1970 Wyoming Cowboys football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1970

| team = Wyoming Cowboys

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Western Athletic Conference

| short_conf = WAC

| record = 1–9

| conf_record = 1–6

| head_coach = Lloyd Eaton

| hc_year = 9th

| captain = Tom Gorman

| captain2 = Dale Pernula

| stadium = War Memorial Stadium

}}

The 1970 Wyoming Cowboys football team represented the University of Wyoming in the 1970 NCAA University Division football season. Led by ninth-year head coach Lloyd Eaton, they were members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and played their home games on campus at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie.

The Cowboys compiled a record of 1-9 (1-6 against conference opponents), finished eighth in the WAC, and Eaton was reassigned to assistant {{nowrap|athletic director.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gdtaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=l20DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7143%2C3141541 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=No regrets says Eaton, 13 years after 'crash' |date=May 14, 1982 |page=17 }}}} The controversial previous season had concluded with four consecutive losses, all on the road.

A week before the season opener, starting quarterback Ed Synakowski drowned in a boating accident while fishing with his brother on Lake Hattie, just southwest of Laramie.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=slJWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ie0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1750%2C4635219 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Cowboy QB loses life in capsizing |date=September 13, 1970 |page=5, sports}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fUYKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=f0oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3601%2C3292374 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |agency=UPI |title=Wyoming students mourn Q-back death |date=September 14, 1970 |page=B6}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=O7RVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5747%2C2894696 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Wyoming quarterback drowns in boating accident |date=September 14, 1970 |page=2B}}

Wyoming entered this year with 22 consecutive home wins, which started with the opener of the 1965 season,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QbRVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4806%2C3996507 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Passes lead Falcons past Wyoming '11' |date=September 20, 1970 |page=7B}} but the Cowboys lost all five games in Laramie in 1970.

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1970

| poll = AP

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 19

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Air Force

| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Laramie, WY

| score = 17–41

| attend = 24,541

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune-falcons-beat-pokes/155503707/|work=Casper Star-Tribune|title=Falcons beat Pokes, 41–17|date=September 20, 1970|accessdate=September 17, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 26

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Utah State

| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Laramie, WY

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 29–42

| attend = 21,177

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-aggies-fight-back-t/155503805/|work=The Billings Gazette|title=Aggies fight back to top 'Pokes, 42–29|date=September 27, 1970|accessdate=September 17, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 3

| w/l = l

| opponent = Arizona State

| opprank = 18

| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Laramie, WY

| score = 3–52

| attend = 17,170

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-spaghetti-oe-sets/155443079/|work=The Courier-Journal|title='Spaghetti Joe' sets table as Ariz. State routs Wyoming 52–3|date=October 4, 1970|accessdate=September 17, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 10

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Colorado State

| site_stadium = Hughes Stadium

| site_cityst = Fort Collins, CO

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 16–6

| attend = 24,430

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-collins-coloradoan-cowboy-defense-s/155502556/|work=Fort Collins Coloradoan|title=Cowboy defense stymies Rams, 16–6|date=October 11, 1970|accessdate=September 17, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 17

| w/l = l

| opponent = Utah

| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Laramie, WY

| score = 16–20

| attend = 5,518

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ogden-standard-examiner-redskins-edg/155496707/|work=The Ogden Standard-Examiner|title=Redskins edge Cowboys in thriller|date=October 18, 1970|accessdate=September 17, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 24

| w/l = l

| opponent = New Mexico

| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Laramie, WY

| score = 7–17

| attend = 16,589

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-odessa-american-scarber-stars-as-lob/155495459/|work=The Odessa American|title=Scarber stars as Lobos win|date=October 25, 1970|accessdate=September 17, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 31

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = BYU

| site_stadium = Cougar Stadium

| site_cityst = Provo, UT

| score = 3–23

| attend = 22,551

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ogden-standard-examiner-byu-scores-f/155503320/|work=The Ogden Standard-Examiner|title=BYU scores first victory over Wyoming since 1962|date=November 1, 1970|accessdate=September 17, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 7

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = UTEP

| site_stadium = Sun Bowl

| site_cityst = El Paso, TX

| score = 7–42

| attend = 10,053

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/independent-el-paso-427/155498194/|work=Independent Press-Telegram|title=El Paso, 42–7|date=November 8, 1970|accessdate=September 17, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 14

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Houston

| site_stadium = Houston Astrodome

| site_cityst = Houston, TX

| score = 0–28

| attend = 26,987

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/san-antonio-express-houston-wallops-wyom/155503922/|work=San Antonio Express/News|title=Houston wallops Wyoming, 28–0|date=November 15, 1970|accessdate=September 17, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 21

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Arizona

| site_stadium = Arizona Stadium

| site_cityst = Tucson, AZ

| score = 12–38

| attend = 31,882

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-collins-coloradoan-arizona-routs-wy/155499375/|work=Fort Collins Coloradoan|title=Arizona routs Wyoming|date=November 22, 1970|accessdate=September 17, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

{{cite web |author= |title=1970 NCAA Football Statistics (Wyoming) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/teams/296838 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |accessdate=September 17, 2024 }}

NFL draft

One Cowboy was selected in the 1971 NFL draft, which lasted seventeen rounds (442 selections).{{cite web |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1971/draft.htm?redir |title=1971 NFL Draft |publisher=Pro-Football-Reference.com |accessdate=December 13, 2018}}

class="wikitable" width="50%"

align="center" style="background:#593D2B;color:#DDCCA5;"

| Player

Position

Round

Overall

NFL team

align="center" bgcolor=""

| Bob Jacobs

Placekicker

170

Cleveland Browns