Wyoming Football 2011: 5 Reasons the Cowboys Will Make a Bowl Game

In 2009, Wyoming hired Dave Christensen as the head coach. 

He surprised many by not only leading the Cowboys to a bowl game, but also a come from behind victory in said bowl game.

The next year was a letdown.

The Cowboys finished a disappointing 3-9. This year they hope to rebound and make it back to a bowl. 

Here's five reasons they can do it.

Schedule

This might come as a bit of a surprise, but Wyoming's schedule isn't as daunting as it looks. Sure, the Cowboys face three top 15 teams, but they also play five FBS teams that went sub .500 last year. They also play two FCS teams. 

The Cowboys will need to win seven games to make it to a bowl, but it's doable.

Close Games

Last year, Wyoming lost four games by 10 points or less. These weren't just pushover teams. They featured Air Force, BYU, San Diego State and New Mexico. 

If the Cowboys can finish out games this year, they will make a bowl game.

Starters

Wyoming returns 19 starters this year. Although both the offense and defense were putrid last year, there is quite a bit of experience on both sides of the ball. 

The key loss is QB Austyn Carta-Samuels, who left the program for Vanderbilt. They do return RB Alvester Alexander, who had the most touchdowns on the team last year.

Alvester Alexander

As already mentioned, Alexander led the team in scoring last year. His stats for 2010 were 792 yards and 14 touchdowns on 189 carries. 

He factors to be the key to the offense this year, as the Cowboys must break in a new quarterback. 

Conference Realignment

Wyoming was affected by the conference alignment that swept across the nation last year. 

The Cowboys can make a bowl game easier because two conference bullies, Utah and BYU, are now gone. With these two teams off the schedule, Wyoming plays weaker teams allowing it to rack up much-needed wins.