Colorado State University (CSU) has been a known rival of the Wyoming Cowboys for decades. The history behind the rivalry is often unknown to the average student.
In 1899, the Cowboys traveled to Fort Collins, CO, to take on the Rams in the first-ever Border War game. The Cowboys lost 12-0 to the Rams, marking the beginning of the 124-year rivalry.
“The rivalry represents a difference in socioeconomic development between the two schools. One is in this larger city with access to bigger city necessities, while the other (Laramie) is more of a true college town,” owners of the Instagram account @barstoolwyo said.
“Wyoming is often misrepresented compared to kids from CSU. Of course, it is a tougher living environment, but that makes the Cowboy lifestyle so great that it is not easy.”
The Border War is one of the longest-running rivalries West of the Mississippi, as it has lasted for three centuries.
For 69 years, the rivalry was only in playing the sports game, but in 1968 the schools decided to create a traveling trophy for football, more formally known as the Bronze Boot, to raise the stakes.
The Bronze Boot was worn by Dan Romero SR., a Vietnam War veteran and alumni of CSU. Major Vic Fernandez thought of the idea of the Bronze Boot and thought it was a noble sign of victory.
After his deployment to Vietnam, Romero had his size eight boot bronzed and mounted on a walnut base. He then gave it to the universities as their trophy.
“The boot tradition is important to the Cowboys because it shows our schools’ love for our military veterans. In addition, it gives an amazing opportunity for football players to represent something bigger than themselves or their school,” @barstoolwyo said.
Each school’s ROTC detachment meets yearly at the Wyoming/Colorado border and exchanges the game ball. They then run it to the stadium that is hosting the game.
Whoever wins the game gets to keep the Bronze Boot for a whole year until next season’s border war game.
“No other school has a military boot cast in bronze, so to us, that makes it the best trophy and certainly the most underrated,” @barstoolwyo said.
In years past, Wyoming’s ROTC detachment rode up to the Colorado border wearing 19th-century cavalry uniforms on horseback to greet the CSU ROTC.
Out of the 124-year rivalry, the schools played every year except for 12 years throughout 1901-1945 due to weather, the Great Depression, or both world wars.
The 2022 Border War game was the 109th, with CSU leading 59-49 games won. Since the start of the Bronze Boot trophy, Wyoming has led 30-25.
“The proximity between the two schools has kept the rivalry going for so long. CSU is only 65 miles away, and I don’t believe there’s another rivalry between two schools from different states competing yearly,” @barstoolwyo said.
“We are lucky to call little brother whenever the Cowboys need a win. It is also important to have those close rivalries. It is an amazing sight to Brown and Gold in Fort Collins for all sporting events.”
