Tag Archives: WyomingCowboys

March Madness could bring excitement to the Rocky Mountain region

Posted on by

With the college football season already complete, and the NFL having just one game remaining on its schedule, it is usually time for the Rocky Mountain region to begin turning its sights to the NBA and the Denver Nuggets.

Do you realize that the last time that both the University of Colorado and Colorado State men both made the NCAA Tournament in the same season was clear back in 2012-2013?

Not only do the Buffaloes and the Rams have a chance to both make the field this season, but we have a number of other teams to be rooting for as well. Can local college basketball keep us entertained for a month or two?

Colorado State Rams (Men)

The Colorado State Rams should not only make the NCAA Tournament field, but if they can rally down the stretch, they could get a solid seed. A tough loss against Wyoming over the weekend doesn’t help, but the Rams have been ranked in the Top 25 for most of the season. Isaiah Stevens is one of the best point guards in the country, Nique Clifford is turning into a star, and Joel Scott brings toughness and defense. Don’t sleep on the Mountain West Conference. San Diego State did manage to go to the National Championship game last year. The MWC has a legitimate shot of placing four to five teams in the field. Colorado State should be one of them.

Colorado Buffaloes (Men)

The Buffs had a nice winning streak going until they slipped up to Washington State on Saturday. KJ Simpson and Tristan de Silva provide a very formidable one-two punch, and the Buffs can score points in bunches. The issue for Colorado making the dance will be their paltry road record. While they are 15-6 overall, they are just 1-5 on the road. Colorado needs to finish the season strong, and prove they can beat some quality opponents.

Northern Colorado Bears (Men)

It will be a challenge, but the UNC Bears are putting together a solid season that will at least give them a chance to earn a postseason bid. UNC is now 12-8 and sitting in second place in the Big Sky Conference. The Bears put up some serious points, scoring nearly 82 per game. Junior forward Saint Thomas is one of the best players you haven’t heard of, and he averages a double-double every time he steps on the floor. Unfortunately, UNC will probably need to win their conference tournament to make the 68 team field.

Colorado Buffaloes (Women)

It isn’t just the men that have a chance to dance this March. This area has a few women’s teams that are hoping to get bids as well, and the Colorado Lady Buffs are a shoo-in. Colorado is on track to earn a No. 1 seed. The Buffs stumbled against Oregon State last Friday, but they rebounded nicely with a win over Oregon on Sunday. The Buffs can put up some serious points with Jaylyn Sherrod, Aaronette Vonleh, Frida Formann, and Quay Miller each averaging double digits. When the Buffs lock in defensively, they can beat anyone in the country.

Colorado State Rams (Women)

The Colorado State Rams are still hoping to get their ticket punched to the NCAA Tournament. CSU is 13-6 but need to make a late season run to give themselves a chance at a postseason berth. The Rams are led by diminutive point guard McKenna Hofschild, who may only stand 5-foot-2, but is absolutely electric. Hofschild averages 24 points and nearly eight assists per game. Games against UNLV and Wyoming will be huge.

Wyoming Cowgirls (Women)

Wyoming is our final local team that has a chance to make the NCAA Tournament. The Cowgirls are now 12-7 and hoping to make a late season run. Head coach Heather Ezell is in her second season at the helm, and all she did in Year 1 was set the school record for most wins by a first-year coach with 23. Center Allyson Fertig leads the team in points and rebounds, and forward Tess Barnes is a deadly shooter. Wyoming will need to hold off Colorado State, and see if they can make a run at conference leader UNLV.

Here’s hoping that these teams can give the Front Range a reason to cheer now that football is nearly over, because it is way too early to start watching the NBA already.

Winners and losers from the weekend in Rocky Mountain college football

Posted on by

College football kicked off across the nation over a week ago, but this past weekend was the opener for most of the schools in the Rocky Mountain region. So who were the biggest winners and losers from the start of the season?

Winner: Colorado head coach Deion Sanders

The new Colorado coach got the nation’s attention when his Buffaloes pulled off their 45-42 upset of No. 17 Texas Christian on Saturday. Sanders had his team ready to go from the opening kickoff. He also managed to completely outcoach Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes, who took his team to the College Football Playoff a year ago. Coach Prime didn’t just bring more talent to the field on gameday, he and his coaching staff made the correct adjustments all day, and put his talented players in the best positions to be successful. On the day, the Buffs committed just six penalties for 35 yards.

