Cal Poly @ Wyoming: A Running Weekend Diary

* I will try to continuously update this blog/diary from this weekend with most recent entries at the top.

Kristaan Ivory scores Cal Poly’s final touchdown of the game. Photo by Owen Main

9/15/2012 – 7:50 pm MDT

WOW. Poly pulled it off. I wasn’t sure they could. I think the biggest take-away for this team is that they gave up a two touchdown lead and still held on to win. I’ll post post-game interviews tonight or tomorrow perhaps, but for me the maturity of the defense to not implode after the second quater was a pretty big deal.

It warranted jumping back-bumps from the Athletic Director and lots of post-game exuberance.

I want to note how fun it was to be at War Memorial Stadium here in Laramie. Wyoming fans were well-behaved and the tailgate earlier was nothing short of SOLID.

One thing to look out for if you are the Mustangs is the potential for a let-down against Davis next week, but for now Poly fans can enjoy the biggest win during the Walsh era. I might have more thoughts later. For now, here are some pictures including the 2nd half Ivory touchdown and other 3rd quarter things. Let us know if you like the format today.

SECOND HALF PICTURES MADE THIS PAGE TAKE TOO LONG TO LOAD. FIND THEM HERE.

9/15/2012 – 6:50 pm MDT

Despite the touchdown WYO just scored, this thing is coming down to the wire. CP about to punt. Can Poly’s defense get one stop at 7,220 feet against an FBS team? ‘Bout to find out.

9/15/2012 – 5:20 pm MDT

The first half is almost over, but here are some pics from the first quarter when Cal Poly was still winning.

[scrollGallery id=28]

9/15/2012 – 4:45 pm MDT

Lots of energy down on the field. The stadium isn’t full, but it’s energized. It got QUIET after Poly’s first touchdown. Mustangs look every bit as physical as Wyoming. It will be interesting to see if they can hang like this physically in the second half at altitude. Pics to come shortly.

Good times at the tailgates.

9/15/2012 – 3:38pm MDT

So I know a lot of you are wondering about talent differences in the two teams. I’m not sure about that, but tailgating is always fun, right?

I know Luke would back me up on this one….

Also of note, Cal Poly Athletic Director Don Oberhelman is in the house. If you want to listen to the game, you should be able to go to ESPN Radio 1280 or GoPoly.com. Bobby Zalud just kicked a 60-yarder in warmups. Thought you might want to know.

This tailgater meant business. An interview with the owner will be posted later. In case you’re wondering the truck is an ’88 Chevy with very low mileage. Photo by Owen Main

Saturday 9/15/2012 – 3:15 pm MDT

The Tailgate at War Memorial Field was REALLY good. The ribs that Conrad was grilling up were fall-off-the-bone amazing.

I learned walking through the tailgate many things, which I’ll post at a later time, but for now you can know that fans of the ‘pokes are friendly to everyone. Unless you’re from Colorado State. Then, apparently, it’s a different story.

While there weren’t thousands of people tailgating on their own, Wyoming had something like Cal Poly’s Mustang Corral that seemed to be for season ticket-holders. I’d say it was about twice as big as the one Cal Poly puts on, but it was generally very similar-looking.

Lots of Brown and Gold. These people live and die for the ‘pokes, who are really the only  game in town.

Saturday 9/15/2012 – 1:00 pm MDT

Laramie is TOTALLY focused on this game today. Everyone in town was wearing gold and/or brown as I drove through. Ate at a solid restaurant called Altitude. One prime rib french dip with some waffle-cut fries later, I’m headed over to the tailgate now.

The Pistol Pete mascot is pretty sweet…

Saturday 9/15/2012 – 11:00 pm MDT

Drove through Cheyenne this morning. It is a positively lovely little city. The Brown and Gold Outlet, Wyoming’s store for Cowboys gear, was a friendly bunch. The logos and branding for Wyoming have to be in the top-5 in the country for me.

Friday 9/14/2012 – 11:00 pm MDT

Flying into Denver, I can’t get Jim Carey line out of my head.

“I thought the Rocky Mountains would be a little… rockier.”

Maybe you know how the rest goes? For anyone who hasn’t been to Denver before, you probably picture it nestled with mountains every way you look. If you look to the West, you will see mountains, but to the East, it’s all flat land all the way to Kentucky. And Denver airport is to the East of the city, so it’s all flat, elevated land.

The same flat landscape surrounds the Interstate-25 corridor between Cheyenne and Denver. I imagine that Laramie won’t be much different.

One question many fans have had this week is how Cal Poly will handle the altitude. Bloggin with Scroggin answered that question and a few others earlier in the week, when J.D. traded questions with a Wyoming beat reporter.

I arrived in Cheyenne tonight, where I have family — my wife’s cousin and her husband. They are a Wyoming Cowboys family – both are alums.

OK, I’m ramblin’ again… so here are 5 things I’m excited about for tomorrow:

1) Cal Poly on a big(ger) stage: Wyoming hasn’t been REALLY good in a long time, but they do have a really solid fan base, they played with Texas for a while this season, and I’ve heard lots of people talk about their program as “up-and-coming” this year. It will be a good test for the Mustangs.

2) Tailgating: I’ll be going with the cousins to their tailgate and I’ve been promised things like spare ribs. I. Can’t. Wait.

3) Cal Poly’s Triple Option: How does it stack up? Wyoming plays Air Force every year and so they’re no stranger to the triple option. How will they defend it and what wrinkles will Tim Walsh and quarterback Andre Broadous throw into the game plan to throw off the ‘Pokes?

4) “Let’s go Pokes!”: I’m going to figure out where the nickname “Pokes” originated. I think it’s from CowPokes, but I don’t really know what a Cow Poke is? This will probably be the extent of my investigative journalism this weekend.

5) Will the Mustangs travel?: I will find at least one person with Cal Poly gear on (I hope). I am interested to see just how many Cal Poly fans make it out to Laramie.