Highway 287 is familiar to Dan Hammerschmidt.
After Wyoming won last year’s Border War 17-16 at Hughes Stadium, the Colorado State wide receivers and passing game coordinator drove home north on the notoriously dangerous highway to Laramie, returning him to where he previously coached the Cowboy wide receivers. This year, his trip to Laramie will be just a business trip.
“First thing I will think about is that I hope my car doesn’t slide off the side of the road,” Hammerschmidt said. “That is the first thing I always think about heading up there. Next, I know it will be fun to head up there and get after them. We need a win pretty bad, and so do they.”
After just one season with Wyoming, Hammerschmidt returned to CSU, where he was a four-year starter as a player and is finishing his 14th season as a Rams coach. After being on both sidelines in the rivalry game, he said he understands the capacity to which a win in the Border War can propel a team.
“The faces change, but the Border War is still the same,” Hammerschmidt said. “There will still be snowballs, people fighting, and people coming out to see their 50th Border War.”
The Rams enter this Bronze Boot game at 3-8, Wyoming at 2-9. But Cowboys senior receiver David Leonard said this isn’t about records.
“No matter what happens throughout the season, this is the biggest game,” Leonard said. “It’s bragging rights for a whole year and something you remember for life if you win.”
Leonard, who was coached by Hammerschmidt, said he is frustrated with the reality of his senior season. Leonard has 41 catches for 402 yards, below last year’s totals of 705 yards on 77 catches.
“It is always frustrating when you don’t accomplish the goals you set at the beginning of the year,” Leonard said. “We set high goals, including a return to a bowl game.”
Today’s game is about two teams with dashed bowl hopes squaring off for the 111th time. There is redemption, a sentiment both teams could attest to.
“You never want to end your career with a loss,” Leonard said. “I can’t believe it is already my senior Border War, but I’m excited we have it at home.
“This is our bowl game. It can propel this team into the offseason. There were a few plays we didn’t make this year that we made last year. The program is going in the right direction. There is no reason to doubt this program or this football team.”
