2025 Farewell Tour: Pokes Face Departing MWC Foes

Jeff Bugher
Jun 7
3 min read

Pokes Prepare for Final Mountain West Clashes with Departing Foes in 2025

Five MWC programs- Colorado State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Utah State, and Boise State University - depart for the Pac-12 Conference on July 1st, 2026. For Wyoming football, that means this fall marks a series of farewell battles with familiar foes.

Border War Lives On Amidst Realignment

Colorado State at Wyoming — Oct. 25, 5:30 p.m. MT - CBS Sports Network

All-Time Series: CSU leads 60–51–5
Last Matchup: Nov. 15, 2024 — CSU 24, Wyoming 10 (Fort Collins)
First Game: 1899
Recent History: Wyoming has won 11 of the last 16, including 7 of the last 9

The Border War will still continue, even after the Rams move to the Pac-12 via a deal between the two programs that ensures the Bronze Boot rivalry will remain in play. The 2025 game in Laramie will be the final conference game between the rivals. Wyoming will look to bounce back from last year’s loss in Fort Collins and continue its strong recent run in the series. Following the 2025 matchup, the series will take a two-year break until the agreement kicks in with the first game commencing on Sept. 23, 2028, in Fort Collins.

Dates for Contests from 2028 to 2026

Sept. 23, 2028 in Fort Collins

Sept. 22, 2029 in Laramie

Sept. 7, 2030 in Fort Collins

Sept. 20, 2031 in Laramie

Sept. 25, 2032 in Fort Collins

Sept. 24, 2033 in Laramie

Sept. 23, 2034 in Fort Collins

Sept. 22, 2035 in Laramie

First Trip to Snapdragon Stadium

Wyoming at San Diego State — Nov. 1, Time TBD - CBS Sports Network

All-Time Series: SDSU leads 20–19
Last Matchup: Oct. 12, 2024 — SDSU 27, Wyoming 24 (Laramie)
First Game: 1978

Wyoming will play at Snapdragon Stadium for the first time ever this fall, seeking to flip the script after three straight losses to the Aztecs- each by four points or fewer. A win in San Diego would even the all-time series and give the Pokes some closure as SDSU moves on.

Farewell to Fresno

Fresno State at Wyoming — Nov. 15, Time TBD - Fox Sports Family of Networks

All-Time Series: Fresno State leads 9–6
Last Matchup: Oct. 7, 2023 — Wyoming 24, Fresno State 19 (Laramie)
First Game: 1992
Notable Moment: 2009 New Mexico Bowl — Wyoming 35, Fresno State 28 (2OT)

The Bulldogs return to War Memorial Stadium one last time as conference rivals. Wyoming has some great memories...including upsetting a ranked Fresno State team at home in 2023 and a 2009 New Mexico Bowl victory. Led by quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels (offensive bowl MVP) and future NFL defensive lineman Mitch Unrein (defensive bowl MVP), the bowl win remains a program highlight. Fresno State featured the nation's leading rusher, running back Ryan Matthews, the 12th overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft. Yet Wyoming's powerful defense found a way to stop Fresno.

Watching from Afar: Utah State & Boise State

Wyoming won’t face Utah State or Boise State in 2025, but their departures still hit home.

Utah State
- All-Time Series: Aggies lead 41–28–4
- Last Matchup: Oct. 26, 2024 — Utah State 27, Wyoming 25 (Laramie)
- First Game: 1903

The Cowboys and Aggies played last fall, with Utah State narrowly escaping Laramie with a two-point win. The two programs have battled for over a century, and they won't meet this year - effectively ending "Bridger's Battle" (est. 2013) for the rivalry trophy named "Bridger's Rifle," a .50-caliber Rocky Mountain Hawken Rifle.

Boise State
- All-Time Series: Boise State leads 18–1
- Last Matchup: Nov. 23, 2024 — Boise State 17, Wyoming 13 (Laramie)
- First Game: 2002

Though the Cowboys have managed just one win over the Broncos, the rivalry has produced its share of close games, like the 2019 overtime thriller that ended with a missed field goal and heartbreak for Wyoming. Fans certainly won't miss the blue field.

As the Cowboys gear up for their final Mountain West games against these longtime foes, each game in 2025 will carry a little more weight and a lot of nostalgia. Realignment (some call it greed) has reshaped the Mountain West Conference, but the memories and rivalries of the past won't be so easily erased. Several new members of the MWC are set to join on July 1, 2026, embarking on a new era of competition and memories.