A New Rivalry Forms
Courtesy photo by UW Athletics
LARAMIE, Wy — A new rivalry has emerged for the University of Wyoming’s Cowboy football team on the wide-open, oil-rich Great Plains of Wyoming and North Dakota.
Future games between UW and North Dakota State University (NDSU) will be called the “Battle of the Basins,” and the winning team will take home a new traveling trophy.
“The Battle of the Basins will be an excellent way to celebrate a conference football game along with great traditions of the petroleum industry in both Wyoming and North Dakota,” said UW Director of Athletics Tom Burman.
He expressed excitement to “add the traveling trophy,” given that there is natural rivalry between NDSU and UW “[having] so much in common with each other”.
The traveling trophy’s design includes a Steamboat logo and Bison logo at its base in reference to both schools involved, as well as a replica drill bit at the top, referencing the history of the petroleum and oil basins in both states. The trophy is sponsored by the North Dakota Petroleum Industry.
UW and NDSU’s football programs have multiple connections to one another. Craig Bohl coached both the Bison from 2003–2013 and the Pokes from 2013–2023. At NDSU, Bohl kickstarted their Football Championship Subdivision dynasty by winning three straight national championships from 2011–2013. At UW, he coached the team to win four bowl games. Bohl is well respected in both places, with some fans on social media even wishing for the rivalry to be named the “Bohl Bowl.”
The Bison’s current Head Coach Tim Polasek has also spent time in Laramie, working as the offensive coordinator at UW from 2021–2023.
The Cowboys and Bison have only met on the gridiron one time prior to this year, with the Cowboys winning 16–13 in a home game. This will be the first trip the program makes to the state of North Dakota and the Fargodome, home of the Bison.
The new trophy will be the fourth rivalry trophy that the Cowboys compete for, joining the Bronze Boot, Paniolo Trophy, and the Bridger Rifle.
The Bronze Boot — Wyoming’s oldest rivalry trophy — was established in 1968 alongside the border war between UW and Colorado State. The pokes play for The Bronze Boot — UW’s oldest rivalry trophy — in the “border war” against Colorado State, The Paniolo trophy or “Cowboy trophy” in games against University of Hawai’i, and the Bridger Rifle in Bridger’s Battle against Utah State.
The Paniolo Trophy is the only one currently in the Cowboys’ trophy case after last week’s 27–10 victory over Hawaii.
These rivalries all represent a special connection between two schools who are foes on the football field, and The Battle of the Basins will be no different, fitting right into the storied history of rivalries on the high plains.
“The synergies between our states and universities go way beyond geography,” said NDSU athletic director Matt Larsen. “Our land-grant missions, football history and traditions, and significant energy production make this rivalry bigger than just the game.”
The first Battle of The Basins will take place in Fargo on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
