Top 5 Non-Cotton Bowl Games Featuring Group of Five Teams

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Oct 29, 2016; Laramie, WY, USA; Wyoming Cowboys wide receiver Austin Conway (25) runs against the Boise State Broncos during the fourth quarter at War Memorial Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Broncos 30-28. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Poinsettia Bowl

BYU Cougars v. Wyoming Cowboys

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 21
Start Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Location: San Diego, CA
Venue: Qualcomm Stadium
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Two longtime conference rivals will meet for the first time since 2010 when BYU squares off against Wyoming in the Poinsettia Bowl. The Cougars are no longer a Group of Five school, having left the Mountain West for independence in 2011. Their schedule this season featured games against six Power Five schools. BYU also played six mid-majors of varying quality. They lost senior quarterback Taysom Hill to an elbow injury that prematurely ended his last year in Provo. But the Cougars feature one of the best rushing defenses in the nation and allow fewer than 20 points per game.

Wyoming will have to find a way to crack the BYU defense on the ground if they hope to break a seven-game losing streak to the Cougars. Brian Hill averaged over 135 yards per game to finish fourth nationally in rushing, helping power the Cowboys to the MWC Mountain title over Boise State. Josh Allen has also been proficient through the air, especially connecting with receiver Tanner Gentry. Craig Bohl’s defense hasn’t been great in Laramie, but has shown a propensity for making big stops at the right time.

In the 12-year history of the Poinsettia Bowl, this is the first time that the game has revived a dormant rivalry. The two schools have variously been united in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the Skyline Conference, the WAC, and the Mountain West over a span of nearly nine decades. BYU holds a 44-30-3 lead in the all-time ledger between the rivals.

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