UW Football enters their matchup against Portland State as an odds-on favorite

Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl addresses the media ahead of the Cowboys’ matchup against Portland State.
Courtesy of University of Wyoming Athletics

Fans stormed the field at War Memorial Stadium last week after the University of Wyoming Football team defeated Texas Tech in a double-overtime thriller. This Saturday, the team transitions from being an underdog against a well-known opponent to being an odds-on favorite.

“Sometimes you really get tested when things go well, and everybody's patting you on the back,” said Cowboys head coach Craig Bohl at his weekly press conference. “It's not far from the penthouse to the outhouse.”

Bohl said the key this week is for his team to stay hungry against a Portland State Vikings squad that lost to Oregon 81 to seven last week. He said the Pokes need to establish a stronger running game, protect the ball better and remain healthy.

“They've got a big strong defensive front and, and we need to make improvements to come up with the next win,” Bohl said.

Placekicker John Hoyland will also try to build off of his great performance against Texas Tech, which earned him the honor of Special Teams Player of the Week in the Mountain West. Quarterback Andrew Peasley will try and lead a Pokes passing attack that surpassed expectations in the first game.

A win against the Vikings would move the Cowboys closer to a ranking among the top 25 teams nationally. They earned votes this week from both the Associated Press and coaches for the first time since 2016.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Flipboard
Will Walkey is currently a reporter for Wyoming Public Radio. Through 2023, Will was WPR's regional reporter with the Mountain West News Bureau. He first arrived in Wyoming in 2020, where he covered Teton County for KHOL 89.1 FM in Jackson. His work has aired on NPR and numerous member stations throughout the Rockies, and his story on elk feedgrounds in Western Wyoming won a regional Murrow award in 2021.
Related Content
  1. Study finds a shortage of qualified workers to keep up with Wyoming’s booming tourism sector
  2. The UW football team’s spring camp was a success, bringing promise for the upcoming season
  3. Conservative student group with national ties grows its presence at the University of Wyoming
  4. Transgender Athlete Schuyler Bailar spoke to University of Wyoming students