Week 1

WE ARE BACK, BABY!

Big Dawg Nation welcomes both returning Dawgs as well as the new pups to the Nation. Let's have ourselves a 2026 season.

Game: Wyoming at Colorado St.

Grab your boots, spurs, and your well-worn Stetson, it's time to ride. We head to the rivalry between the Wyoming Cowboys and the CSU Rams known as the 'Border War'. These teams trade blows each year for their shot at the locally coveted Bronze Boot Trophy.

Yup, you grabbed your boots, spurs, and your Stetson for a reason; we are riding with the Cowboys. Time to wrangle and jangle some Rams. Some Border War stats from the last decade: Wyoming: 8-2 ML overall vs CSU, 3-1 ML as the underDawg, 5-1 as the favorite, 5-0 at home and 3-2 on the road over the last 10 Border Wars. History favors the Cowboys, less on the road vs at home, but still slightly favorable nonetheless. BDN and the Cowboys ride with Tyler Hughes, a senior transfer from William & Mary who threw for 2,330 yards, 20 TDs and just 3 INTs, while rushing for 670 yards and 11 TDs in 2025. Seasoned Dawgs know this is the type of QB we back that can disrupt things and swing a close game in our favor. The Rams got Jim Mora as their new HC, and subsequently what is most-likely to be a better built roster than last year's poo-poo. Still, they have not publicly named a starting QB for a 'competitive advantage'. Sure, Jim. Take your 'competitive advantage'. We will ride with our clear starter in Tyler Hughes, no need to hide in the shadows. 

Lasso onto that + sign and let's ride into the sunset, cowboy-style.

BD Pick: Wyoming +130 - 3.2u (DK & FD) - 1600 MT - Loss

Game: UCLA @ Cal

BD Pick: Cal +120 1.6u (DK) - 2030 MT - Loss

We ride JKS and hope this Cal team is better coached across the board with the new staff. Cal gaveth some $ for the BDN riders early in the 2025 season, but they definitely tooketh later in the season as well. If the Golden Bears D can bend not break, there is a good chance the O will do enought to win.