Wyoming’s most-played football series, through 2011

Prior to the 2011 season, I compiled series records for all series that would be continued that year. At the time, I kicked around the idea of compiling series records for all teams against their in-state opponents to see which series really are the most played.

Well, spring break was a couple weeks ago… and I tallied. This is, in part, what I came up with.

Seventeen in-state series have at least 80 games played. In descending order of total games, they include:

1. Cheyenne Central-Laramie: Central leads 63-58-6 (127 total games)

2. Riverton-Lander: Riverton leads 58-50-7 (115 total games)

3. Cody-Powell: Cody leads 59-48-4 (111 total games)

4. Natrona-Sheridan: Natrona leads 52-41-6 (99 total games)

5. Natrona-Cheyenne Central: Natrona leads 48-47-3 (98 total games)

6t. Worland-Thermopolis: Worland leads 58-34-5 (97 total games)

6t. Big Piney-Pinedale: Big Piney leads 54-43 (97 total games)

8. Rock Springs-Green River: Rock Springs leads 60-32-4 (96 total games)

9. Douglas-Wheatland: Douglas leads 56-36-3 (95 total games)

10. Green River-Evanston: Green River leads 57-31-6 (94 total games)

11. Torrington-Wheatland: Torrington leads 73-19-1 (93 total games)

12. Star Valley-Evanston: Star Valley leads 49-35-4 (88 total games)

13. Powell-Lovell: Powell leads 52-31-2 (85 total games)

14. Lovell-Greybull: Lovell leads 53-27-4 (84 total games)

15. Torrington-Douglas: Torrington leads 54-27-2 (83 total games)

16. Worland-Lander: Worland leads 43-37-1 (81 total games)

17. Natrona-Laramie: Natrona leads 45-34-1 (80 total games)

In all, 81 in-state series have at least 50 games played (in-state series only). Those series incorporate all but 16 of the state’s 62 schools. Of the programs that ware actually around 50 years ago, only two haven’t played in a series that incorporates 50 total games (Glenrock and Shoshoni).

Some other stats I thought were kind of cool:

Eternal optimist award (so you’re telling me there’s a chance!): St. Mary’s and Dubois. They play in the two most one-sided series of all time. The Gaels “win” top honor for their series with Torrington; St. Mary’s is 0-21 all-time against the Trailblazers. Meanwhile, Dubois is close behind for its series against Cokeville, a series the Rams trail 0-20.

Cup-of-coffee award (that one time makes the other 30 worth it): Torrington. The Trailblazers have played Cheyenne Central 31 times and have a 1-30 record against the Indians. Runner-up award goes to Saratoga for its series against Big Piney; the Punchers and Panthers have played 24 times, with the Panthers winning once and tying once.

Look in the mirror award: Riverton and Cody. The all-time series between the Wolverines and Broncs is tied at 33-33-2. At 68 games, it’s the most-played series that is tied heading into 2012. Of course, Natrona and Central — No. 5 on the list above — shared this award prior to last season.

More on series records later this week….

–patrick