Wyoming Cowboys

2005 Season Summary

Wyoming Cowboy head coach Joe Glenn, in just his second season at the helm, brought the program out of obscurity and losing and into a bowl as the Cowboys came literally out of nowhere to finish 7-5 straight up and 8-3 against the spread, which included a 24-21 Las Vegas Bowl win over UCLA as 12-point dogs.

Expectations were through the roof for 2005

Wyoming's sudden emergence as a bowl team after being picked for the bottom of the Mountain West Conference in 2004 meant that expectations were through the roof for 2005, particularly since almost all of the starters from that 2004 team along with their backups would be returning.

Causes for concern

While many reactive gamblers were joining Wyoming fans in eager anticipation of 2005 there were legitimate causes for concern with more savvy and sober college football bettors.

First, Wyoming would face a brutal non conference schedule which included two SEC road games. Beyond that, they were just 3-4 in a weaker MWC in 2004 and the league was stronger for 2005 and also would not be caught off guard by Wyoming, who no longer had the surprise factor in their favor.

With expectations high, Wyoming's gambling value would be potentially low and smarter gamblers would wait and see before committing.

Hype seemed justified

Wyoming opened the 2005 season against an old rival in Urban Meyer, who was the head man at MWC rival Utah in 2003-04 before taking over at Florida, where his Gators were a popular 23.5-point chalk in his debut at the swamp. This was one game in which Wyoming retained some value as the hype over Meyer's debut was off the charts and the Cowboys got the cash in a 14-32 loss/cover.

In their home opener against Louisiana Monroe the following week, Wyoming scored a 38-0 win as 21-point chalks. This was followed up with a 29-28 win at Air Force in the MWC opener as 2.5-point dogs. The following week at Mississippi, who was touted as seeking revenge for a loss at Wyoming in 2004, the Cowboys prevailed 24-14 as 3-point dogs. A 42-17 blowout win over UNLV as 19.5-point chalks improved Wyoming's record to 4-1 straight up and 5-0 against the spread as the preseason hype seemed justified.

Public bought high

As it turned out, Wyoming had reached its peak as a gambling value as the mainstream betting public bought high after that win over UNLV. The Cowboys were a ridiculous 9-point chalk at home in their next game against surging TCU, who had lost just one game at that point in 2005. The underdog Horned Frogs scored a 14-28 "upset" win that exposed Wyoming and began a gambling market crash.

Free fall

Up next was a game at home against New Mexico, which was a 24-27 loss in which the Cowboys were 6.5-point chalks.

Back-to-back road games loomed as the Cowboys were in free fall. First, at Colorado State, Wyoming lost 31-39 as a 3.5-point dog. That was followed by a poor effort at Utah in which they were blown out by the Utes 13-43 as 3-point dogs.

Unable to get back on track

Wyoming had now lost four consecutive games against the spread as their season was spinning out of control as they came home for a Senior Day matchup with surging BYU, who was a 3-point chalk. The points were still not enough for Wyoming who was defeated 21-35.

In the season finale at San Diego State, Wyoming was a 7-point dog and still couldn't get the cash in a 21-34 loss as they completed 2005 with six consecutive losses both straight up and against the spread, unable to get back on track and with their gambling value having crashed.