This is a list of seasons completed by the Wyoming Cowboys football team. Representing the University of Wyoming, the Cowboys compete in the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA Division I FBS. Wyoming plays their home games out of 29,181-seat War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyoming. The Cowboys began playing football as an independent in 1893, and joined the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 1916. The team played in the Western Athletic Conference from 1962 to 1998, and joined the Mountain West in 1999. They are currently led by head coach Craig Bohl, who was hired in 2014.
Wyoming has three main rivalries, each with Mountain West opponents. The most notable of these is the Border War played against the Colorado State Rams. The winner receives the prized "Bronze Boot". Wyoming has won the last two meetings in the rivalry. The Cowboys also have rivalries with Hawaii and Utah State, the latter known as "Bridger's Battle".
Legend | |
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†National Champions |
Season | Team | Head coach | Conference | Division | Regular season results | Postseason results | Final ranking [2] | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | Conference | Bowl game/Playoff result | AP Poll | Coaches' Poll | ||||||||||
Win | Loss | Tie | Win | Loss | Tie | Finish | ||||||||
Wyoming Cowboys | ||||||||||||||
1893 | 1893 | Fred Hess | Independent | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1894 | 1894 | Fred Hess J.F. Soule | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1895 | 1895 | J.F. Soule | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1896 | 1896 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1896 | 1896 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1898 | 1898 | Fred Hess | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1899 | 1899 | J.F. Soule | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1900 | 1900 | William McMurray | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1901 | 1901 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1902 | 1902 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1903 | 1903 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1904 | 1904 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1905 | 1905 | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1906 | 1906 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1907 | 1907 | Robert Ehlman | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1908 | 1908 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1909 | 1909 | H.I. Dean | 3 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1910 | 1910 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1911 | 1911 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1912 | 1912 | L.C. Excelby | 2 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1913 | 1913 | Ralph Thacker | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1914 | 1914 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
1915 | 1915 | John Corbett | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1916 | 1916 | Rocky Mountain | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | ||
1917 | 1917 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1918 | 1918 | No games were played due to the Spanish influenza epidemic. | ||||||||||||
1919 | 1919 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1920 | 1920 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1921 | 1921 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1922 | 1922 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 11th | — | — | — | |||
1923 | 1923 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 11th | — | — | — | |||
1924 | 1924 | William Dietz | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 10th | — | — | — | ||
1925 | 1925 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1926 | 1926 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8th | — | — | — | |||
1927 | 1927 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 10th | — | — | — | |||
1928 | 1928 | George McLaren | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 11th | — | — | — | ||
1929 | 1929 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 12th | — | — | — | |||
1930 | 1930 | John Rhodes | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 10th | — | — | — | ||
1931 | 1931 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1932 | 1932 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8th | — | — | — | |||
1933 | 1933 | Willard Witte | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 11th | — | — | — | ||
1934 | 1934 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — | |||
1935 | 1935 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — | |||
1936 | 1936 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 9th | — | — | — | |||
1937 | 1937 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — | |||
1938 | 1938 | Mountain States | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6th | — | — | — | ||
1939 | 1939 | Joel Hunt | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 7th | — | — | — | ||
1940 | 1940 | Okie Blanchard | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 7th | — | — | — | ||
1941 | 1941 | Bunny Oakes | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | ||
1942 | 1942 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1943 | 1943 | Season cancelled due to World War II. | ||||||||||||
1944 | 1944 | Season cancelled due to World War II. | ||||||||||||
1945 | 1945 | Season cancelled due to World War II. | ||||||||||||
1946 | 1946 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1947 | 1947 | Bowden Wyatt | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | ||
1948 | 1948 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1949 | 1949 † | 9 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | |||
1950 | 1950 † | 10 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | Won 1951 Gator Bowl against Washington and Lee Generals, 20–7 ^ | 12 | — | |||
1951 | 1951 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||
1952 | 1952 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1953 | 1953 | Phil Dickens | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | — | — | — | ||
1954 | 1954 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | |||
1955 | 1955 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | Won 1956 Sun Bowl against Texas Tech Red Raiders, 21–14 ^ | — | — | |||
1956 | 1956 † | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | |||
1957 | 1957 | Bob Devaney | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4th | — | — | — | ||
1958 | 1958 † | 7 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1st† | Won 1958 Sun Bowl against Hardin–Simmons Cowboys, 14–6 ^ | — | — | |||
1959 | 1959 † | 9 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | — | 16 | — | |||
1960 | 1960 † | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | |||
1961 | 1961 † | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1st† | — | — | — | |||
