Cowboy Football fans flooded War Memorial Stadium to show support as UW took on Toledo on Saturday. Wyoming lost 34-31.
When the tailgating started and the smell of BBQ mixed with the crisp fall air, it was officially game day in Laramie. Brown and gold everywhere intimidated Toledo fans on Saturday.
Once the stadium opened up, it felt like a family reunion. This year felt more welcoming, more exciting. The student section was especially loud and rowdy. The fans went crazier when the game started off with the Cowboys fighting down the field for an early lead over Toledo.
Watching from the student section made every play that much better and stronger. Toledo and the Cowboys fought hard. Both came to win.
The teams played well the first half. The score was even when the Cowboys tied it up right before the end of the half. But as any sports fan knows, it is the second half and the fourth quarter that are most nerve wracking.
Sure enough, in the second half, a Toledo player hit quarterback Brett Smith hard. The whole stadium went silent.
Fans wondered what happened and if our star quarterback would be okay. Watching Smith carried off the field on a stretcher was even worse. It felt as if prayers and wishes were going out to him as he left the stadium.
Colby Kirkegaard, back-up quarterback led the Cowboys on a trick play for a touchdown.
“Our kicking game improved since the game against Texas, but there’s a lot we learned from the Toledo game,” Head Coach Dave Christensen said. “Especially from our defensive line, which will prepare us for the future games to come.”
The Cowboys fought hard and played well, soldiering on until the end of the game even after one of the leaders took a fall. Their dedication shows true heart from every player who kept going, making the Poke fans proud.
