Border War (Colorado State–Wyoming rivalry)

Last updated

Football Border War
Bronze boot.jpg
The trophy of the Border War, the Bronze Boot
Sport Football
First meetingNovember 30, 1899
Colorado Agricultural, 12–0 (forfeit)
Latest meetingNovember 15, 2024
Colorado State, 24–10
Next meetingOctober 25, 2025
Stadiums Canvas Stadium, War Memorial Stadium
TrophyBronze Boot
Statistics
Meetings total116
All-time seriesColorado State leads, 60–51–5 [1]
Trophy seriesWyoming leads, 31–26
Largest victoryColorado Agricultural, 61–0 (1913)
Longest win streakWyoming, 10 (1956–1965)
Current win streakColorado State, 1 (2024–present)
Border War (Colorado State-Wyoming rivalry)
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50km
30miles
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Wyoming
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Colorado State
Locations along U.S. Route 287.

The Border War is the name of a college rivalry between the athletic teams of the Colorado State University Rams and the University of Wyoming Cowboys/Cowgirls.

Contents

Background

Colorado State University is a public university in Fort Collins, Colorado, and the University of Wyoming is a public university in Laramie, Wyoming. The two campuses are around 65 miles apart via U.S. Route 287. [2] Both teams have been inaugural members of the Mountain West Conference since 1999, and were previously both members of the Western Athletic Conference from 1968 to 1999.

Football

The football rivalry between the two schools dates back to Thanksgiving Day, November 30, 1899. In the first ever matchup between the two schools and the first game that Colorado Agricultural (now known as Colorado State) ever played outside of Colorado, a disagreement between officials from the two schools resulted in a controversial ending to the game. [3]

At the time, officials were provided by the schools competing in the game. The game concluded with a Wyoming forfeit being called after Colorado Agricultural official Edward House ruled that Wyoming official E.D. McArthur and the Wyoming team were refusing to abide by the rulebook. After the forfeit was called and the Colorado Agricultural players began leaving the field, official McArthur reportedly exclaimed that he "did not give a damn for the rules" and instructed the Wyoming team to run in a touchdown. [3] This action reportedly set off a brawl between the teams. Following the game, Colorado Agricultural President Barton Aylesworth declared that his school would not play Wyoming in any athletic event until he received a written apology from Wyoming. [3] The two schools played again the following year, and there has remained bad blood between the two programs since. The series is also the oldest and most-played in the Mountain West, and one of the most-played in the nation.

Bronze Boot

As the main component of the Border War rivalry, the football rivalry series revolves around the Bronze Boot - a traveling trophy awarded to the winner of the CSU-Wyoming football game each year.

In 1968, the ROTC detachments of the respective schools initiated the Bronze Boot. The boot was worn in the Vietnam War by Cpt. Dan J. Romero, an Adams State College graduate and Army ROTC instructor at CSU between 1967 and 1969. Each year leading up to the Colorado State–Wyoming game, the game ball is carried in a running shuttle relay by the ROTC detachment of the visiting team along US 287 to the Colorado–Wyoming border, where the home team's ROTC detachment receives it and runs the game ball to the stadium hosting the game. The trophy is guarded by the ROTC unit of the past year's winning school during the game.

Game results

Colorado State victoriesWyoming victoriesTie games

† = This game is controversial, but was ruled as a Wyoming forfeit per rule. [3]

Men's basketball

Basketball Border War
SportMen's Basketball
First meetingJanuary 27, 1911 [4]
Colorado Agricultural 19, Wyoming 17
Latest meetingFebruary 15, 2025
Colorado State 88, Wyoming 53
Stadiums Moby Arena, Arena-Auditorium
Statistics
Meetings total243
All-time seriesWyoming leads, 138–105
Largest victoryColorado State, 83–48 (February 23, 2019) 35 point difference
Longest win streakWyoming, 31 (1940–1951) [4]
Current win streakColorado State, 3 (2024–present) [4]

