Early look at UW's matchup with Northern Colorado

Jun. 8—For the next 10 weeks, WyoSports' Josh Criswell will continue to examine each game on the University of Wyoming's 2022 football schedule. Here is a look into the Cowboys' Sept. 10 matchup with Northern Colorado.

Rocky start

While UW fans might not know much about their upcoming FCS opponent, they're certainly familiar with the Bears' head coach.

Ed McCaffrey — who won a pair of Super Bowls as a receiver with the Denver Broncos — took over as UNC's coach in December 2019. McCaffrey's first two seasons at the helm have had their rocky moments, however.

The Bears opted out of the 2021 spring FCS season, and went 3-8 with a 10th-place finish in the Big Sky last fall — although their three wins did match the program's most since 2016. UNC also got negative attention off the field, with assistant coach Max McCaffrey, Ed's eldest son, being reprimanded for accidentally hitting a Montana State fan with a broken clipboard during a 40-7 loss, and former players alleging systemic issues, according to a report from the Greeley Tribune earlier this year.

Mass exodus

The Pokes had their share of attrition to the transfer portal this off-season, but nothing that compares to what happened at Northern Colorado.

UNC had more than 30 players transfer out of the program, leaving an array of holes to fill on both sides of the ball. Among the departures were a handful of key contributors, including seven that have landed at the FBS level.

Room for improvement

Without question, Ed McCaffrey's highest-profile recruiting grab came when his son, Dylan, transferred in from Michigan early last year.

A four-star prospect and the No. 6 quarterback in the class of 2017, according to ESPN, Dylan's arrival after four years with the Wolverines spurred optimism for the UNC offense. Unfortunately for the Bears, this promise didn't translate to the field last season.

Their 14.9 points and 275.4 yards per game ranked last in the Big Sky, with Dylan posting a 5-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio and the worst passer efficiency rating of qualified quarterbacks in the conference. The Bears were undefeated when he threw more touchdowns than interceptions, but that only happened on two occasions.

Big addition

While there wasn't much positive news for UNC involving the transfer portal this off-season, it did receive a significant pickup that should help ease the loss of leading rusher Gene Sledge Jr.

Sacramento State graduate transfer Elijah Dotson was among the top running backs in the FCS during his first three years at the college level, earning All-American honors in 2019. The Hornets opted out of the 2021 spring season, however, and Dotson only appeared in four games last fall. Regardless, he should pose a threat for a Cowboys team that allowed FCS Montana State's Isaiah Ifanse to rack up 136 all-purpose yards in the Pokes' 2021 season opener.

Opening line

Betting odds have not been released for the Cowboys' game against UNC, but they are likely to open as heavy favorites. Wyoming was a 17-to-19-point favorite for last year's opener against Montana State, which was a national title contender and No. 12 in the FCS' preseason poll.

Josh Criswell covers the University of Wyoming for WyoSports. He can be reached at jcriswell@wyosports.net or 307-755-3325. Follow him on Twitter at @criswell_sports.

Josh Criswell covers the University of Wyoming for WyoSports. He can be reached at jcriswell@wyosports.net or 307-755-3325. Follow him on Twitter at @criswell_sports.