CSU and Wyoming embrace tradition in a time of change — why keeping the Border War going is the right decision

The Border War lives on. 

Colorado State and Wyoming did the right thing and agreed to keep playing each other in football despite it no longer being a conference matchup after 2025. 

With the Rams moving to the Pac-12 in 2026, there was a possibility of losing the annual matchup with the Cowboys. Fortunately in this case, common sense prevailed. And to the credit of both of these schools, instead of either side being petty, they made the only logical decision which is to keep this historic rivalry going. 

The two schools have an eight-game non-conference scheduling agreement between 2028 and 2035 where the games will alternate between the two campuses as usual. At the moment both programs have full schedules for 2026 and 2027 but it is widely believed that they will work out a way to play those years as well. 

“With all the changes in college football, it’s great to maintain a rivalry that has been played for 125 years,” Jay Norvell said via a release.  “It means so much to our fans and community that we continue this historic rivalry. Rivalries are what make college football special and to play programs that are close to you in proximity where it means so much to so many in your community, it’s great to preserve that.”

CSU and Wyoming have technically been battling on the gridiron since 1899. The 2024 game will be the 78th consecutive year that they’ve played. World War II was the last thing to interrupt the series. That might not mean something to the casual fan, it might not mean something to the TV executives that drive all of the change in college football, but it means a whole lot to the people in these communities.

Depending on which side of the state line you reside, from the day you are born, you are taught what the right and wrong colors are. The Border War is bigger than just a football game. It’s a part of our daily lives. 

Sure, we can all be friendly, as everybody knows somebody who represents the other side. Colleagues, friends, family even, it’s just part of the deal with two schools separated by less than 70 miles. But don’t get it twisted, when it’s time for CSU and Wyoming to face off in anything, it’s deeply personal. 

It’s not just about the Bronze Boot, it’s about pride. It’s about being able to smirk every time your coworker, an alum from the other side, walks past. It’s about wearing green every time you cross the border so you make it very clear who you represent. 

Wyoming would love nothing more than to stick it to those assholes in FoCo. CSU wants to show their annoying neighbors up North that it’s not just flashy facilities without any substance, they’ll punch you in the mouth, too. It’s a never-ending clash of cultures but it’s also a unique bond between the communities because it’s ours and it’s what we’ve always known. 

We’ve lost far too many great rivalries in this sport over the last 10-20 years. There are understandably tough decisions that have to be made by administrators given how much money is in play, but a lot of great traditions are being pushed aside to appease networks and potentially draw in TV viewers that will never think twice about any of the schools they’re watching from the other side of the country. 

Kudos to both John Weber and Tom Burman for prioritizing a game that is sacred. Losing this rivalry would have truly been a tragedy.