playing wyoming +10.5 -110
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Cougars licking chops over reeling Cowboys
. ? The Cougars and Cowboys are on different wave lengths today when they resume a long and storied battle on the football field.
Wyoming (5-5, 2-4) hosts BYU (7-2, 5-0) today at noon in War Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised live on The mtn.
While BYU can clinch at least a share of the MWC title today, the Cowboys are looking for bowl eligibility, an end to a slide in which they've lost four of the last five games and the purge from their systems of a 50-0 shellacking last Saturday at Utah.
Wyoming's coach Joe Glenn, who was reprimanded by the league this past week for flashing one half of the peace sign at Utah's sideline last Saturday, told reporters this week he's asking his team to keep working harder and harder and bring out the hammer to keep things going in a positive manner.
Meanwhile, BYU's Bronco Mendenhall, whose team is working on extending the league's longest win streak to 14 games, believes the Cougars will get Wyoming's best shot today.
"I expect a refocused, rededicated and an identity type of game from their program," Mendenhall said.
" Not that they need a different identity at home because at home they are 4-1, but they are 1-4 on the road. They have a chance to go back to where they have played well and where they are clear on how they compete and how they execute. They demonstrated that the entire year, so I think this will be a pivotal game for their program in terms of re-establishing."
The Cowboy act at home could get tougher with the absence of one half of its dynamic running duo. Wyoming's leading rusher, junior Devin Moore (874 yards rushing) will not play today, according to the Tribune Eagle, quoting head football trainer Robb Williams.
"I've been nudging Robb (to get him to play) if he feels good on Saturday," Glenn said. "But Robb has told me he is not going to play, and it's his call.
"Robb knows what he's doing, and (Moore) is not going to play games. But that's not going to stop me from lighting a candle at church."
Wyoming's woes would appear to set up the Cougars for a trap game, and BYU players could be looking past the Cowboys and on to next week's rivalry game with Utah.
"If they do, it will be one of the most disappointing things that has happened since I have been coaching," Mendenhall said. "The focus has been on one game at a time, with the next game being the most important. If anyone, the players, coaching staff, the secretaries, or if anyone else looks past the opponent we are playing on a given week, I'll be disappointed because they haven't been paying attention for the past three years.
The Cougars enter today's game with some issues of their own after senior safety and key play-caller in the defense Quinn Gooch suffered a season-ending knee injury against TCU. Gooch will undergo surgery to repair his ACL after the Utah game. In his place, Kellen Fowler, will get his first start of his career. Fowler is the fourth safety to move into the Cougar secondary since two-a-days began. Seniors Dustin Gabriel and David Tafuna both suffered season-ending injuries in August, opening the door for Corby Hodgkiss, who has started every game this season along side Gooch and now Fowler.
The Cowboys have been prone to turning the ball over, a negative the Cougars knew very well in losses to UCLA and Tulsa. Mendenhall believes that has been Wyoming's challenge this season.
"I think turnovers could be pointed to. I like to focus mainly on our program, but as I am focusing on an opponent and from the film that I have watched this morning, there seems to be a slightly different confidence at home versus on the road. Turnovers might have something to do with that, it terms of decision-making. What I have to focus on, and what our team has to focus on, is their capabilities at home. They play very well at home and coming off the loss they just had, I expect a game that will be very emotional and very hard fought."
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Slight chance of rain with highs in the mid-50s.
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KEY MATCHUP
BYU OFFENSIVE LINE vs. WYOMING DEFENSIVE FRONT: The Cougars will need to hold up in the trenches against Wyoming's blitzing front seven. Lineman John Fletcher leads the league in sacks with eight.
THE STAKES
For BYU ... The Cougars are undefeated in the MWC and a win would clinch at least a share of the championship with games left against Utah and San Diego State.
For Wyoming ... The Cowboys need a victory to become bowl eligible and extend their season into December. Center Tim Bond is back this week from a right knee sprain that has kept him out the past two weeks.
THE TRENDS
For BYU ... The Cougars are working on their 14th straight conference win, extending a league record.
For Wyoming ... The Cowboys started the year 3-0 before losing to New Mexico and Air Force. After losing to San Diego State and Utah, the Cowboys are 1-4 in their last five games.
THE EDGE
BYU will win if ... the Cougars take away Wyoming's run attack and force Cowboy starting quarterback Karsten Sween to beat them with his arm.
Wyoming will win if ... the Cowboys force turnovers from the Cougars while avoiding the same themselves, something Wyoming has not been able to do. The Cowboys are last in the MWC in turnover margin (minus-11).
