LARAMIE, Wyo. — Only a day before the 2024 Border War match between the Wyoming and Colorado State University football teams, the two schools’ athletics departments announced that their famous rivalry game will live on through 2035, even though CSU will be moving to the Pac-12. The transition does mean the game can’t be played in 2026 or 2027, though.
The Colorado State University Rams will make their switch over to the Pac-12 conference in July 2026 alongside four other Mountain West schools, leaving the University of Wyoming without a real conference rival. Without deliberately scheduling a non-conference game between the schools, then, the Border War would cease to exist.
However, in the spirit of tradition, the two schools have now agreed to play the game every year from 2028 through the 2035 season. The Rams will host the games on even-numbered seasons, while the Cowboys will host the odds.
As of noon Nov. 14, the University of Wyoming has not released a statement regarding the agreement. The school’s athletics department has, however, released a graphic on X, formerly known as Twitter, announcing the agreement.
South of the border, CSU Athletics Director John Weber said in a statement that the rivalry game is an old tradition that should continue to be honored.
“The Boot Run with the game ball, the Border Ceremony, and the Bronze Boot Trophy all honor the values and rich ROTC history of both of our universities and will remain integral to this rivalry for years to come,” Weber said. “This game is important to our universities, communities, and fans; and I am thrilled that this historic rivalry will continue.”
CSU Rams Head Coach Jay Norvell added in the statement that the consistency of this game is much needed in an ever-changing college athletics environment.
“It means so much to our fans and community that we continue this historic rivalry,” Norvell said. “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.”
However, shifting conference allegiances does mean a rocky transition for the two schools’ football schedules. According to the CSU Athletics statement, there will be a two-year gap where full non-conference schedules prohibit the schools from playing each other. If they were in the same conference, this would not have occurred, which is why the game has been consistently played for over a century.
The 2025 Border War will then be the last time the game is played between the schools as conference rivals. This final game will occur in Laramie. When the rivalry resumes in 2028, the game will take place in Fort Collins.
For more information on the yearly game locations and the specifics of this conference transition, see the CSU Athletics release. To learn more about University of Wyoming Athletics, see the department’s web page.
