Get ready, Pokes fans—2025 is shaping up to be a wild ride on the Wyoming range. With a mix of Power Five showdowns, intense Mountain West rivalries, and a few sneaky trap games, the Cowboys are saddling up for a season that could turn heads in Laramie and beyond.
After a transitional 2024 campaign, the focus in 2025 is clear: reload, refocus, and reclaim Wyoming’s place among the Mountain West’s elite. Can the Cowboys ride high this fall, or will the schedule prove to rugged?
2025 Wyoming Football Schedule
Here’s how the Cowboys’ 2025 slate looks, game by game:
- Thu, Aug. 28—at Akron
- Sat, Sep. 6—vs Northern Iowa
- Sat, Sep. 13—vs Utah
- Sat, Sep. 20—at Colorado
- Sat, Oct. 4—vs UNLV
- Sat, Oct. 11—vs. San José State
- Sat, Oct. 18—at Air Force
- Sat, Oct. 25—vs. Colorado State
- Sat, Nov. 1—at San Diego State
- Sat, Nov. 15—at Fresno State
- Sat, Nov. 22—vs. Nevada
- Sat, Nov. 29—at Hawai’i
Breaking Down the Slate: What to Expect in 2025
The Cowboys open the season on the road against Akron on Aug. 28, a winnable opener that should help Wyoming find its footing early. But the action really heats up in Week 2 (Sept. 6) when they return to War Memorial Stadium to face Northern Iowa, a consistently tough FCS squad that has a knack for pushing FBS programs.
Week 3 (Sept. 13) delivers a blockbuster home clash against Utah, now a Big 12 powerhouse with a physical brand of football that will test Wyoming’s trenches. Just one week later, the Cowboys travel to Boulder to face Colorado on Sept. 20, where Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes are looking to make headlines—again. It’s a brutal back-to-back stretch that could define Wyoming’s national relevance in 2025.
After a bye, Wyoming dives into conference play, starting with a home matchup against UNLV on Oct. 4, followed by another Mountain West home game versus San José State on Oct. 11. These are two very winnable games, but they’re must-win if the Cowboys want to be in the title hunt come November.
The midseason road gauntlet begins Oct. 18 at Air Force, where defending the triple option in Colorado Springs is never easy. Then comes the classic Border War against Colorado State on Oct. 25, back home—arguably the most emotional game on the slate. Wyoming has won six of the last eight in the series, and this year’s edition could carry title implications in the Mountain West.
November is where things get dicey. A road trip to San Diego State on Nov. 1 and Fresno State on Nov. 15, two programs with postseason expectations, will test Wyoming’s late-season resolve. Sandwiched in between is a home clash against Nevada on Nov. 22, which could serve as a potential bowl-clincher.
The regular season wraps up with a picturesque but perilous trip to Hawai’i on Nov. 29—and anyone who follows Mountain West football knows that late November trip across the Pacific is as much about survival as it is about football.
New head coach Jay Sawvel, who took over after the departure of longtime head coach Craig Bohl, is looking to make 2025 his breakout year. “We want to build on our physicality, improve quarterback play, and become a more dynamic team offensively,” Sawvel said in a spring interview. “This group is ready to compete.”
Saddling Up: How Far Can the Cowboys Go in 2025?
Let’s not sugarcoat it—the Cowboys face one of their toughest schedules in recent years. But with challenge comes opportunity. The Utah and Colorado games offer Wyoming a rare shot at the national spotlight. If the Cowboys can steal one of those early high-profile matchups, they could enter conference play with major momentum.
Quarterback play will be critical in 2025. Wyoming rotated signal-callers last year, but Sawvel has hinted that a true QB1 will emerge during fall camp. “The position is wide open,” he told reporters. “We’re looking for leadership, accuracy, and the ability to make plays when the pocket breaks down.”
On defense, Wyoming has always been a bruising unit, especially in the front seven. Anchored by a strong linebacker core and experience in the secondary, this unit will need to be sharp, especially against mobile quarterbacks.
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The Cowboys’ success will likely hinge on their ability to win at home. With key Mountain West matchups against UNLV, San José State, Colorado State, and Nevada all coming to Laramie, the altitude and crowd noise of War Memorial could be their biggest advantage.
Should things break right—say, a 3-1 start and a few close conference wins—the Cowboys could realistically aim for eight or nine wins. That might not put them in the New Year’s Six conversation. However, it would signal a successful transition under Sawvel and keep the momentum strong for the future.
Now, with young talent emerging and a fanbase hungry for another run at conference glory, the Cowboys have the tools to shock the Mountain West and beyond. The question is: Can they put it all together when it matters most?
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