LARAMIE — The Wyoming Cowboys will play their home opener on Saturday when they host Northern Iowa at 2 p.m. inside the newly renovated War Memorial Stadium. The matchup has been designated a “Gold Out,” with fans encouraged to wear gold.
The game will be televised on Altitude and streamed on Altitude+, the Mountain West Network and the MW App. Nate Kreckman will handle play-by-play with Jared Petrino providing analysis. Radio coverage will be available on the 26 stations of The Cowboy Sports Network, with Keith Kelley on the call, Erick Pauley as analyst and Jerrad Anderson reporting from the sidelines.
In Sweetwater County, you can catch the game on KUGR 104.9 FM or 1490 AM.
Wyoming (1-0) is coming off a season-opening shutout at Akron, the program’s first since 2017. The Cowboys’ defense held the Zips to 228 total yards, the fewest allowed in an opener since 2018. Over their last three games, Wyoming has given up just 31 total points and 288.3 yards per contest.
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Linebacker Brayden Johnson led the team with eight tackles, an interception, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. Safety Andrew Johnson added a career-high six tackles and two pass breakups, while the defensive line combined for 4.5 sacks and a blocked field goal.
On offense, wide receiver Chris Durr Jr. had a career day with 146 receiving yards, including a 49-yard catch and a 35-yard touchdown. Running back Sam Scott rushed for a career-high 132 yards on 29 carries, averaging 4.6 yards per attempt to lead the Mountain West in rushing after Week 1. Transfer wideout Jackson Holman also made an impact in his debut with four receptions for 79 yards.
The Cowboys’ defense showcased its depth, with 20 players recording a statistic and 11 seeing their first action with Wyoming. Offensively, the Pokes posted 426 total yards and controlled possession for more than 33 minutes.
Saturday’s game will feature added intrigue for Wyoming offensive coordinator Jay Johnson, who faces his alma mater. Johnson was a three-time All-Gateway Conference quarterback at Northern Iowa from 1990-92, leading the Panthers to three conference titles and three Division I-AA playoff appearances. He remains among UNI’s all-time leaders in passing yards (8,341), passing touchdowns (60) and completions (504).
Northern Iowa (1-0) opened its season with a 38-14 win over Butler. Quarterback Matthew Schecklam threw for 214 yards and four touchdowns, while the Panthers rushed for 213 yards at 6.9 yards per carry. Defensively, Tucker Langenberg paced UNI with 12 tackles, while Ryan Crandall added 10.
This will be the second meeting between the programs. Wyoming defeated UNI 45-42 in a shootout on Sept. 11, 1993, at War Memorial Stadium. Future Hall of Famer Kurt Warner was Northern Iowa’s quarterback that season.