Loser: Colorado head coach Deion Sanders postgame

For as prepared and in-control as his team was on Saturday, Coach Prime was as emotional as a little league parent in his postgame press conference. Sanders took much of the media to task for doubting his newly revamped team. When asked about the incredible performance of his son, starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders, he interrupted the question saying “Shedeur? From the HBCU? The one you asked me why I gave him the starting job? I got receipts.” Deion can act like his son was a huge underdog, but he was recruited by the likes of Alabama, Georgia and LSU before deciding to follow his dad to HBCU Jackson State. Deion Sanders has always been outspoken and brash, but this is a long season, and there is a ton of football to still be played.

Winner: Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders and WR/DB Travis Hunter

Sanders was highly impressive in his Power 5 debut, throwing for 510 yards and four touchdowns, as the Buffs rolled to their upset win. The junior seemed to make the correct decisions on nearly every play, and showed a highly accurate touch on his deep passes, despite a few drops. On a day that most expected the best quarterback in the game to be TCU QB Chandler Morris, Sanders nearly doubled his yardage (279 to 510) and touchdowns without throwing a single interception.

Meanwhile Travis Hunter showed why he was the top high school recruit in the country in 2022. Hunter played on both sides of the ball on Saturday, logging over 120 snaps on the day. He finished the game with 11 catches for 119 yards on offense, and three tackles and an interception on defense.

Loser: The Colorado defense

Yes, Shedeur Sanders and the Buffs offense showed more electricity than we have seen from a Buffalo team since the days of Kordell Stewart and Michael Westbrook, but the defense was another story. Poor tackling and blown assignments were a theme for this unit on Saturday, as TCU racked up 541 yards themselves in the loss. Horned Frogs running back Emani Bailey rushed for 164 yards and his teammate Trey Sanders scored three touchdowns. With teams like Oregon, USC, and Utah still on the schedule, this defense needs to improve. Quickly.

Winner: Wyoming runners by committee

It wasn’t just Colorado that pulled off an upset against a Texas school on Saturday. The Wyoming Cowboys knocked off Big 12 school Texas Tech 35-33 in double-overtime, despite being a 13 point underdog. Head coach Craig Bohl used six different runners in the game, compiling 171 yards on the ground. When sophomore Sam Scott burst into the endzone, on a two point conversion, the Pokes faithful stormed the field. Starting quarterback Andrew Peasley accounted for 68 yards, Scott had 44, D.Q. James had 38 rushing yards, Jamari Ferrell picked up 21 yards. The Cowboys ran the ball effectively, and it earned them the win.

Loser: Wyoming ball security

While Wyoming used their running game to grind out time of possession and rack up yardage, it wasn’t all good news. Pokes runners coughed up the football three different times on Saturday, and lost two of those fumbles to the defense. The turnovers helped Tech get out to a 17-0 lead, before the Cowboys managed to storm back. If this team is going to take on a rushing identity, they can’t drop the ball.

Winner: The Air Force offense

Last season, the Air Force Academy had the best rushing offense in the country, averaging 326 yards per game. In their 42-7 victory over Robert Morris on Saturday, the Falcons seem to be picking up right where they left off. New quarterback Zac Larrier rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns, and threw for another, as the offense posted 380 yards on the ground. Sure, the competition wasn’t top notch, but Troy Calhoun’s squad is still going to be a problem for opposing defenses this season.

Loser: The Robert Morris equipment managers

Poor Robert Morris didn’t just travel from Pennsylvania to Colorado to get whipped by 35 points, they also forgot their game jerseys. The Colonials were forced to wear Air Force practice jerseys for the first half. The jerseys arrived at halftime, and the equipment managers were off the hook.

Winner: Colorado State opening opponents

The Colorado State Rams opened their 2023 season in familiar fashion. They lost their opener for the sixth season in a row. Washington State rolled into Fort Collins and walked away with a 50-24 victory thanks to their quarterback Cameron Ward throwing for 451 yards and three touchdowns. The Cougars add their name to a list including Michigan, South Dakota State, Fresno State, Colorado and Hawaii who have beaten the Rams to start their season. The last time CSU opened a season with a win was back in 2017.

Loser: CSU head coach Jay Norvell

Coach Norvell took on a monster rebuild job when he came to Northern Colorado from Nevada. It is apparent that he needs more time. This roster needs to be upgraded in a number of positions and while a loss to Washington State isn’t an embarrassment, the Rammie faithful were hoping to at least compete against them. The Cougars led 36-3 before they called off the dogs. Norvell and his staff now have two weeks to try to get this squad ready for what should be a very confident Colorado team on September 16th. It might take his best coaching effort to just keep the game close.

College football in the Rocky Mountain region might actually be worth watching this season

Posted on by

The Rocky Mountain region is one of the most beautiful areas in the world.

