LARAMIE — While some college football coaches around the country are axing their team’s annual spring game, one of Wyoming’s 2025 opponents is looking to make the scrimmage a “Prime Time” event.
Colorado’s April 19 tilt inside Folsom Field is not only a full go, boisterous head coach Deion Sanders is looking for a dance partner.
He wants his Buffaloes to face another team.
In fact, Coach Prime mentioned earlier in the week he’d like to turn this into an NFL-style event with joint practices and a national-television audience.
“I would like to practice against someone for a few days, then you have the spring game,” Sanders told NBC Sports on Tuesday. “I think the public will be satisfied with that, tremendously. I think it’s a tremendous idea.”
Imagine the interest — and dollars — this idea would garner?
Syracuse head coach Fran Brown is all in, too. He responded to Sanders on X saying, “We will come to Boulder for 3 days.”
Wyoming’s second-year head coach loves the concept, too. But in this current climate?
“No,” Jay Sawvel said bluntly on Thursday when asked if he’d ever participate in an actual “preseason” type of game against another university. “I’ll never do it in the transfer portal age. The reason is, OK, it sounds great, and look, I’d be all for this — if it wasn’t for the age that we live in.”
The spring portal window is open from April 16-25.
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* COLUMN: Should Wyoming Retire Josh Allen’s No. 17?
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National brands like Texas, USC and Ohio State, among many others, are nixing their games. While the public excuses include everything from stadium renovations to injuries to length of regular season schedules, it’s no secret what has caused the cancellations.
Nebraska’s Matt Rhule isn’t skirting the main issue.
“The word tampering doesn’t exist anymore,” he told Cornhuskers Wire. “It’s just an absolute free, open, common market. I don’t necessarily want to open up to the outside world and have people watch our guys and say, ‘He looks like a pretty good player. Let’s go get him.'”
Wyoming’s Brown and Gold game is still scheduled to take place April 26 inside War Memorial Stadium. Sawvel is even opening up Saturday workouts to the public throughout the month of April. The local media is permitted at all 15 practices.
Unlike those major programs listed above, though, the Cowboys’ scrimmage is not broadcast or streamed. If that element did exist, Sawvel admitted, he would be forced to change course, too.
Running back Harrison Waylee and defensive end Sabastian Harsh late last week entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. They are in search of a new home for their final collegiate season.
Sawvel warned Thursday another departure is imminent. That situation, he added, has more to do with a “family illness” and wanting to play closer to home.
Wyoming also lost a number of players to the open market following its 3-9 campaign in 2024. Wide receiver Justin Stevenson (Utah), along with nose tackle Jaden Williams (Kentucky) and edge rusher Braden Siders (West Virginia) highlight that group.
Can anyone blame Sawvel for not wanting to expose his program any further?
“It does us no good to go, OK, we’re going to go play TCU in the spring game and give them a good look at all of our players,” he said. “We’re not doing that. And that’s what that would turn into.
“… For us to go play CU after next year, you know, because we don’t play them again past this year, why? Give them a full day to evaluate our guys? No. That’s not an option.
The Cowboys open spring practice Tuesday, March 25 in Laramie. They will travel to Boulder in Week 4 to close out the non-conference slate. That game is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 20.
University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players
The rules are simple: What was the player’s impact while in Laramie? That means NFL stats, draft status or any other accolade earned outside of UW is irrelevant when it comes to this list.
This isn’t a one-man job. This task called for a panel of experts. Joining 7220’s Cody Tucker are Robert Gagliardi, Jared Newland, Ryan Thorburn, and Kevin McKinney.
We all compiled our own list of 50 and let computer averages do the work. Think BCS — only we hope this catalog is fairer.
Gallery Credit: 7220Sports.com
– University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players
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