Meet the Cowboys' 2023 opponents

Aug. 28—Texas Tech

Keys to the season

Potent passing game: The Cowboys will welcome in their highest-touted opponent since the COVID-19 pandemic to open the season at War Memorial Stadium. Texas Tech was picked fourth in the Big 12's preseason media polls, tallying four first-place votes. Much of the preseason hype circles around the Red Raiders' passing offense, with Tyler Shough expected to start at quarterback. Shough has shown flashes over the past three seasons, but has struggled to stay healthy. He's played in just 22 games since 2019, but showed what he's capable of in last year's regular-season finale against Oklahoma. Shough was 31-of-50 for 436 yards and two touchdowns against the Sooners. Despite Shough missing time, Texas Tech finished with the No. 1 passing offense in the Big 12 at 302 yards per game.

Strong pass rush: The Red Raiders will be without top edge-rusher Tyree Wilson, who was the seventh overall pick in this year's NFL draft. Jaylon Hutchings and Tony Bradford will return, however, after combining for 80 total tackles and seven sacks a year ago. Texas Tech led the Big 12 in sacks last season, finishing with 31. Overall, the Red Raiders defense was seventh in the conference in total defense, allowing 425.5 yards per game.

Turnover margin: Texas Tech had an average turnover margin of minus-0.46 per game last season, which ranked 109th in the country. The Cowboys were slightly ahead at a minus-0.15 turnover margin, to tie for 80th in the FBS. With an electric offense like Texas Tech's, limiting turnovers on offense while creating a few on defense will be the key for a UW team looking for a big upset at home to start the season.

Portland State

Keys to the season

Bouncing back: The Vikings will be the Cowboys' first and only matchup with an FCS opponent this fall. Portland State is coming off a disappointing 4-7 campaign and a 3-5 mark in the Big Sky Conference. The Vikings had the fourth-worst defense in their conference last season, allowing 37 points per game.

New quarterback: The Vikings' offense will have a new quarterback under center for the first time in three years after the graduation of Davis Alexander. The three-year starter was second in school history with 9,215 career passing yards and 63 touchdowns, according to the school's website. Portland State has a handful of prospects that will compete for the starting job. The Vikings were 10th out of 12 teams in the Big Sky last season, averaging just 201.4 passing yards per game. Whoever wins the starting job will be protected by an experienced offensive line, starting with returners Tyson Pauling and Shiloh Ta'ase, who have a combined 36 starts over the past two seasons.

Experienced defense: Portland State's defense will return nine starters from last year's group, including defensive end V.J. Malo. The senior was a second team All-Big Sky selection with 45 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 10 1/2 sacks and three forced fumbles a year ago. Malo was named a preseason all-American going into this season. Portland State will be looking to improve on its 459.5 average yards allowed per game, which ranked ninth in the Big Sky last year. The passing defense also struggled by allowing 288.8 yards per game, a mark that was second-worst in the conference.

Texas

Keys to the season

Preseason hype: The Longhorns are the preseason favorite to win the Big 12 going into the team's final year in conference. Texas received 41 first-place votes in the Big 12 media poll, partly due to the team returning 15 starters. The most prominent returner is quarterback Quinn Ewers, a former five-star recruit at Ohio State who transferred to Austin last year. In his first season at Texas, Ewers led the team with 2,177 passing yards and 15 touchdowns to just six interceptions. He missed almost a month of the season because of injury, but returned and helped lead Texas to an 8-5 overall record, a third-place finish in the Big 12 and a 27-20 loss to Washington in the Alamo Bowl. Texas was ranked No. 10 in the country in ESPN's preseason top 25 rankings in May.

Replacing Bijan: Texas is projected to return nine of its 11 offensive starters from a year ago. One of two positions the Longhorns will be replacing is at running back after the departure of Bijan Robinson. Drafted eighth overall by the Atlanta Falcons in this year's NFL draft, Robinson led the Longhorns with 1,580 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Replacing that production will be a tall task, but the top candidates look to be Jonathon Brooks, Kelan Robinson, Jadydon Blue, C.J. Baxter or Savion Red, according to Athlon Sports. The five running backs have just 175 career carries combined.

Experienced defense: The Longhorns finished second in the Big 12 in total defense last season, averaging 21.6 points allowed per game in a conference not exactly known for its defense. Texas returns over half its starters on defense, including leading-tackler Jaylan Ford, who broke out for 119 total tackles, four interceptions and two forced fumbles a year ago. Texas allowed just 125.7 rushing yards per game, which ranked No. 33 in the country. The Cowboys could look to exploit the Longhorns' passing defense early in the game, with the Longhorns picking off just 10 passes last season. Texas' defense tied for 105th in the country with only 14 forced turnovers on the defensive side.

