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CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Temperatures in the 30s. Winds up to 25 mph. Maybe some snow.
For Utah, facing a first taste of winter could be as challenging as anything struggling Wyoming might throw at the 14th-ranked Utes on Saturday in Laramie.
"It just makes play a little tougher for both teams," said Wyoming coach Joe Glenn, whose Cowboys lost 24-0 on a rainy night in New Mexico last weekend. "I don't think it's an equalizer necessarily."
Utah (6-0, 2-0 Mountain West) is hoping to make another undefeated run through the MWC and into the BCS, as it did in 2004 under Urban Meyer. But instead of reminiscing about that breakthrough season, coach Kyle Whittingham reminded everyone what happened to Utah in its last trip to Wyoming: Cowboys 31, Utes 15.
"It's just always a tough environment," Whittingham said in a conference call with reporters this week. "Laramie is always a tough place to play and the last time we went up there we got whacked."
Utah, coming off a last-second 31-28 home victory against Oregon State, had a much easier time with the Cowboys last year in Salt Lake City, winning 50-0.
Wyoming (2-4, 0-3) is still struggling mightily on offense. The Cowboys have been shutout twice in Mountain West play this season and rank last in total offense in the conference.
"We've not had momentum for about three games. We've started the last three games in the very first series turning the ball over for a touchdown. Those things can weigh on you, but I'm so proud of our kids for powering through it," he said.
"We're playing pretty well on defense, pretty well on special teams, and we have got to find a way to score on offense," he said.
Quarterback Karsten Sween will make his second start of the season for the Cowboys after taking the job from sophomore Dax Crum, who was plagued by turnovers during the first five games this season.
"Wyoming has struggled a little bit this year with turnovers and being unsettled at quarterback. That really has been their nemesis, those two areas," Whittingham said. "But the running backs are very good. ... That in our estimation is the strong suit of their football team right now is the way their tailbacks run the football. They're good runners and we got our hands full with the run game."
Devin Moore is the third leading rusher in the conference at 96 yards per game, and Wynel Seldon adds another 46.
Utah's running back tandem is probably the best in the conference. Matt Asiata averages 62 yards per game and Darrell Mack is at 60.5.
Whittingham said he was pleased with Utah's defensive effort against Oregon State but needed to improve against the play action pass. Linebacker Mike Wright leads the Utah defense.
"Their team speed on defense is sensational," Glenn said. "They've got tough linebackers, I think the best linebacking core we will have seen this year."
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