2008 Wyoming Cowboys football team

2008 Wyoming Cowboys football
ConferenceMountain West Conference
Record4–8 (1–7 MW)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBob Cole (1st season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorMike Breske (6th season)
Base defense3–4
Home stadiumWar Memorial Stadium
2008 Mountain West Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 Utah $   8 0     13 0  
No. 7 TCU   7 1     11 2  
No. 25 BYU   6 2     10 3  
Air Force   5 3     8 5  
Colorado State   4 4     7 6  
UNLV   2 6     5 7  
New Mexico   2 6     4 8  
Wyoming   1 7     4 8  
San Diego State   1 7     2 10  
  • $ – Conference champion and BCS representative as top non-AQ school to meet automatic qualification criteria
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2008 Wyoming Cowboys football team represented the University of Wyoming as a member Mountain West Conference (MW) during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Joe Glenn in his sixth and final season as head coach, the Cowboys compiled an overall record of 4–8 record with mark 1–8 in conference play, tying for eighth place at the bottom of the MW standings. The team played home games at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyoming.

Glenn was fired on November 23. Dave Christensen, offensive coordinator from Missouri, accepted the job as Wyoming's new head coach on November 30.[1]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
August 3012:00 pmOhio*mtn.W 21–2020,430
September 61:30 pmAir Force
  • War Memorial Stadium
  • Laramie, WY
CBSCSL 3–2323,168
September 131:00 pmNo. 1 (FCS) North Dakota State*
  • War Memorial Stadium
  • Laramie, WY
W 16–1319,156[2]
September 201:00 pmat No. 14 BYUThe Mtn.L 0–4464,059
September 272:00 pmBowling Green*
  • War Memorial Stadium
  • Laramie, WY
mtn.L 16–4517,411
October 47:30 pmat New Mexicomtn.L 0–2428,752
October 1112:00 pmNo. 14 Utah
  • War Memorial Stadium
  • Laramie, WY
mtn.L 7–4017,123
October 254:00 pmat No. 15 TCUmtn.L 7–5430,103
November 112:00 pmSan Diego State
  • War Memorial Stadium
  • Laramie, WY
mtn.W 35–1011,779
November 811:00 amat Tennessee*PPVW 13–799,489
November 137:00 pmat UNLVCBSCSL 14–2218,154
November 2212:00 pmColorado State
mtn.L 20–3118,569
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Mountain time

[3][4][5]

Game summaries

Ohio

1 2 3 4 Total
Ohio 7 10 0 3 20
Wyoming 7 7 0 7 21

In the opening game of the 2008 season, the Cowboys would down the Ohio Bobcats at home 21-20. In the first quarter, Ohio would score first on a 4-yard Theo Scott touchdown pass to Andrew Mooney, only to have to Cowboys answer with a 6-yard Devin Moore touchdown run to knot the game at 7-7 entering the second quarter. In the second, Wyoming would open the scoring with a 3-yard Dax Crum touchdown pass to J. Salyards and take a 14-7 lead. The Bobcats would answer with 10 consecutive points on a 100-yard Donte Harden kickoff return, and a 31-yard Barrett Way field goal in taking a 17-14 halftime lead. After a scoreless third, Ohio would extend its lead to 20-14 after converting a 34-yard Way field goal. The Cowboys would respond with what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown midway through the fourth on a 23-yard Crum touchdown pass to Donate Morgan to win by a final score of 21-20.[6]

Air Force

1 2 3 4 Total
Air Force 0 3 10 10 23
Wyoming 0 3 0 0 3

In the Mountain West opener, the Cowboys would surrender 20 unanswered, second half points in this 23-3 loss to the Falcons. After a scoreless first, the Cowboys would respond to an Air Force field goal with a 47-yard Jake Scott field goal late in the second to tie the game at 3-3 going into the half for their only points on the afternoon.[7]