Appalachian State

Keys to the season

QB competition: The timing of this year's game in Laramie will be pivotal for both sides. Appalachian State is coming off a disappointing 6-6 season, which included a 3-5 showing in the Sun Belt. The Mountaineers will be without graduated quarterback Chase Brice, who threw for 2,921 yards and 27 touchdowns last season. The most likely candidates to replace him are redshirt freshman Ryan Burger and incoming transfer Joey Aguilar. Burger threw just four passes last season, while Aguilar comes from Diablo Valley Community College in California. The Mountaineers like to balance the offensive attack, so whoever wins the starting job under center will likely have plenty of opportunities to air it out. Appalachian State finished fourth in the Sun Belt in passing offense, averaging 265.7 yards a game.

Rushing attack: Nate Noel returns as the team's leading rusher a year ago. Noel's 604 yards contributed to the Mountaineers finishing No. 21 in the country in rushing offense at 204.4 yards per game. Appalachian State will have its hands full against UW's defensive line, but balance and play-action will likely be a priority coming off a season where the Mountaineers scored 27 rushing touchdowns and 28 touchdowns through the air. Extra points shouldn't be a problem, either, with returning kicker Michael Hughes going a perfect 50-of-50 last year after a score.

Doing enough: The Mountaineers' defense did all it was asked to do last season, finishing the year No. 37 in the country with 347.2 yards allowed per game. The Cowboys will look to their usual gameplan of running the ball heavily against Appalachian State. The Mountaineers were sixth in the Sun Belt with 128.0 rushing yards allowed per game.

New Mexico

Keys to the season

Struggles continue: It's been a while since football was good in Albuquerque. The Lobos haven't won more than three games since 2016, a six-year period that includes three two-win seasons. The expectations will be low for New Mexico again this fall, with the Lobos being ranked sixth-worst out of 133 FBS teams in ESPN's Football Power Index. New Mexico was voted 12th in the Mountain West preseason polls by a large margin, finishing in last place with 60 points, 32 points behind 11th-place Nevada.

New-look offense: New Mexico's offensive inefficiencies were well documented a year ago. The Lobos finished dead-last in the country in total offense for the second consecutive season last fall, averaging just 228.1 yards per game. The offensive woes could shift this season, with the Lobos bringing in new offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent from UAB. Quarterback Dylan Hopkins made the move with Vincent, transferring to New Mexico with one season of eligibility remaining after throwing for 1,913 yards and 10 touchdowns last season at UAB. The Lobos will replace six offensive starters from last year's team, including quarterback Miles Kendrick and running back Nate Jones.

Inexperienced defense: The Lobos will return just one regular defensive starter from a year ago, though the team will return eight players that have started at least one game in their career. Head coach Danny Gonzales has long been known for his defensive prowess, and that held true in his third season in Albuquerque last fall. The Lobos ranked No. 46 in the country in total defense, allowing just 360.2 yards per game. New Mexico will also return the bulk of its special teams unit, only replacing its long snapper from last season. The Cowboys will host the Lobos in Laramie with a 39-36 overall record in the series.

Fresno State

Keys to the season

Coaching stability: Jeff Tedford has established himself as one of the best head coaches in the MW going into his fifth season at Fresno State. In four seasons, Tedford has led the Bulldogs to three bowl wins, two MW titles and two top-25 finishes in two separate stints at his alma mater. Tedford coached at Fresno State from 2017 to 2019, but resigned for health reasons before rejoining the program last season. Tedford is ranked No. 9 for active FBS coaches with at least 10 years of experience with 118 career wins, including the Bulldogs' current nine-game winning streak that will carry over from last fall. Fresno State was picked third in the MW preseason polls with 351 points.

No more Haener: Fresno State will go into the season with a new quarterback for the first time since 2020 after the graduation of Jake Haener. He threw for 2,896 yards and 20 touchdowns to just three interceptions last season, despite missing four games with an injury. Fresno State has five quarterbacks to choose from going into the season, including junior Logan Fife, who tallied 892 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions in Haener's absence last year. Fresno State also added UCF transfer Mikey Keene, who had an 8-3 record as a starter for the Knights.

Replacing starters: The Bulldogs will be without seven starters from last year's team on offense, with all four returners being offensive linemen. On top of replacing Haener, Fresno State lost leading receiver Jalen Moreno-Cropper, who was third in the conference with 1,093 yards and five touchdowns, and leading rusher Jordan Mims, who ran for 1,370 yards and 18 touchdowns. The defense will be a little more experienced with seven returning starters, a group highlighted by linebackers Levelle Bailey and Malachi Langely. The pair both earned all-MW honorable mentions last fall.