Over the past couple of decades, the same area of college football has been mostly unwatchable.

In the past 23 seasons the University of Colorado has been invited to just seven postseason bowl games. The University of Wyoming has only been to eight. Colorado State University has played in only 11 bowl games, and the Air Force Academy has played in 14.

This has truly been an era of forgettable college football in this part of the country.

Hopefully this era is about to end. We actually have some hope for the coming season. Will any of our local teams be contending for a title? Of course not, but they could still be somewhat interesting.

University of Colorado Buffaloes (2022 record: 1-11)

Outlook: From the moment that he accepted the job, the hype in Boulder has been through the roof. Deion Sanders comes to Colorado from HBCU Jackson State, where he had some moderate success. Sanders has immediately upgraded the Buffs roster, and has given this program a much needed shot of energy. QB Shedeur Sanders, and possible two way player Travis Hunter provide some immediate excitement. Now the work begins. Not only does Coach Prime have to mold this group of individuals into something resembling a team, but he also has to get them ready to face some very talented teams, both inside and outside of the Pac 12 conference. The future could be very bright, but this isn’t an easy job by any means.

Verdict: Coach Prime will have to do the best coaching job of his young career. Yes, he has the fan base excited, but the schedule will be challenging, and the lack of depth may come into play. Sanders has shown that he can recruit some of the top talent, but will he be able to keep them motivated if things don’t go well? Five wins for this group might be asking too much, but at least it should be intriguing to watch.

Colorado State Rams (2022 record: 3-9)

Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton (14) runs back a kick against Nevada in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Reno, Nev., Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Tom R. Smedes)

Outlook: Head coach Jay Norvell is hoping that he can make another big jump in his second season on the job. While serving at the University of Nevada, Norvell improved from a 3-9 record in his first season, to an 8-5 record and a bowl game win, in his second. His first order of business will have to be repairing a very poor offensive line. QB Clay Millen showed some promise last season, when he completed a conference leading 72% of his passes, but he can’t complete those throws on his back. A running game would be a massive upgrade too. RB Kenward Edwards comes to Fort Collins from the transfer portal, and could help immediately. Norvell also gets eight starters back on a defense that was beginning to come together last season.

Verdict: This roster is still young and inexperienced, but they seem to be showing signs of improvement. A win in the opener at home against Washington State could be too much to ask, but if the Rams could somehow beat Colorado, the fan base would be ecstatic. If the offensive line improves, and the defense continues to grow, CSU could be bowl bound this season.

Air Force Falcons: (2022 record: 10-2)

Outlook: Air Force won 10 games last season, and then capped that run with a bowl game win over Baylor. They also managed to beat both Army and Navy to bring the Commander in Chief trophy back to Colorado Springs. Head coach Troy Calhoun had the country’s best rushing offense last season, and the defense that led the league in yardage allowed returns mostly intact. The offense returns six starters, but they will need to replace a few key pieces.

Verdict: The Falcons should be a lock for a bowl game with a favorable schedule and so much returning talent. They will need to develop another QB, after losing Haaziq Daniels to graduation, but if the defense can carry the load until senior Jensen Jones comes around, this team is going to be tough. The Falcons will be the favorite to keep the CIC trophy, and they have a chance to contend for a Mountain West title and a Top 25 finish.

University of Wyoming Cowboys (2022 record: 7-6)

Outlook: While we are used to head coach Craig Bohl producing some high scoring offenses in Laramie, the Wyoming Cowboys will depend on the defense this year. Wyoming went 7-6 last season, and went to the Arizona Bowl. This year, the defense brings back 10 starters, but the offense will need to develop. If the running game can take some of the pressure off of QB Andrew Peasley, the Cowboys could be a team to watch.

Verdict: Craig Bohl has quietly turned the Cowboys into a physical team that is consistently reaching bowl games. In his nine seasons on the job, Wyoming has gone to five bowl games, and this season should produce another one. The home opener against Texas Tech will be a very stiff test, but if Peasley gets more consistent, this team could have a chance to play for a conference title.

Daly Doses: Mile High sports fans still have much to be thankful for

Posted on by

It is Thanksgiving week, and with the struggles of our major football programs in the Rocky Mountain region, it is easy to forget all that we have to be grateful for this year.

Sure the Denver Broncos are awful, the Colorado State Buffaloes are abysmal, and the Colorado State Rams are abhorrent, but we still have plenty be be thankful for in the Mile High city when it comes to sports.

For starters, we are still the reigning Stanley Cup Champions. With the amount of talent returning, and acquired, the Avs will be in the hunt for the Cup again.

