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Mountain West Issues Second Public Reprimand to Jay Sawvel
LARAMIE, Wyo. (Oct. 13, 2026) - Wyoming head football coach Jay Sawvel has received his second public reprimand from the Mountain West Conference after criticizing officiating during Monday's weekly press conference ahead of the Cowboys' matchup with Northern Illinois.
The conference announced the reprimand late Tuesday afternoon, citing Sawvel's public criticism of officials regarding Wyoming's 16-13 overtime win over San Jose State on Friday night.
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"The Mountain West has issued a public reprimand to Wyoming head coach Jay Sawvel in response to his public criticism of game officials related to Wyoming's game against San José State played Friday, Oct. 9, in violation of MW Administrative Regulation 11.2.7," the conference stated in its releas
Sawvel mentioned during his Monday press conference that he wasn't fond of a holding penalty called on offensive lineman Chandler Donaway late in Friday's game.
"I thought Chandler Donaway's hold at the end of the game the other night was just an egregious call," Sawvel said. "I thought that was a bunch of crap. And I'll just say it that way."
"To make that call at that point…was a load of crap," Sawvel said.
This is the second time the Mountain West has publicly disciplined Sawvel for criticizing game officials during his tenure as Wyoming's head coach.
On Oct. 27, 2024, the conference issued a similar reprimand following Wyoming's game against Utah State on Oct. 26.
This was following a frustrated Sawvel saying: “Right now, I’d say I’m a horse-shit head coach, and I think we’ve had some horse-shit officiating.”
In that announcement, the Mountain West cited Sawvel's public criticism of officiating as a violation of MW Rule 4, Sportsmanship, specifically sections 4.2-e and 4.4.5.
Both disciplinary actions involved public criticism of officiating, although the conference cited different regulations in its respective announcements.
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