the game with a leg injury.

Colorado State finished its season with a 3-9 record, and announced Sunday the firing of head coach Steve Fairchild. The third-straight 3-9 season for the Rams leaves Fairchild with a final record of 16-33 in Fort Collins.

Wyoming finishes 8-4 and will be headed to a bowl game for the second time in the three years since Dave Christensen took over as head coach. The Cowboys will play Temple (8-4) in the New Mexico Bowl on December 17, where Wyoming defeated Fresno State in 2009.

> Find a great selection of Wyoming Cowboys apparel & merchandise online as well as the MWC Football Scoreboard!

By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer