The Cowboys (7-4 overall, 4-3 MW) head south to take on Air Force (9-2 overall, 6-1 MW) to close out the regular season on Saturday for a High Noon contest. The game will be available on Facebook. It is the 58th meeting between the two schools.
The contest will be broadcast on radio over the 26 affiliate stations of the Cowboy Sports Network. The Cowboy Sports Network broadcast will begin at 11 a.m. this Saturday with Dave Walsh on the call and Kevin McKinney on color.
About The Cowboys
Wilson Named Finalist for Butkus Award
The Butkus Foundation announced on Monday the finalists for the 35th Annual Butkus Award® honoring the nation’s best linebackers. A total of six collegiate finalists and five high school finalists were announced. Wyoming’s Logan Wilson was selected as one of the six collegiate finalists. Wilson is the only finalist from a non-Automonous Five conference team. The six collegiate finalists are: Logan Wilson, Wyoming Zack Baun, Wisconsin, Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech, Micah Parsons, Penn State. Isaiah Simmons, Clemson. Evan Weaver, California
Valladay Reaches 1,000
Sophomore running back Xazavian Valladay rushed for 154 yards against Colorado State. He went over 1,000 yards on the season in the game. He is averaging 102.3 yards per game and has rushed for 100 or more yards in five-straight games. He is the fourth 1,000 yard rushing season under head coach Craig Bohl in six seasons. Valladay is averaging 145 yards per game over the last five games.
Halliburton Putting Up Numbers
Senior safety Alijah Halliburton registered 13 tackles against Colorado State. He has 106 tackles on the season to lead Wyoming. His 9.6 tackles per game ranks No. 15 in the nation and second in the conference. He has the most total tackles by a defensive back in the nation. He has double-digit tackles five times this season.
Rothe Makes History
Senior place-kicker Cooper Rothe became Wyoming’s all-time scoring leader with 328 points, including a critical 48-yard field goal to give UW a 17-7 lead with 3:33 remaining in the game against Colorado State. He paced Sean Fleming with his extra point on the Levi Williams touchdown. He has a decorated career being MW Special Teams Player of the Year last season and a Finalist for the Lou Groza Award.
Williams Makes Debut
True freshman quarterback Levi Williams appeared in his first career game against CSU. He finished with 13 rushing attempts for 49 yards. He was also 2-of-2 passing for 25 yards.
Conway is Consistent
Senior wide receiver Austin Conway grabbed three catches for 35 yards against Colorado State. He leads the Pokes grabbing 20 passes for 274 yards on the season. Over the last two games, Conway has grabbed eight catches for 99 yards.
Godbout Causes Chaos
Redshirt freshman Cole Godbout has been solid in the middle all season for the Pokes. He recorded a career high five tackles against Colorado State including two tackles for loss. He has 30 tackles on the season for the Pokes.
Pokes at Home
The Cowboys beat Colorado State on Friday to go 6-0 at home for the season. It marked the first undefeated regular season since 2016. Wyoming lost the MW Championship game at home. Wyoming went undefeated at home during the 1996 season.
Longest Drive of the Year
The Cowboys first score of the game against Colorado State went 11-plays for 93 yards. It was the longest scoring drive of the season. The previous high was a 92 yard drive against Tulsa.
Against The Rush
The Pokes allowed only 48 yards rushing to the Rams on Friday. It marked the seventh time Wyoming allowed under 100 rushing yards for the season. Wyoming ranks seventh in the nation and second in the MW in rushing defense at 93.7 per game.
Getting to the Points
The Pokes held the Rams to seven points on Friday. It was the second fewest points allowed in a game this season after three points to Nevada. Wyoming is allowing 17.6 points per game for No. 15 in the nation and second in the MW.
The Returner
Senior cornerback and kicker returner Tyler Hall is as dangerous of a kickoff returner as there is in the NCAA. He is the active NCAA leader in kick return yards at 31.9 per return. This season, he is averaging 36.5 yards per return with four on the season.
About The Falcons
The Air Force Falcons are one of the top rushing teams in the nation in 2019. Air Force is averaging 304.4 rushing yards per game to rank No. 1 in the Mountain West and No. 2 in the nation.
Air Force is also among the top scoring offenses in the country, averaging 35.6 points per game to rank No. 2 in the MW and No. 19 in the NCAA.
Offense is not the only facet of the 2019 Air Force football team that is nationally ranked. The Falcon defense ranks No. 2 in the conference and No. 25 nationally in total defense, allowing opponents only 324.0 yards per game. Air Force allows only 21.0 points per game to opponents to rank No. 3 in the MW and No. 27 in the NCAA.
Keying the Air Force offense is senior quarterback Donald Hammond III. Hammond has thrown for 1,165 yards and rushed for 456 yards. He has thrown 12 touchdown passes and rushed for 10. Hammond is coming off the fifth best passing game in Air Force history, completing 9 of 10 passes for 327 yards and four TDs at New Mexico last Saturday.
The Falcon rushing attack features four players who have rushed for 400 or more yards this season. That group is led by tailback Kadin Remsberg (809 rushing yards), fullback Timothy Jackson (745 yards), fullback Taven Birdow (684 yards) and Hammond (456 yards).
Air Force also has an effective passing game led by wide receivers Geraud Sanders and Benjamin Waters. Sanders has a team leading 28 receptions for 713 yards, has averaged 25.5 yards per reception and has scored seven touchdowns. Waters has 17 catches for 546 yards, has averaged 32.1 yards per reception and has scored six TDs.
Defensively, inside linebackers Demonte Meeks and Kyle Johnson lead the team in tackles, with 87 and 69, respectively. Meeks also leads Air Force in sacks, recording 8.0 this season. Free safety Jeremy Fejedelem is close behind with 63 tackles. Strong safety Garrett Kauppila leads the Falcons in interceptions, with three interceptions that he has returned for 99 yards.
Senior place-kicker Jake Koehnke has been perfect on the season in field goals, making all 10 that he has attempted, including being 4 of 4 from beyond 40 yards and 1 of 1 from beyond 50 yards, with a long of 57 yards.