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Cougars licking chops over reeling Cowboys
. ? The Cougars and Cowboys are on different wave lengths today when they resume a long and storied battle on the football field.
Wyoming (5-5, 2-4) hosts BYU (7-2, 5-0) today at noon in War Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised live on The mtn.
While BYU can clinch at least a share of the MWC title today, the Cowboys are looking for bowl eligibility, an end to a slide in which they've lost four of the last five games and the purge from their systems of a 50-0 shellacking last Saturday at Utah.
Wyoming's coach Joe Glenn, who was reprimanded by the league this past week for flashing one half of the peace sign at Utah's sideline last Saturday, told reporters this week he's asking his team to keep working harder and harder and bring out the hammer to keep things going in a positive manner.
Meanwhile, BYU's Bronco Mendenhall, whose team is working on extending the league's longest win streak to 14 games, believes the Cougars will get Wyoming's best shot today.
"I expect a refocused, rededicated and an identity type of game from their program," Mendenhall said.
" Not that they need a different identity at home because at home they are 4-1, but they are 1-4 on the road. They have a chance to go back to where they have played well and where they are clear on how they compete and how they execute. They demonstrated that the entire year, so I think this will be a pivotal game for their program in terms of re-establishing."
The Cowboy act at home could get tougher with the absence of one half of its dynamic running duo. Wyoming's leading rusher, junior Devin Moore (874 yards rushing) will not play today, according to the Tribune Eagle, quoting head football trainer Robb Williams.
"I've been nudging Robb (to get him to play) if he feels good on Saturday," Glenn said. "But Robb has told me he is not going to play, and it's his call.
"Robb knows what he's doing, and (Moore) is not going to play games. But that's not going to stop me from lighting a candle at church."
Wyoming's woes would appear to set up the Cougars for a trap game, and BYU players could be looking past the Cowboys and on to next week's rivalry game with Utah.
"If they do, it will be one of the most disappointing things that has happened since I have been coaching," Mendenhall said. "The focus has been on one game at a time, with the next game being the most important. If anyone, the players, coaching staff, the secretaries, or if anyone else looks past the opponent we are playing on a given week, I'll be disappointed because they haven't been paying attention for the past three years.
The Cougars enter today's game with some issues of their own after senior safety and key play-caller in the defense Quinn Gooch suffered a season-ending knee injury against TCU. Gooch will undergo surgery to repair his ACL after the Utah game. In his place, Kellen Fowler, will get his first start of his career. Fowler is the fourth safety to move into the Cougar secondary since two-a-days began. Seniors Dustin Gabriel and David Tafuna both suffered season-ending injuries in August, opening the door for Corby Hodgkiss, who has started every game this season along side Gooch and now Fowler.
The Cowboys have been prone to turning the ball over, a negative the Cougars knew very well in losses to UCLA and Tulsa. Mendenhall believes that has been Wyoming's challenge this season.
"I think turnovers could be pointed to. I like to focus mainly on our program, but as I am focusing on an opponent and from the film that I have watched this morning, there seems to be a slightly different confidence at home versus on the road. Turnovers might have something to do with that, it terms of decision-making. What I have to focus on, and what our team has to focus on, is their capabilities at home. They play very well at home and coming off the loss they just had, I expect a game that will be very emotional and very hard fought."
========
Slight chance of rain with highs in the mid-50s.
========
KEY MATCHUP
BYU OFFENSIVE LINE vs. WYOMING DEFENSIVE FRONT: The Cougars will need to hold up in the trenches against Wyoming's blitzing front seven. Lineman John Fletcher leads the league in sacks with eight.
THE STAKES
For BYU ... The Cougars are undefeated in the MWC and a win would clinch at least a share of the championship with games left against Utah and San Diego State.
For Wyoming ... The Cowboys need a victory to become bowl eligible and extend their season into December. Center Tim Bond is back this week from a right knee sprain that has kept him out the past two weeks.
THE TRENDS
For BYU ... The Cougars are working on their 14th straight conference win, extending a league record.
For Wyoming ... The Cowboys started the year 3-0 before losing to New Mexico and Air Force. After losing to San Diego State and Utah, the Cowboys are 1-4 in their last five games.
THE EDGE
BYU will win if ... the Cougars take away Wyoming's run attack and force Cowboy starting quarterback Karsten Sween to beat them with his arm.
Wyoming will win if ... the Cowboys force turnovers from the Cougars while avoiding the same themselves, something Wyoming has not been able to do. The Cowboys are last in the MWC in turnover margin (minus-11).