Air Force

Keys to the season

Consistent success: The Falcons are one of seven teams in the FBS to have at least 10 wins in the last three full seasons, excluding the COVID-condensed 2020 campaign. Winning has become a tradition in Colorado Springs, and that translated to Air Force being voted second in the Mountain West preseason polls with 364 points. The Falcons are looking to avenge a 17-14 loss to Wyoming last year, a game that cost them a shot at a potential trip to the MW championship game.

Rushing attack: The Falcons led the country in rushing for the third consecutive season last fall, averaging 326.7 yards per game. Air Force has finished inside the top 10 in rushing 35 times in the last 37 seasons, and inside the top five 29 times in the same span. The Falcons graduated the nation's leading rusher, Brad Roberts, who ran for 1,728 yards and 17 touchdowns on 345 carries a year ago. Air Force will also have a new quarterback under center after the graduation of Haaziq Daniels, who was third on the team in rushing with 695 yards and eight touchdowns. The rushing attack should pick up right where it left off, even with the departures, especially with the Falcons returning three of their starters on the offensive line.

Controlling the tempo: Air Force's signature style of play forces the opposing defense to stay on the field for long periods of time, and that strategy isn't going anywhere. The Falcons held 12 of their 13 opponents to 21 points or less last season, and allowed just 13.4 points per game, which ranked No. 3 in the country. Air Force returns seven defensive starters, including preseason All-MW selections Payton Zdroik and Trey Taylor at defensive line and defensive back, respectively.

Boise State

Keys to the season

Green is back: Boise State earned 28 of 37 first-place votes to lead this year's MW preseason poll. The Broncos are the favorite to win the conference, thanks, in part, to the return of last year's MW freshman of the year, Taylen Green. The quarterback threw for 2,042 yards and 14 touchdowns to just six interceptions in his first college season, adding 586 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Green didn't look back after being handed the keys to the offense midway through last season, leading the Broncos to a spot in the MW title game against Fresno State. Already with a season under his belt, the sophomore quarterback has quickly established himself as one of the most dynamic offensive weapons in the conference.

Backfield tandem: The Broncos return two of the top 12 rushers in the conference from last year, including George Holani and Ashton Jeanty. Holani was fourth in the MW with 1,157 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Jeanty added 821 yards and seven touchdowns. The pair both ran for more than five yards per carry, helping cement Boise State as the No. 2 rushing offense in the conference at 196.4 yards per game. With Green's ability to use his feet, as well, the Broncos will undoubtedly look to pound the rock offensively again this fall.

Defense is the foundation: The Broncos' offense is typically the main recipient of media attention, but Boise State's defense was impressive during coach Andy Avalos' second year. The Broncos finished third in the MW with 19.5 points allowed per game. Boise State returns leading tackler DJ Schramm, who was a preseason all-MW selection at linebacker this summer after finishing with 108 total tackles a year ago. Boise State will have its hands full early in the season with nonconference matchups on the road at Washington and Memphis and at home against Big 12-newcomer Central Florida. The strong schedule could help prepare the Broncos for a postseason run in the MW again this fall.

Colorado State

Keys to the season

Offensive woes: The Rams had their fifth consecutive losing season last fall, a mark that was made possible due to atrocious offensive play. CSU never scored more than 19 points in a game last season, ranking No. 11 out of 12 MW teams with an average of 13.2 points per game. The offensive line was a huge problem for the Rams, who allowed a conference-worst 59 sacks in 12 games, 16 sacks more than 11th-place New Mexico. Going into Jay Norvell's second season in Fort Collins, the Rams were picked seventh in the MW preseason poll. CSU will rely heavily on incoming transfers to fill gaps on the offensive side, specifically in front of quarterback Clay Millen.

Explosive plays: While overall the Rams' offense lacked consistency, they return one of the most talented wide receivers in the country in Tory Horton. The junior led the MW with 1,131 receiving yards on 71 catches and eight touchdowns a year ago, also leading the conference with an average of 94.3 yards per game. Horton's explosiveness gives CSU's offense a chance to score at any moment, which will likely be a key focus for the Rams again this year. In last year's Border War in Fort Collins, Horton returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown in the opening quarter.

Rebuilding defense: CSU's defense was in the middle of the pack last year, finishing sixth in the conference at 355 yards allowed per game. The Rams' pass defense was their biggest strength, ranking fourth in the MW with 191.4 yards allowed per game. CSU's secondary returns preseason All-MW defensive back Jack Howell, who led the team last year with 108 total tackles. Mohamed Kamara was also a preseason All-MW selection at defensive line after collecting 44 total tackles, 8 1/2 sacks and two forced fumbles a year ago.

