1996 Wyoming Cowboys football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1996
| team = Wyoming Cowboys
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Western Athletic Conference
| division = Pacific Division
| short_conf = WAC
| CoachRank = 22
| APRank = 22
| record = 10–2
| conf_record = 7–1
| head_coach = Joe Tiller
| hc_year = 6th
| off_coach = Larry Korpitz
| oc_year = 6th
| off_scheme =
| def_coach = Brock Spack
| dc_year = 2nd
| def_scheme =
| captain =
| stadium = War Memorial Stadium
| champion = WAC Pacific Division champion
| conf_champ = WAC Championship Game
| conf_champ_result = L 25–28 OT vs. BYU
}}
{{1996 Western Athletic Conference football standings}}
The 1996 Wyoming Cowboys football team represented the University of Wyoming in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Cowboys' 100th season and they competed as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-11-17-sp-220-story.html |title=Wyoming Wins Its Division |date=November 17, 1996 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=December 11, 2013}} The team was led by head coach Joe Tiller, in his sixth year, and played their home games at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyoming. They finished with a record of ten wins and two losses (10–2, 7–1 WAC). Despite winning the Pacific Division and their double-digit victory total, the Cowboys were not invited to a postseason bowl game. Their season ended with a loss against BYU in the inaugural WAC Championship Game. The Cowboys offense scored 464 points while the defense allowed 284 points.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1996
| poll = AP
| timezone = Mountain
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = August 31
| time = 1:00 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Idaho
| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Laramie, WY
| tv =
| score = 40–38
| attend = 17,279
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 7
| time = 5:00 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Iowa State
| site_stadium = Cyclone Stadium
| site_cityst = Ames, IA
| tv = FSN
| score = 41–38
| overtime = OT
| attend = 44,511
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 14
| time = 1:00 pm
| w/l = w
| opponent = Hawaii
| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Laramie, WY
| tv =
| score = 66–0
| attend = 15,182
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 21
| time = 1:00 pm
| w/l = w
| opponent = Air Force
| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Laramie, WY
| tv =
| score = 22–19
| attend = 31,009
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 28
| time = 2:00 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = UNLV
| site_stadium = Sam Boyd Stadium
| site_cityst = Whitney, NV
| tv =
| score = 33–21
| attend = 12,564
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 5
| time = 2:30 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 25
| opponent = San Jose State
| site_stadium = Spartan Stadium
| site_cityst = San Jose, CA
| tv =
| score = 45–22
| attend = 8,756
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 12
| time = 1:00 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 24
| opponent = Western Michigan
| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Laramie, WY
| tv =
| score = 42–28
| attend = 22,813
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 19
| time = 12:00 pm
| w/l = w
| rank = 23
| opponent = Fresno State
| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Laramie, WY
| tv =
| score = 42–21
| attend = 14,446
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 2
| time = 1:00 pm
| w/l = w
| rank = 17
| opponent = SMU
| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Laramie, WY
| tv =
| score = 59–17
| attend = 17,268
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 7
| time = 6:00 pm
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 16
| opponent = San Diego State
| site_stadium = Jack Murphy Stadium
| site_cityst = San Diego, CA
| tv = ESPN
| score = 24–28
| attend = 38,679
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 16
| time = 8:00 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 23
| opponent = Colorado State
| site_stadium = Hughes Stadium
| site_cityst = Fort Collins, CO
| gamename = Border War
| tv = ESPN2
| score = 25–24
| attend = 33,701
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 7
| time = 2:30 pm
| w/l = l
| neutral = y
| rank = 20
| opponent = BYU
| opprank = 6
| site_stadium = Sam Boyd Stadium
| site_cityst = Whitney, NV
| gamename = WAC Championship Game
| tv = ABC
| score = 25–28
| overtime = OT
| attend = 41,238
}}
}}
Roster
{{American football roster/Header
| year = 1996
| team = Wyoming Cowboys
| teamcolors = f
| offensive_players =
{{American football roster/Player|num=29|class=So|first=Josh|last=Amundson|pos=RB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=70|class=Fr|first=Garrett|last=Anderson|pos=OT}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=28|class=Fr|first=Tim|last=Beasley|pos=RB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=55|class=Jr|first=Rob|last=Bohlinger|pos=OT|link=y}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=23|class=Sr|first=Marcus|last=Harris|dab=Marcus Harris (wide receiver, born 1974)|pos=WR|link=y}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=53|class=Sr|first=Rob|last=Rathbun|pos=C}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=85|class=Fr|first=Jason|last=Ringenberg|pos=WR}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=64|class=Sr|first=Charlie|last=Ruff|pos=C}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=57|class=Fr|first=Kevin|last=Hughes|pos=C}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=41|class=Fr|first=Chris|last=Clache|pos=FB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=1|class=Sr|first=David|last=Saraf|pos=WR}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=77|class=Sr|first=Steve|last=Scifres|pos=T}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=72|class=Fr|first=Nate|last=Selk|pos=OG}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=12|class=Sr|first=Len|last=Sexton|pos=RB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=18|class=Fr|first=Kofi|last=Shuck|pos=WR}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=16|class=Fr|first=Alan|last=Jones|pos=WR}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=3|class=Jr|first=Jeremy|last=Silcox|pos=QB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=91|class=Sr|first=Greg|last=Kuhn|pos=TE}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=43|class=Fr|first=Arlen|last=Smith|pos=RB}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=51|class=So|first=Jeff|last=Smith|pos=OG}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=66|class=So|first=Terry|last=Staggs|pos=OG}}
| defensive_players=
{{American football roster/Player|num=92|class=Sr|first=Pat|last=Larson|pos=DT}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=95|class=Jr|first=Michael|last=Graham|pos=DT}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=45|class=Jr|first=Brian|last=Lee|pos=SS}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=90|class=Jr|first=Jeff|last=Leonard|pos=DE}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=89|class=Sr|first=Brent|last=Leu|pos=DT}}
{{American football roster/Player|num=24|class=Sr|first=Waymon|last=Levingston|pos=CB}}
| special_teams_players=
}}
{{American football roster/Footer|roster_url=https://web.archive.org/web/19961225180022/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/sfc/wac/sfcj10ra.htm
| head_coach = *Joe Tiller
| asst_coach =
- Tim Burke (defensive backs)
| accessdate=
}}
Awards and honors
Team players in the NFL
The following were selected in the 1997 NFL draft.
class="wikitable" width="80%" | ||||
align="center" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Wyoming Cowboys|color=white}}"
| Player | Position | Round | Overall | NFL team |
align="center" bgcolor="" | Guard | 3 | 83 | Dallas Cowboys |
align="center" bgcolor="" | Defensive back | 6 | 187 | Dallas Cowboys |
align="center" bgcolor="" | Wide receiver | 7 | 232 | Detroit Lions |
align="center" bgcolor="" |