UW to host three Top 25 programs

by Wyoming Sports.org

Three teams that ended the 2008 college football season ranked among the nation’s Top 25 will headline the 2009 Wyoming home football schedule, led by the No. 3 Texas.

Joining Texas on UW’s home schedule will be fellow Top 25 teams TCU and BYU, along with Mountain West Conference opponents New Mexico, UNLV and non-conference opponent Weber State.

“It is very exciting to offer this outstanding home schedule to our fans,” Wyoming Athletics Director Tom Burman said. “We hope our fans are equally excited about the opportunity to see three of the nation’s Top 25 programs in Laramie in the same season -- two of which finished ranked in the top seven teams in the country.

“To have Texas, one of the elite programs in college football, come to Laramie for the first time we believe, makes the 2009 schedule the greatest in our school’s history. We expect that game to be a sellout well in advance of Sept. 12, so we want our fans to plan ahead to assure they get an opportunity to see what we believe will be the biggest game in the history of War Memorial Stadium.”

The Longhorns will make their first-ever appearance in Laramie on Sept. 12. Texas entered this year’s bowl season ranked No. 3 in the BCS Standings, and concluded the season ranked No. 3 in the final USA Today Coaches’ Poll and the Harris Interactive Poll and No. 4 in the Associated Press Media Poll. The Longhorns defeated Ohio State, 24-21, in the 2009 Fiesta Bowl.

Texas possesses as rich a tradition in college football as any team in the country. The Longhorns have captured four National Championships including their most recent BCS Championship in 2005. In addition to their BCS Championship in ‘05, Texas also won National Championships in 1963, 1969 and 1970.

TCU concluded the 2008 season ranked No. 7 in both the USA Today Coaches’ Poll and AP Poll and was No. 11 in the final Harris Interactive ranking. TCU entered the bowl season ranked No. 11 in the BCS rankings. The Horned Frogs defeated Boise State 17-16 in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.

BYU was ranked No. 16 in both the BCS standings and the Harris Poll prior to its appearance in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl and ended the season ranked No. 21 by USA Today and No. 25 by Associated Press. The Cougars fell to Arizona, 21-31, in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Priority for tickets to the Texas game will be given to UW football season-ticket holders. Season-ticket renewals will be sent out to current UW football season-ticket holders on Jan. 16.
After the season-ticket renewal process has been completed, fans wishing to purchase new season tickets may begin doing so on Feb. 2.

Priority for tickets to the Texas game will be determined as follows:

1. Current UW season-ticket holders will be offered the opportunity to purchase one additional single-game ticket to the Texas game for every one season-ticket they have purchased.

2. New season-ticket buyers in 2009 will receive the Texas game ticket as part of their season-ticket package.

3. In June, if Texas tickets remain, Cowboy Joe Club (CJC) members will be sent a letter offering CJC members the opportunity to purchase additional single-game tickets to the Texas game based on their CJC donor level, priority rank and their priority ticket eligibility.

4. If any single-game tickets remain for the Texas game after that, they will go on sale to the general public on July 27.

The game versus Texas will be the first of a three-game football series between UW and UT beginning in 2009. After opening the three-game series in Laramie, Wyoming will travel to Austin, Texas, twice for road games on Sept. 11, 2010, and Sept. 1, 2012.

Wyoming’s 2009 schedule also will feature three road games against Front Range rivals. In addition to Mountain West Conference games at Air Force and at Colorado State, the Cowboys will travel to Boulder, Colo., to face the Colorado Buffaloes on Sept. 19. It will be the first meeting between UW and CU since 1997.

The dates for Wyoming’s non-conference games have been set for the 2009 season. Dates for 2009 Mountain West Conference games, as well as kickoff times for all games will not be available until the MWC and its television partners release the complete 2009 football schedule, which usually occurs sometime in March or April.

Wyoming fans are encouraged to renew their season tickets online at www.WyomingAthletics.com. One of the best incentives for renewing online is a great offer from the Cowboy Joe Club. The CJC is offering members five priority points for renewing online.

The cost of a season ticket for the 2009 Wyoming football season is $168. UW faculty and staff season tickets are $140 each. Fans can also purchase a season-ticket Family Plan. Each season ticket in a Family Plan sells for $100 with a required minimum purchase of four tickets for a total of $400 for a Family Plan of four season tickets.

Fans who have questions or need additional information on purchasing tickets for 2009 Wyoming football games can call the UW Athletics Ticket Office at (800) 922-9461 or (307) 766-4850, or visit http://www.wyomingathletics.com/.

Christensen to be introduced at public events
Head football coach Dave Christensen will be introduced to Wyoming fans at two public events next week in Laramie and Cheyenne.

On Wednesday at Wyoming’s men’s basketball game versus San Diego State, Christensen will be introduced to Cowboy fans in a halftime ceremony. The game is scheduled to tip off at 6 p.m.

Then on Thursday in Cheyenne, Christensen will be available at a “Meet and Greet” event at Jackson’s All-American Sports Grill from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jackson’s is located at 1121 Old Town Lane near the corner of Story and Powderhouse, which is north and west of the Frontier Fashion Mall in Cheyenne.

The Cheyenne event, which is free and open to the public, will feature a cash bar, reception with appetizers, silent auction and speaking program.

The event at Jackson’s will be sponsored by the Cowboy Joe Club, Wyoming Sports Properties and Jackson’s All-American Sports Grill.