Column: Wyoming's Groundhog Day in Bowl Selections Spurs Call for Change

By Jeff Bugher

jeff@pokesnews.com

Lane Romsa and horse War Paint led the team onto the field during the 2022 Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl. Photo by Jeff Bugher, PokesNews.com Staff

Not Ungrateful, just Frustrated

I always try to keep my writing upbeat, but after anxiously monitoring today's college football Bowl Selection Sunday, it is hard to be encouraged. The Wyoming Cowboys have been invited to their second consecutive Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl and their third selection to that bowl in the last five seasons. With so many other bowl games available to Mountain West Conference teams, the Bowl Committee let Wyoming down this year.

Wyoming Bowl Bids since 2019:

2023: Arizona Bowl

2022: Arizona Bowl

2021: Potato Bowl

2019: Arizona Bowl

The Team

From the team’s standpoint, I can see where there could be frustration that the seniors are playing in the same bowl game again. Bowl games are a reward for playing well and becoming bowl-eligible, so going bowling is always a great reward for a hard-fought season. Unfortunately, this reward comes with another shortened Christmas break due to the timing of the game.

The Fans

It could have been worse. At least Wyoming did not get selected for the "Famous" Idaho Potato Bowl or the Isleta New Mexico Bowl. That was the consensus amongst fans that I spoke with. Sure, the warmth of Arizona will be nice at the end of December, but attending the same game repeatedly is getting old. At least the fans are familiar with the stadium's layout, parking, etc. And the game will be on national television this time around. (If you consider The CW "national television.")

Solution

Is it good for the teams or the conference if a Mountain West team is selected to the same bowl not only twice consecutively, but also three times in five years? No! Unless that bowl game is reserved for the conference champion, there should be more oversight to ensure there is some diversity amongst MWC bowl selections. At the very least, there should be a bylaw or rule that no team shall be invited to the same bowl game in consecutive seasons.

But, as I said, it could have been worse. Instead of shorts and flip-flops, we could be packing for a trip to Boise in late December. Be careful what you wish for.