The Avs have Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Valeri Nichushkin, and Artturi Lehkonen locked up to long term deals. They are going to be in contention for a long time, with that much firepower.

And while they did lose goaltender Darcy Kuemper in free agency, 26 year old Alexander Georgiev is already showing that he could be the type of net-minder that can carry a team.

Speaking of Makar, Mile High sports fans should be thankful for this kid every single day. In just his third professional season, Makar won the Norris Trophy, given to the top defenseman, then he won the Stanley Cup, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the 2022 playoffs. He has been widely cited as one of the best defensemen, and best players in the modern NHL.

The Avs are dealing with a number of injuries right now. Valeri Nichushkin, Bowen Byram, Samuel Girard, and captain Gabriel Landeskog are all missing time, but when they get healthy, they will be back in contention.

The Denver Nuggets have a history of underachieving, but it is hard not to be thankful for them, these days.

Nikola Jokic is the back to back league Most Valuable Player, and one of the few NBA players that actually takes pride in playing every night.

While many of the league’s superstars subscribe to the load management mentality, Jokic averages playing 75 games per season.

What a concept.

With the return of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr, and the emergence of Bones Hyland, the Nuggets should be a very fun team to watch this spring.

Sure, we know how it will all most likely end. Don’t worry about that right now.

While the local state college football teams in the region have been terrible with Colorado and Colorado State currently sitting at a combined 3-19, there is still some good college football being played that we should give thanks for.

The Air Force Falcons are once again the class of the stat,e with an 8-3 record. They have already won the Commander in Chief’s trophy, and are bound for a solid bowl game.

The Wyoming Cowboys are 7-4, and headed for a bowl game, and head coach Craig Bohl might be the most underrated coach in the country.

But if you want to be thankful for the most successful team in the region, you would have to look toward the city of Golden Colorado, and the Division II Colorado School of Mines Orediggers.

After starting the season 0-2 against two Top 5 teams, Mines has reeled off 10 straight wins. Quarterback John Matocha has passed for nearly 4,000 yards on the year, and Mines football will face Minnesota State on Saturday in the second round of the Divison II playoffs.

And you thought we didn’t have any successful football teams in this area, huh?

Meanwhile, our beloved Denver Broncos haven’t given us much to feel grateful about this season, and that debacle on Sunday against the hated Las Vegas Raiders was the perfect example.

The offense, which did actually look improved with 35 year old quarterbacks coach Klint Kubiak calling the plays, did look a little better. Kubiak mixed the run and the pass far better than we have seen previously this season, but the net result was still just 16 total points.

Maybe the switch to Kubiak will begin to reap some small dividends down the final stretch of the season, unfortunately under head coach Nathaniel Hackett, this team just finds ways to lose.

And while the year is a far cry from all that we had been hoping for, the fact that we actually have a true owner still must be considered something for which we should all be thankful.

This franchise has been without a rudder since Pat Bowlen’s health began to decline.

Maybe after this season, this new ownership group will go look to hire their own head coach, and make a run at the currently unemployed Sean Payton.

We can dream, can’t we?

At least Broncos Country can be thankful that the Broncos finally wised up and severed ties with butter fingered running back Melvin Gordon on Monday.

Gordon had five fumbles this season, and Hackett’s reasoning that he had a history of making big plays for the Broncos so they kept feeding him never held up.

Sammy Winder made a ton of big plays in a Bronco uniform. I don’t want them giving Sammy the rock on Sunday.

Although at least Winder wouldn’t drop it.

Finally, football season may have left many of us feeling less than thankful right now.

But at least we aren’t having to watch the Colorado Rockies right now.

https://twitter.com/MrMatthewCFB/status/1534757111434989571

Happy Thanksgiving!

Daly Dose 12-15-21 Celebrating 7 years of the Daly Dose!

Posted on by

This week on the Daly Dose, we discuss our love for underdogs in the sports world, and how most everyone wants to be an underdog, even when the title doesn’t actually apply.

An Alabama quarterback finally won the Heisman trophy, the NCAA is going to overreact and make more unnecessary rules, we look at a very sad story in NFL news, and we have some very good news for Los Angeles Lakers fans!

Then we celebrate seven years of the Daly Dose Sports Podcast. We tell the story of how the Dose even came into existence, and recall some memories from the past seven years. We play some early clips, and remember some of the guests that have stopped by to talk sports.

Finally, with seven years under our belt this week the Daly Dose Top 5 counts down the top five reasons that you need to continue to tune into the Dose every single week!

Â