Wyoming Football Preview: Odds, Schedule, & Prediction
Wyoming showed plenty of promise to start the 2022 season with a 7-3 overall record and a 5-1 mark against Mountain West foes.
Then the Cowboys dropped their last three contests. Two of them were against Boise State and Fresno State, which both made it to the conference championship, and Ohio in the Arizona Bowl to conclude the season.
The Cowboys are aiming to end 2023 much stronger.
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Wyoming’s odds to win the Mountain West are +1200, via BetMGM.
Wyoming’s win total Over/Under is 5.5, with Over 5.5 at -175 and Under 5.5 at +145.
9/2 vs Texas Tech
9/9 vs Portland State
9/16 at Texas
9/23 vs Appalachian State
9/30 vs New Mexico
10/7 vs Fresno State
10/14 at Air Force
10/28 at Boise State
11/4 vs Colorado State
11/11 at UNLV
11/18 vs Hawaii
11/25 at Nevada
Bold indicates Mountain West contests.
LB Easton Gibbs
K John Hoyland
Though he’s new to the conference, Harrison Waylee is one of the best Mountain West running backs this season.
A Northern Illinois transfer, Waylee was sixth in the MAC a season ago with 899 rushing yards on a 5.4 yards-per-carry average while adding five touchdowns. The all-conference third-teamer’s 81.7 rushing yards per game was in the top 50 in the country.
Waylee also led NIU with 1,018 all-purpose yards as he caught 17 passes for 119 yards.
Andrew Peasley is back at quarterback for Wyoming. He threw for 1,574 yards, 10 touchdowns, and nine interceptions while completing 52% of his passes. Quarterback Jayden Clemons is also back after starting one game in 2022.
Two of Wyoming’s top three receivers last season are back this year. Wide receiver Wyatt Wieland returns after catching 23 passes for 299 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Treyton Welch, a HERO Sports G5 Preseason All-American, tallied 308 yards and five touchdowns on 22 receptions.
Wyoming also added wide receivers Devin Boddie Jr. (Vanderbilt) and Ayir Asante (Holy Cross) via the transfer portal this offseason.
Wyoming’s offensive line helped the Cowboys rank third in the Mountain West with 181.4 rushing yards per game and allowed the third-fewest sacks in the league with 19. Center Nofoafia Tulafono, right guard Jack Walsh, and right tackle Frank Crum all started multiple games last season and return, though Crum is expected to move to left tackle.
Wyoming’s defense was in the middle of the pack compared to the rest of the Mountain West last season. The Cowboys were sixth in scoring defense (23.9 points per game allowed) and eighth in total defense (370.6 yards per game allowed).
But they have the potential to be much better with all of the experience they have returning. Nine of their top 11 tacklers from last year are back.
Easton Gibbs, another G5 Preseason All-American, was second in the conference last year with 132 tackles. He added nine tackles for loss, four quarterback hurries, and three sacks.
DeVonne Harris, a defensive end, returns after ranking first on the team and tied for sixth in the Mountain West with eight sacks. He recorded 56 total tackles, 13 for loss, and six quarterback hurries as well.
Braden Siders, another defensive end, led Wyoming and was tied for fifth in the league with 13.5 tackles for loss. He also recorded seven sacks, seven quarterback hurries, and 44 total tackles.
Shae Suiaunoa, another linebacker, was second on the team with 73 tackles and one interception while also tallying 4.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, six quarterback hurries, and two pass breakups. Free safety Wyett Ekeler was third on Wyoming with 67 tackles and seven pass breakups while also intercepting a pass and adding four quarterback hurries.
Wyoming also picked up former Utah defensive lineman Lucas Chappell and former Texas cornerback Tyrecus Davis.
Wyoming won’t win the Mountain West title but will conclude the 2023 regular season at .500 or better.
Wyoming will probably be 2-2 after its non-conference slate and has some games at home that might be very close. But the Cowboys should still be able to get to six victories.
Wyoming hosts Texas Tech to open the season, and while the Cowboys could win that, I’m factoring in a loss there. I also don’t think they’ll defeat Texas on the road, but games at home against Portland State and App State are winnable.
Which means Wyoming will have to win four Mountain West matchups to go over that 5.5-game threshold.
I don’t believe the Cowboys will win against Boise State, Fresno State, or Air Force. However, I am confident they’ll be triumphant over New Mexico, Hawaii, and Nevada.
That just leaves Colorado State and UNLV. I think Wyoming will split those games. More specifically, I’m anticipating the Cowboys will win over CSU at home and lose to UNLV on the road.
So I ultimately don’t believe Wyoming is in for a losing season.
