The rivalry between the University of Wyoming and Colorado State University (CSU) is one of the most enduring in college athletics, with fans from both schools bringing passion and energy to each contest, County 17 reports.
However, this season, Wyoming has yet to secure a victory in direct athletic competition against CSU.
In the 2024-2025 academic year, the two schools will face off in eight different sports, including football, soccer, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, tennis, and volleyball. To date, Wyoming has been unable to defeat CSU in the five head-to-head matchups played. In volleyball, Wyoming lost twice to the Rams, and the UW football team lost the coveted Bronze Boot trophy to CSU for the first time in four years. Wyoming’s men’s basketball team also fell to CSU with a 79–63 defeat in a recent matchup.
The lone bright spot for Wyoming came in soccer, where the two teams played to a 0–0 draw in Fort Collins on Halloween.
Looking ahead, Wyoming’s women’s basketball team will have an opportunity to change the narrative when they host CSU this Saturday at 2 p.m. Both teams are currently tied with identical conference records, although CSU has a stronger overall record due to its performance in non-conference games.
This women’s basketball game is particularly significant, as both teams boast standout players. Wyoming’s Allyson Fertig, a dominant center, is leading the entire Mountain West Conference in points, rebounds, field goal percentage, and ranks second in blocks. On the other side, CSU’s Emma Ronsiek, who shares the conference’s Pre-Season Co-Player of the Year title with Fertig, ranks third in scoring, fourth in field goal percentage, and first in total minutes played.
With both teams featuring top-tier talent, the upcoming game promises to be an exciting showdown. ESPN Analytics gives Wyoming a 62.6% chance of securing the win, potentially marking the first victory over CSU for the school this season. The Cowgirls’ performance in this game could provide a much-needed morale boost, especially as both teams meet once more later in the season and Wyoming’s tennis team faces CSU in April.
Wyoming and CSU’s rivalry will come to an end in the coming years, as CSU is set to depart the Mountain West Conference for the Pac-12. Until then, Wyoming will have one more season of competition against their long-standing rival before CSU moves on to new athletic challenges.
