A rivalry to remember: Looking back at some of BYU’s most iconic wins over Wyoming

BYU football’s 100 season history would not be complete without Wyoming.
Other than Utah and Utah State, the Cougars have never faced another foe more than the Cowboys, having shared four different conferences together for a total of 88 years.
Though the two programs don’t meet on the field as often as they once did — this weekend’s trip to Laramie will be BYU’s first since 2009 — the rivalry remains rich with tradition and intrigue. It’s nearly impossible to forget the fervent hatred between Wyoming and the Cougars back in the day.
“This is a special game, really, when you get down to it for our players, for our program, for the state,” Cowboys head coach Jay Sawvel said of the matchup with BYU. “They’re not on any future schedule. I don’t know when they (will) ever come back to War Memorial Stadium. I think because of that this will obviously be a big deal to everyone in the state of Wyoming.”
If Saturday’s action truly is the last time the Cougars visit Cowboy country or even play Wyoming at all, then it’s been a ridiculous ride. Here’s a look back through the years at some of BYU’s most memorable victories over the brown and gold.
BYU has won more than 600 games in its history, and it all started against Wyoming.
The Cougars and Cowboys battled on a muddy south campus field where the Joseph Smith Building stands today, with Paul Packard finding fullback Hunter Manson for a 25-yard touchdown to give BYU both its first-ever touchdown and victory.
Since then, the Cougars have bested Wyoming on 45 more occasions, with Kalani Sitake’s crew looking to add one more to the tally this weekend.
No one came closer to toppling the Cougars in their national championship campaign than Wyoming, which led BYU by five points heading into the final quarter of homecoming day in Provo.
Robbie Bosco connected with tight end David Mills late in the contest for a go-ahead touchdown — Mills’ third score of the game — as the Cougars held on for a 41-38 win en route to a 13-0 mark and improbable national title.
Bosco threw for five touchdowns against the Cowboys, while Lakei Heimuli totaled 118 yards of offense and an end zone trip as well.
One could argue this was the rivalry’s most incredible contest.
Competing as nationally-ranked foes in the first-ever WAC title game, BYU held a 13-point halftime lead before the Cowboys swung right back to lead 25-22 late in the fourth quarter.
Steve Sarkisian then drove the Cougars down the field for a game-tying field goal to force overtime, where Ethan Pochman split the uprights once again to clinch BYU’s 16th and final WAC title.
Pochman netted four field goals that day against Wyoming, with Chad Lewis hauling in a Sarkisian pass for a score and Brian McKenzie adding a rushing touchdown as well.
BYU would go on to defeat Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl and earn a No. 5 national ranking, while the Cowboys didn’t even receive a bowl invite despite their No. 22 ranking and 10-2 record.
In this late-season showdown, BYU was looking for a 10-0 start, while Wyoming was fighting for its third win of the year. This would be a cakewalk for the Cougars, right?
It turned out to be anything but. The inspired Cowboys played out of their minds, even tying the score at 34 points apiece in the fourth quarter.
Luke Staley’s fourth touchdown of the afternoon gave BYU its final lead, with safety Levi Madarieta breaking up a Wyoming fourth-down pass at the goal line with 28 seconds remaining to preserve the Cougars’ victory.
It was a great way for Kalani Sitake to end his first season at the helm of the Cougars.
BYU outlasted Wyoming in the final installment of San Diego’s Poinsettia Bowl, with Jamaal Williams exploding for 210 rushing yards and his teammates intercepting future NFL superstar Josh Allen twice in a 24-21 dub.
Tanner Mangum filled in for an injured Taysom Hill and both threw for and ran in a pair of touchdowns. Harvey Langi racked up 16 tackles, and Kai Nacua sealed the 14th bowl win in BYU program history by picking off Allen in the game’s final minute.