UNLV

Keys to the season

New coach: After finishing last year 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the MW, UNLV hired veteran coach Barry Odom to take over the program. Having spent the past three seasons as Arkansas' associate head coach and defensive coordinator, Odom will look to surpass the Rebels' ninth-place pick in the MW preseason polls. UNLV returns 12 starters, but none were selected to this year's preseason All-MW list.

Tough start: UNLV starts the season at home against Bryant, but will be tested quickly after that. The Rebels travel to Ann Arbor to play Michigan, followed by a home matchup with Vanderbilt and a road game versus Texas-El Paso. The nonconference portion of the season should be telling for how competitive UNLV is in the MW this fall. Out of its 12 returning starters, six are on the defensive end, including senior defensive lineman Naki Fahina. The team's starting nose tackle missed all of last year after an injury in the season-opener, but will look to make an impact on a defense that finished ninth in the MW last year at 383.7 yards allowed per game.

QB play: Lefty Doug Brumfield returns under center for the Rebels this season after being named to the preseason All-MW third team by Phil Steele this summer. The 6-foot-6 quarterback threw for 1,898 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 games last fall while adding 261 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. UNLV's passing attack ranked third in the MW at 215 yards per game last year, a promising starting point for Odom going into his first season with the program. UNLV won't meet up with UW until November in Las Vegas, meaning both teams should be battle-tested by the time the matchup comes around at Allegiant Stadium.

Hawaii

Keys to the season

New offense: Going into his second season at the helm of his alma mater, Hawaii coach Timmy Chang has implemented the run-and-shoot offense and will take over offensive play-calling responsibilities. Chang will rely on quarterback Brayden Schager, who was third in the MW in passing last season with 2,348 yards, 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. With 13 career starts under his belt, Schager will look to take the next step in an offense that returns three other starters, including All-MW honorable mention Tylan Hines at running back.

A familiar face: Cam Stone didn't wait long to get into the NCAA transfer portal last offseason. Stone, UW's No. 1 cornerback last fall, transferred to Hawaii before the Cowboys played Ohio in the Arizona Bowl. He was selected to the All-MW preseason list after leading the Cowboys with 10 pass deflections. Stone joins a defense that was last in the MW a year ago with an average of 438.2 yards allowed per game. Stone will look to complement seven returning starters for the Warriors, including linebacker Logan Taylor, who collected 77 total tackles during Hawaii's final six games last season.

Minimal expectations: The Warriors were picked 10th in this year's MW preseason poll, ahead of just Nevada and New Mexico. Coming off a 3-10 record in Chang's first year, Hawaii will have its hands full early on in the season. The Warriors will travel to face Vanderbilt to start the season, followed by matchups with Stanford, Albany and Oregon. With a 1-3 start a real possibility, Hawaii will need to make the most of its opportunities in the conference season. Luckily for the Cowboys, it's the Warriors turn to make the trek over the Pacific Ocean.

Nevada

Keys to the season

QB competition: Nevada struggled mightily in coach Ken Wilson's first season in Reno, stumbling out to a 2-10 record and an 0-8 mark in the MW. The Wolf Pack's 10-game losing streak to end the season landed them in last place of the West Division and in 11th place in this year's MW preseason poll. The graduation of Nate Cox has opened up a new opportunity for competition at the quarterback position, a group that is headed by incoming Colorado transfer Brendon Lewis. The former four-star recruit will likely battle with returner Shane Illingworth, who started five games for the Wolf Pack last season.

New bellcow: One of Nevada's few bright spots last season, Toa Taua, will be replaced at running back after leading the Wolf Pack with 911 yards and 11 touchdowns. Running back depth won't be a big concern for the Wolf Pack, however, after Oregon transfer Sean Dollars and California transfer Ashton Hayes joined the program this summer. Dollars ran for 199 yards and one touchdown last season with the Ducks, while Hayes had just one carry for 14 yards with the Bears. The wide receivers will be the most experienced of the skilled position groups, with three of the team's top four receivers returning from last year.

Experienced D: Nevada's defense wasn't good last year, finishing 10th in the MW at 396.2 yards allowed per game. The biggest concern was the passing defense, which was dead-last in the conference at 231.6 yards allowed per game. Wilson's coaching background on the defensive side should pair nicely with a collage of returning starters, most notably sophomore linebacker Drue Watts, who was third on the team with 55 total tackles, three sacks and one interception a year ago.