1962 | 1962 | Lloyd Eaton | WAC | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | — | — | — | |
1963 | 1963 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1964 | 1964 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1965 | 1965 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
1966 | 1966 † | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1st† | Won 1966 Sun Bowl against Florida State Seminoles, 28–20 ^ | — | 15 | |||
1967 | 1967 † | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | Lost 1968 Sugar Bowl against LSU Tigers, 20–13 ^ | 6 | 5 | |||
1968 | 1968 † | 7 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1st† | — | — | — | |||
1969 | 1969 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1970 | 1970 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — | |||
1971 | 1971 | Fritz Shurmur | 5 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | ||
1972 | 1972 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1973 | 1973 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
1974 | 1974 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — | |||
1975 | 1975 | Fred Akers | 2 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | ||
1976 | 1976 † | 8 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | T–1st† | Lost 1976 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma Sooners, 41–7 ^ | — | — | |||
1977 | 1977 | Bill Lewis | 4 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | ||
1978 | 1978 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
1979 | 1979 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1980 | 1980 | Pat Dye | 6 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | ||
1981 | 1981 | Al Kincaid | 8 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | ||
1982 | 1982 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — | |||
1983 | 1983 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||
1984 | 1984 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
1985 | 1985 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 8th | — | — | — | |||
1986 | 1986 | Dennis Erickson | 6 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | ||
1987 | 1987 † | Paul Roach | 10 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | Lost 1987 Holiday Bowl against Iowa Hawkeyes, 20–19 ^ | — | — | ||
1988 | 1988 † | 11 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1st† | Lost 1988 Holiday Bowl against Oklahoma State Cowboys, 62–14 ^ | — | 20 | |||
1989 | 1989 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
1990 | 1990 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 4th | Lost 1990 Copper Bowl against Cal Golden Bears, 17–15 ^ | — | — | |||
1991 | 1991 | Joe Tiller | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 6th | — | — | — | ||
1992 | 1992 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 7th | — | — | — | |||
1993 | 1993 † | 8 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | T–1st† | Lost 1993 Copper Bowl against Kansas State Wildcats, 52–17 ^ | — | — | |||
1994 | 1994 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5th | — | — | — | |||
1995 | 1995 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6th | — | — | — | |||
1996 [lower-alpha 1] | 1996 ‡ | Pacific | 10 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1st‡ | — | 22 | 22 | ||||
1997 | 1997 | Dana Dimel | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4th | — | — | — | ||||
1998 | 1998 | Mountain | 8 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2nd | — | — | — | ||||
1999 | 1999 | Mountain West | — | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4th | — | — | — | |||
2000 | 2000 | Vic Koenning | 1 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 8th | — | — | — | ||||
2001 | 2001 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 8th | — | — | — | |||||
2002 | 2002 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 8th | — | — | — | |||||
2003 | 2003 | Joe Glenn | 4 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 8th | — | — | — | ||||
2004 | 2004 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4th | Won 2004 Las Vegas Bowl against UCLA Bruins, 24–21 ^ | — | — | |||||
2005 | 2005 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 8th | — | — | — | |||||
2006 | 2006 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4th | — | — | — | |||||
2007 | 2007 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 7th | — | — | — | |||||
2008 | 2008 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 8th | — | — | — | |||||
2009 | 2009 | Dave Christensen | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5th | Won 2009 New Mexico Bowl against Fresno State Bulldogs, 35–28 (2OT) ^ | — | — | ||||
2010 | 2010 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 8th | — | — | — | |||||
2011 | 2011 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3rd | Lost 2011 New Mexico Bowl against Temple Owls, 37–15 | — | — | |||||
2012 | 2012 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 6th | — | — | — | |||||
2013 | 2013 | Mountain | 5 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 4th | — | — | — | ||||
2014 | 2014 | Craig Bohl | 4 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 5th | — | — | — | ||||
2015 | 2015 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 6th | — | — | — | |||||
2016 | 2016 ‡ | 8 | 6 | 6 | 2 | T–1st‡ | Lost 2016 Poinsettia Bowl against BYU Cougars, 24–21 | — | — | |||||
2017 | 2017 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2nd | Won 2017 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl against Central Michigan Chippewas, 37–14 | — | — | |||||
2018 | 2018 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3rd | — | — | — | |||||
2019 | 2019 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4th | Won 2019 Arizona Bowl against Georgia State Panthers, 38–17 | — | — | |||||
2020 | 2020 | — [lower-alpha 2] | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 8th | — | — | — | ||||
2021 | 2021 | Mountain | 7 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 4th | Won 2021 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl against Kent State Golden Flashes, 52–38 | — | — | ||||
2022 | 2022 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4th | Lost 2022 Arizona Bowl against Ohio Bobcats, 30–27 | — | — | |||||
2023 | 2023 | — | 8 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4th | 2023 Arizona Bowl against Toledo | — | — | ||||
Totals | All-time: 563–599–28 (.485) | Conference: 319–378–18 (.459) | — | Postseason: 9–9 (.500) | — | — | ||||||||
The Mountain West Conference (MW) is one of the collegiate athletic conferences affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The MW officially began operations on January 4, 1999. Geographically, the MW covers a broad expanse of the Western United States, with member schools located in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Gloria Nevarez took over as Commissioner of the MW on January 1, 2023, following the retirement of founding commissioner Craig Thompson.