The "Border War" between Colorado State and Wyoming also extends to men's basketball. [5] The ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia considers Colorado State to be Wyoming's "fiercest rival". [6] Wyoming leads the series 138–105 over Colorado State as of 2025. [5] [7]

Notable men's basketball games

Game results

Rankings are from the AP Poll. Source for results: [4]

Colorado State victoriesWyoming victories

Women's basketball

Women's Basketball Border War
Sport Women's Basketball
First meeting1973–1974 [18]
Wyoming 42, Colorado State 26
Latest meetingJanuary 25, 2025
Colorado State 61, Wyoming 56
Next meetingMarch 1, 2025
Fort Collins, CO
Stadiums Moby Arena, Arena-Auditorium
Statistics
Meetings total115
All-time seriesColorado State, 58–57
Largest victoryWyoming, 117–57 (February 29, 1992)
Longest win streakColorado State, 12 (1998–2002)
Current win streakColorado State, 2 (2025–present)

University of Wyoming records list two women's basketball games played against Colorado State University during the 1973–1974 season, [18] prior to Colorado State's inaugural season. According to Colorado State records, the first game played against Wyoming was on January 29, 1975, in Laramie. [19]

Game results

Source for results: [18]

Colorado State victoriesWyoming victories

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Winsipedia - Colorado State Rams vs. Wyoming Cowboys football series history". Winsipedia.
  2. "CSU offering discounted student tickets for Saturday's Border War". Colorado State Rams. October 31, 2012. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Thanksgiving Day 1899 launched Border War and controversy over its first game that remains today". Colorado State Athletics .
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Wyoming Series Record vs. COLORADO STATE" (PDF), 2014 Wyoming Cowboy Men's Basketball Media Guide, University of Wyoming, pp. 87–88, 2014, archived from the original (PDF) on January 8, 2015, retrieved July 11, 2015
  5. 1 2 "Border War: Pokes Visit Rams for Marquee MW Matchup". University of Wyoming. January 5, 2015. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015. ...the Cowboys own a 131–92 advantage in the all-time series with Rams.
  6. 1 2 ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game. New York, NY: Ballantine. 2009. p. 514. ISBN   978-0345513922.
  7. "McManamen Shoots Wyoming Past Colorado State, 60–54". University of Wyoming. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  8. 1 2 "Rams vs. Ranked Opponents (AP)" (PDF), Colorado State Rams 2014–15 Men's Basketball Media Guide, Colorado State University, p. 132, 2014, archived from the original (PDF) on November 12, 2015, retrieved July 11, 2015
  9. Holbreich, Curt (March 12, 1988). "WAC Basketball Tournament Roundup : Leckner's Shot Saves Wyoming at the Buzzer". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  10. "2003 Men's Basketball Review". Colorado State Rams. Archived from the original on May 1, 2003. Boxscore
  11. Frederickson, Ben (March 7, 2013). "'Alcoholic' chants toward Colorado State's Eustachy crossed the line". Casper Star Tribune. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  12. Witosky, Tom (April 28, 2003). "Eustachy's party behavior called 'poor judgment'". Des Moines Register. Archived from the original on December 26, 2004. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
  13. 1 2 "Wyoming officials apologize to Eustachy for students' 'alcoholic' taunt". The Coloradoan. March 8, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  14. "Colorado State Rams basketball falls to Wyoming in double overtime". The Denver Post . January 31, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  15. "Colorado State vs Wyoming, February 23, 2019". Sports Reference. February 23, 2019.
  16. "Wyoming vs. Colorado State – ESPN". ESPN . January 31, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  17. 1 2 Wyoming 2014 media guide Archived January 8, 2015, at the Wayback Machine , p. 160.
  18. 1 2 3 "Wyoming Series Record with Colorado State", 2018-19 WBB Media Guide, University of Wyoming, p. 63, 2018
  19. "2014-15 Women's Basketball Media Guide". Issuu. November 7, 2014.
  20. "Game notes: CSU travels north to challenge Wyoming in Border War". Colorado State University. January 5, 2015. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  21. "Women's basketball recap: CSU snaps 13-year streak at Wyoming". Colorado State University. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015.