Meet the other MW teams

San Diego State

Keys to the season

Mayden's return: Jalen Mayden didn't start last season as SDSU's starting quarterback, but that's how he ended it. The former high school quarterback switched to defensive back before being called upon to save the Aztecs' season under center last year after a 2-3 start. He answered with 2,042 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while lifting SDSU to a 7-6 overall record and a second-place finish in the MW's West Division. It's Mayden's job to lose going into this season. Behind the dual-threat quarterback, the Aztecs were picked fourth in the MW preseason polls, including one first-place vote.

Plenty of noise: SDSU has been the center of attention all summer after nearly leaving the MW. With the Aztecs now locked into the conference through at least the upcoming academic year, the team will still likely be the target of conference expansion talk as the season goes along. That spotlight will only grow brighter with back-to-back nonconference matchups with UCLA and Oregon State in September. The pressure may be on for the Aztecs to prove that they can not only contend in the MW, but also compete in nonconference games against Power 5 opponents.

Defense will reload: The Aztecs are coming off a solid campaign defensively last year, finishing second in the MW in rushing defense (113.8 yards allowed per game), third in total defense (322.7) and fourth in scoring defense (20.5 points allowed per game). SDSU's mark in total defense also ranked 16th in the country, and that trend will likely continue again this fall. Despite losing several key pieces to graduation and the portal, the Aztecs welcome in New Mexico transfer Cody Moon at linebacker, who finished last year with 104 total tackles to earn preseason all-MW recognition. The special teams unit will also return kicker and punter Jack Browning, who was named the MW preseason special teams player of the year.

San Jose State

Keys to the season

It's Cordeiro's team: The Spartans had just two athletes named to the preseason All-MW team, but one of them earned more than one award. On top of his All-MW selection, senior quarterback Chevan Cordeiro was named the conference's preseason offensive player of the year. He led the MW with 3,251 yards and 23 touchdowns last year to earn second team All-MW honors, tacking on nine touchdowns on the ground. The Hawaii transfer averaged 270.9 yards per game last year, and returns to San Jose for his sixth and final college season this fall.

Road struggles: The Spartans had an explosive start to the season last year, racing out to a 6-2 start before dropping three of their last four games to finish 7-5. SJSU had a clear shot to the MW title game, but losses to Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State ended those hopes near the tail end of the season. The Spartans' struggles came on the road, with the team finishing 6-0 at home, but just 1-4 away from their home stadium. The inconsistency makes SJSU a hard team to figure out, with the Spartans being picked fifth in the MW preseason poll, just 12 points ahead of UW.

Getting to the QB: SJSU led the MW last year with 39 sacks, and getting after the opposing quarterback will likely be the key ingredient for defensive stops again this year. The Spartans also ranked third in the conference in rushing defense with 122.3 allowed per game. While they'll be without last year's leading tackler, Kyle Harmon, Bryun Parham will return after trailing just behind Harmon with 74 total tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles. The secondary should be a strong unit led by safety Trey Jenkins, who finished last year with 60 total tackles and two interceptions.

Utah State

Keys to the season

Back to the middle: The Aggies made a statement run two seasons ago, going 11-3 and winning their first MW title. The magic of 2021 didn't carry over into last year, with Utah State stumbling out to a 1-4 start, which included a 35-7 blowout loss to Weber State at home. The Aggies were able to right the ship and finish the regular season 5-2 to finish 6-6 and clinch a spot in a bowl game. It seems Utah State's run to its first conference championship was a bit of an anomaly, and last year was more of a regression to the mean. The Aggies were picked eighth in this year's MW preseason poll, ahead of just UNLV, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico.

Stability under center: Utah State was crushed by injuries last season, and that included the quarterback position. Cooper Legas returns as the likely starter under center, with former UW quarterback Levi Williams serving as the primary backup. Both players saw action last year, but were knocked out at various times with different injuries. Legas led the Aggies with 1,499 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while Williams completed just five of his 17 pass attempts for 28 yards.

Replacing Tyler: Utah State will have the task of replacing the MW's sixth-leading rusher from a season ago in Calvin Tyler Jr, who racked up 1,122 yards and seven touchdowns on 253 carries. Robert Briggs Jr. could slide up the depth chart in Tyler Jr.'s absence after collecting 353 yards and one touchdowns on 74 carries as his backup last season. The Aggies favored the running game last year due to the amount of injuries at the quarterback position, finishing fourth in the MW in rushing offense (159.3 yards per game).

Alex Taylor is the assistant editor for WyoSports and covers University of Wyoming athletics. He can be reached at ataylor@wyosports.net. Follow him on Twitter at @alex_m_taylor22.