The Pac-12 Conference is a collegiate athletic conference that operates in the Western United States, participating in 24 sports at the NCAA Division I level. Its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision, the highest level of college football in the nation.
The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, Texas, Utah and Washington.
The Big Sky Conference, is a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. As of 2023, full member institutions are located in the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Two affiliate members from California are football–only participants.
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.
Joseph Cassidy Glenn is a former American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at the University of South Dakota, his alma mater, from 2012 to 2015. He was named head coach on December 5, 2011, after the school's athletic director, David Sayler, fired Ed Meierkort. Glenn served as the head football coach at Doane College (1976–1979), the University of Northern Colorado (1989–1999), the University of Montana (2000–2002), and the University of Wyoming (2003–2008). He won two NCAA Division II Football Championships at Northern Colorado, in 1996 and 1997, and an NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship at Montana in 2001.
The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. It was part of the Western Athletic Conference until July 2012, when the team joined the Mountain West Conference.
The Colorado State Rams are the athletic teams that represent Colorado State University (CSU). Colorado State's athletic teams compete along with 8 other institutions in the Mountain West Conference, which is an NCAA Division I conference and sponsors Division I FBS football. The Conference was formed in 1999, splitting from the former 16-member Western Athletic Conference. CSU has won nine MWC tournament championships and won or shared 11 regular season titles. Rams football teams won or shared the Mountain West title in 1999, 2000 and 2002.
The Boise State Broncos football program represents Boise State University in college football and competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Mountain West Conference. The Broncos play their home games on campus at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho, and their head coach is Spencer Danielson. The program is 13–7 in bowl games since 1999, has finished in the top 25 13 times since 2002, has the longest current streak of winning seasons in college football with 26. It also has a 3–0 record in the Fiesta Bowl. As of the end of the 2023 season, the Broncos' all-time winning percentage of .728 is the fifth highest in all of collegiate football.
The UNLV Rebels football program is a college football team that represents the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). The team is a member of the Mountain West Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision conference of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). The program, which began on September 14, 1968, plays its home games at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada.
The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football as a member of the Mountain West Conference. The green "V" on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, and playing field symbolizes California's Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they draw their support.
The Wyoming Cowboys and Cowgirls are the athletic teams that represent the University of Wyoming, located in Laramie. Wyoming is a member of the Mountain West Conference (MW) and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 17 NCAA-sanctioned sports. Two Wyoming teams compete in other conferences in sports that the MW does not sponsor. The men's swimming and diving team competes in the Western Athletic Conference, and the wrestling team competes in the Big 12 Conference.
The Wyoming Cowboys football program represents the University of Wyoming in college football. They compete in the Mountain West Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of NCAA Division I and have won 14 conference titles. The head coach is Craig Bohl, who entered his first season in 2014.
The Utah State Aggies are a college football team that competes in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) of the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of NCAA Division I, representing Utah State University. The Utah State college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium since 1968. They have won thirteen conference championships in four different conferences during their history, most recently in 2021.
The Colorado State Rams men's basketball team represents Colorado State University, located in Fort Collins, in the U.S. state of Colorado, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They play their home games at the Moby Arena and are members of the Mountain West Conference. They are led by head coach Niko Medved.
The 2012 Wyoming Cowboys football team represented the University of Wyoming in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Cowboys were led by fourth year head coach Dave Christensen and played their home games at War Memorial Stadium. They were members of the Mountain West Conference. They finished the season 4–8, 3–5 in Mountain West play to finish in a tie for sixth place.
The Hawaii–Wyoming football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors and Wyoming Cowboys. The rivalry began in 1978, when Hawaii joined the Western Athletic Conference, and was played annually until 1997, shortly before Wyoming departed from the WAC and joined the newly formed Mountain West Conference. The rivalry was renewed in 2012 when Hawaii joined the MW as a football-only affiliate member. The teams have met 28 times, with Wyoming leading the series 17–11.
The Utah State–Wyoming football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Utah State Aggies and the Wyoming Cowboys. The rivalry is one of the oldest for both schools; it is Utah State's fourth-oldest rivalry and Wyoming's fifth. The schools played for the first time in 1903, a 46–0 Aggie victory and Utah State leads the series 40–28–4 (.583).
The 2016 Mountain West Conference Championship Game was played on Saturday, December 3, 2016 at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyoming, and determined the 2016 football champion of the Mountain West Conference (MW). The game featured the MW West Division champion San Diego State Aztecs visiting the Mountain Division co-champion Wyoming Cowboys, with the Aztecs winning 27–24. It was broadcast nationally by ESPN for the second consecutive year.
The 1998 Wyoming Cowboys football team represented the University of Wyoming in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cowboys were led by second-year head coach Dana Dimel and played their home games at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyoming. They finished the season with an 8–3 record overall and a 6–2 record in the Western Athletic Conference to finish 2nd in the Mountain Division. Despite a solid overall record, the Cowboys were not invited to play in a bowl game. This was Wyoming's last season in the WAC before they joined the Mountain West Conference.