No. 21 Boise State and Wyoming come together today as programs heading in opposite directions.
The Broncos (6-1, 3-0 Mountain West) are steadily rising in the polls after six wins in a row, while the Cowboys (1-6, 0-3) are reeling from three consecutive losses and the one-game suspension of coach Dave Christensen.
Wyoming fined Christensen $50,000 and suspended him this week for confronting Air Force coach Troy Calhoun on the field after a 28-27 loss to the Falcons on Oct. 13.
Assistant head coach Pete Kaligis, who is filling in for Christensen, said the Cowboys are handling the situation well.
“These guys, they came here to play football and when it comes down to playing the game you can’t focus on the distractions on the outside,” said Kaligis, a starting guard on the University of Washington’s national championship team in 1991. “When it comes down to game planning and that aspect nothing will change.”
Christensen, a graduate of Everett High School, played for the Huskies from 1980-82 and was a graduate assistant at UW from 1988-89.
Kaligis, a Bellingham High grad, was UW’s strength and conditioning coach from 1999-2004.
Wyoming had high expectations at the start of the season but the loss of starting quarterback Brett Smith for two games and part of another because of concussions and a defense giving up an average of 33.9 points a game have left the Cowboys’ season in dire straits.
Boise State coach Chris Petersen said the suspension of Christensen shouldn’t make much of a difference because Wyoming’s coordinators, position coaches and other staff are all involved in planning every game, not just the head coach.
“It hasn’t changed our preparations,” he said.
REINHARDT HONOR
Former Colorado tight end Ed Reinhardt Jr. will be honored by the Buffaloes before today’s game at Oregon, 28 years after he was seriously injured against the Ducks.
Reinhardt was the nation’s leading receiver on Sept. 15, 1984, when he was tackled with about two minutes left. He collapsed on the sideline and lost consciousness, then was taken to the hospital.
Reinhardt had a blood clot on his brain and was in a coma for three weeks. He remained paralyzed on his right side.
Colorado coach Jon Embree was a fellow tight end and Reinhardt’s roommate on the road. “Ed’s a huge reason, a huge part of why I am, what I am today,” Embree said.
The neurosurgeon who rushed to Reinhardt’s aid on the sideline and eventually performed surgery was an Oregon season ticket holder.
Reinhardt’s younger brother, Matt, played for the Ducks as a tight end in the early 1990s.
EXTRA POINTS
John Wallace’s 30-yard field goal gave No. 16 Louisville (8-0 overall, 3-0 Big East) a 34-31 overtime home win over Cincinnati (5-2, 1-1). Teddy Bridgewater threw for 416 yards and two touchdowns for the Cardinals. ... Senior Wes Cobb ran for a career-high 152 yards and a touchdown as Air Force (5-3, 4-1 Mountain West) won at home over Nevada (6-3, 3-2), 48-31. ... Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco said support for adding a bowl game to the new postseason system has not waned, contrary to a report on ESPN.com.
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