Wyoming Cowboys Have One Advantage over Texas: Laramie's Altitude

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Laramie, Wyoming is home to the only four-year university in the least populated state in the Union. Therefore, it is also home to the only collegiate football team.

The Wyoming Cowboys call War Memorial Stadium home. There is nothing too special about War Memorial Stadium; it has a field like all other football stadiums, and it also has bleachers on three of the four sides of the field.

However, there are two special things about War Memorial Stadium. First, if the stadium were to sell out, then the stadium actually becomes the third largest city in the state of Wyoming.

Secondly, the stadium and the city of Laramie are located in the foothills of the Sherman Mountains which lay to the east. This gives a unique quality to the University of Wyoming Cowboys.  With a stadium that is located at 7,200 feet above sea level, it is the highest of any in the country.

That is more than 1,920 feet above the mile high city of Denver. So the oxygen in Laramie is not the thickest, and running at full speed, in pads seems to become a challenge in Laramie.

Therefore, when the University of Texas comes to town on September 12, it may not be as easy as some may think for the Longhorns to escape the Cowboy’s lassos.

While the Texas Longhorns are a legitimate contender to play in a BCS bowl game or even the National Championship under the leadership of Colt McCoy, when they come to play the Wyoming Cowboys, they could meet a tougher opponent than the media and others may think, as well as one that some may have overlooked.

Things have definitely changed in Laramie. Last year, coach Joe Glenn—who was supposed to be a savior to the Cowboys when he was hired in December of 2002—was fired.

After six seasons, the Glenn era came to a close after just two winning seasons, and one of those the Cowboys finished with a 6-6 season.

So after losing the annual border war against rival Colorado State, Wyoming made the decision to fire Joe Glenn.

A new coach had to be brought in and that coach was former Missouri assistant coach and offensive coordinator, Dave Christensen.

Christensen is another reason why the Wyoming Cowboys may have a fighting chance at beating the Longhorns.

Being the assistant coach and former offensive coordinator at Missouri, Christensen is familiar with the Longhorns style of football. After all, the Missouri Tigers are a part of the Big 12 (albeit the north division instead of the south division).

The Tigers and Longhorns played last year and Missouri was beat with a final score of 31-56. While this doesn’t give a lot of hope to Wyoming Cowboy fans, it can bring a small glimmer of hope to the Wyoming faithful.

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