North Dakota State

1 2 3 4 Total
North Dakota State 0 10 3 0 13
Wyoming 0 0 10 6 16

After falling behind in the third quarter by a score of 13-0 to the FCS Bison, the Cowboys would rally back with 16 unanswered points in taking a 16-13 victory at home. Midway through the third, the Cowboys would score their first points on a 2-yard Devin Moore touchdown run to close the gap to 13-7. Kicker Jake Scott would then provide the remainder of scoring on a pair of 28-yard field goals, and a third from 29-yards with only :04 seconds remaining in the contest to take the win.[8]

BYU

1 2 3 4 Total
Wyoming 0 0 0 0 0
BYU 7 20 14 3 44

With two defensive touchdowns and outgaining the Cowboys 364-273 yards in total offense, the 14th ranked BYU Cougars were dominant in this 44-0 shutout at Provo.[9]

Bowling Green

1 2 3 4 Total
Bowling Green 7 17 14 7 45
Wyoming 0 10 0 6 16

[10]

New Mexico

1 2 3 4 Total
Wyoming 0 0 0 0 0
New Mexico 14 7 0 3 24

[11]

Utah

1 2 3 4 Total
Utah 10 17 7 6 40
Wyoming 0 0 0 7 7

[12]

TCU

1 2 3 4 Total
Wyoming 0 7 0 0 7
TCU 7 17 14 16 54

San Diego State

1 2 3 4 Total
San Diego State 3 0 7 0 10
Wyoming 7 21 7 0 35

Tennessee

1 2 3 4 Total
Wyoming 7 6 0 0 13
Tennessee 0 0 7 0 7

UNLV

1 2 3 4 Total
Wyoming 0 7 7 0 14
UNLV 3 6 0 13 22

Colorado State

1 2 3 4 Total
Colorado State 0 10 7 14 31
Wyoming 7 7 6 0 20

Coaching staff

Name Position Years
at WY*
Alma mater (year)
Joe Glenn Head coach 6 University of South Dakota (1971)
Bryan Applewhite Running backs/fullbacks 6 University of Northern Colorado (1998)
Mike Breske Assistant head coach
Defensive coordinator/secondary
6 South Dakota State University (1981)
Bob Cole Offensive coordinator
Quarterbacks coach
1 Widener University (1982)
Marty English Linebackers coach 6 University of Northern Colorado (1986)
Chad Germer Offensive line coach 6 University of Montana (1993)
Casey Glenn Offensive line coach 2 Carroll College (2002)
Chris Knutsen Special teams coordinator
Outside linebackers coach
9 Valparaiso University (1977)
Jason Petrino Director of football operations 3 Carroll College (2002)
Lance Robinson Defensive line coach 6 University of Montana (1997)
Ron Wisniewski Wide receivers coach
Recruiting coordinator
6 Rutgers University (1987)

References

  1. ^ Christensen to Wyoming, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 30, 2008
  2. ^ "Back from the brink". Casper Star-Tribune. September 14, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Wyoming Cowboys Schedule 2008". ESPN. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  4. ^ "2008 Wyoming Cowboys Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  5. ^ "2008 Football Schedule". University of Wyoming. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  6. ^ "Ohio vs Wyoming (Aug 30, 2008)". University of Wyoming Sports Information. Retrieved September 23, 2008.
  7. ^ "Wyoming vs Air Force (Sept 6, 2008)". University of Wyoming Sports Information. Retrieved September 23, 2008.
  8. ^ "North Dakota State vs Wyoming (Sept 13, 2008)". University of Wyoming Sports Information. Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved September 23, 2008.
  9. ^ "Wyoming vs BYU (Sept 20, 2008)". University of Wyoming Sports Information. Retrieved September 23, 2008.
  10. ^ "Bowling Green vs Wyoming (Sept 27, 2008)". University of Wyoming Sports Information. Archived from the original on October 1, 2008. Retrieved September 27, 2008.
  11. ^ "Wyoming vs New Mexico (Oct 4, 2008)". University of Wyoming Sports Information. Retrieved October 6, 2008.
  12. ^ "Utah vs Wyoming (Oct 11, 2008)". University of Wyoming Sports Information. Archived from the original on October 20, 2008. Retrieved October 14, 2008.