The Colorado State Rams and Wyoming Cowboys, who will be in separate conferences beginning in 2026, have scheduled their Border War football series for the 2028 through 2035 seasons, both schools announced Thursday.
Colorado State is leaving the Mountain West Conference after the 2025 season and will join the Pac-12 Conference beginning in the fall of 2026. As a result, their annual Border War game will go on hiatus for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, which will break a streak of 78 consecutive contests played since 1946.
“The Border War rivalry game versus Wyoming is one of the oldest rivalries in the West dating back 125-years and features one of the most iconic trophies in college football,” said Colorado State Director of Athletics John Weber. “The Boot Run with the game ball, the Border Ceremony, and the Bronze Boot Trophy all honor the values and rich ROTC history of both of our universities and will remain integral to this rivalry for years to come. This game is important to our universities, communities, and fans; and I am thrilled that this historic rivalry will continue.”
The two schools are scheduled to play this season on Friday, Nov. 15 at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, Colo. Next season, the Rams will travel to face the Cowboys at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyo., on a date to be determined, which will mark their final Mountain West meeting.
“With all the changes in college football, it’s great to maintain a rivalry that has been played for 125 years,” said CSU head coach Jay Norvell. “It means so much to our fans and community that we continue this historic rivalry. Rivalries are what make college football special and to play programs that are close to you in proximity where it means so much to so many in your community, it’s great to preserve that.”
When the series resumes in 2028, the Border War will be played in Fort Collins in even years and in Laramie in odd years.
“The “Border War” is an important game for the State of Wyoming,” Wyoming Director of Athletics Tom Burman said. “It’s in all of our best interests that we play Colorado State in multiple sports every year. I believe this is the best rivalry game in the West and we look forward to continued battles.”
There is a possibility the Border War series could resume before the 2028 season, however. Both schools are currently “…working on amendments to schedules for the 2026 and 2027 season for potential additions to the current agreement.”
Colorado State and Wyoming first met on the gridiron in 1899 and have played a total of 115 contests. The Rams currently lead the overall series 59-51-5.
Future Border War Games
- Sept. 23, 2028 at CSU
- Sept. 22, 2029 at WYO
- Sept. 7, 2030 at CSU
- Sept. 20, 2031 at WYO
- Sept. 25, 2032 at CSU
- Sept. 24, 2033 at WYO
- Sept. 23, 2034 at CSU
- Sept. 22, 2035 at WYO
Football Schedules
Colorado State should also play Air Force OOC every year on Thanksgiving weekend.
Does Dan Rakow accept this? We wait in anticipation