1-3 Ball State has only faced the current Mountain West Conference members four times – all in boules games – and has a 1-3 recording in these playoff games. The Cardinals beat San Jose State 34-13 in the 2020 Arizona Bowl. Ball State lost 27-6 to Fresno State in the 1989 California Raisin Bowl, lost 42-33 to Utah State in Las Vegas Bowl 1993 and 18-15 over Nevada in the 1996 Las Vegas Bowl. UW improved to 9-4 against Mid-American Conference teams with a 50-43 victory last week in Northern Illinois.
3 Isaiah Neyor had shown flashes of brilliance in his previous eight games for the Cowboys, but never reached the end zone. The dynamic wide receiver scored three touchdowns in Wyoming’s 50-43 victory over Northern Illinois. Neyor had four receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 13 yards and one score. He also grabbed a 2 point conversion to top off his breakout game.
11 Xazavian Valladay finished with 101 rushing yards at Northern Illinois, which marked his 11th career 100-yard running game. He currently sits seventh on the UW career scorecard with 2,389 yards and needs 144 yards to pass Shaun Wicks (2,533 yards, 2012-16).
20 Ball State returns 20 entries (10 in attack, 10 in defense) of the 2020 team who finished 7-1 with a MAC championship and the first bowl victory of the program. UW is also coming back 20 players with starting experience (10 on offense, 10 on defense) after finishing a disappointing 2-4 in the shortened MWC season. Both teams send the five starters back down the offensive line. The unit that performs the best is likely to come out victorious.
53.9 Craig Bohl has promised more balance in attack this season and first-year coordinator Tim Polasek has kept his promises, at least in terms of distance in the first two games. UW’s passing game generated 53.9% (400 yards) of the team’s total offense (742 yards). The running game, which the team relied on in 2020 when Sean Chambers missed all but three games with injury and Levi Williams played with an injured throwing shoulder, accounted for 342 yards (46.1% ). Polasek has called 49 assists and 88 points so far.
271 The Cowboys have intercepted Rocky Lombardi three times but allowed 233 yards on the 16 passes completed by the NIU quarterback (14.6 yards per). Now they will face Ball State quarterback Drew Plitt, who only needs 126 passing yards on Saturday to eclipse career 7,000 yards. His favorite target, wide receiver Justin Hall, leads every active college player in career receptions with 271 and recorded at least one capture in the 45 games of his career. Hall needs 87 yards against the Cowboys to pass Dante Ridgeway (3,030 yards) as the all-time leading receiver in Ball State history.
The Cardiac Cowboys will look to climb to 3-0 after scoring victories over Montana State (19-16) and Northern Illinois (50-43) with touchdowns from 75 yards in the final two minutes. Sean Chambers held onto the game in the balance, completing a 21-yard touchdown pass to Treyton Welch with 47 seconds left to beat the Bobcats to Brent Vigen and run for a 9-yard touchdown with 1:35 left for get the Pokes to the finish line against the Huskies after a second half misstep. The two winning scores came to third base. UW has scored 24 points in the fourth quarter this season.
Back to back vs MAC
The Cowboys improved to 2-0 in classic games against NIU. After Josh Allen took the game-winning dive over the goal line to seal the 40-34 triple-overtime victory in the wee hours of Game 1 of 2016, Chambers managed to get the Pokes out of the mat after that the team wasted a 42-16 led last Saturday at Huskie Stadium. Now UW, which improved to 9-4 against the Mid-American Conference, will host Ball State. The reigning MAC champion and preseason favorite, the Cardinals defeated Mountain West champion San Jose State 34-13 in the 2020 Arizona Bowl for the first win in program history. Ball State is 1-3 all-time against current MWC members. UW defeated Central Michigan 37-14 in an MWC-MAC clash in the famous 2017 Idaho Potatoes Bowl.
The Cowboys defense to test
The UW defense will be looking to bounce back from last week’s faltering performance in DeKalb, Ill.. The Pokes had three interceptions but allowed 477 total yards, 244 rushing yards and 43 points to NIU. Now defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel, whose unit ranks 97th in the FBS for rushing yards allowed (182.5 per game) and 90th for total yards allowed (399.0 per game), will face one of the most experienced offenses in the country. Ball State quarterback Drew Plitt has totaled 6,520 yards and 50 touchdowns in his career, wide receiver Justin Hall already holds the school’s career receiving record (271) and running back Carson Steele is one of only two true freshmen to rush for a touchdown in both games to open the season.
Neyor again
UW’s vertical passing game is back with the emergence of Isaiah Neyer as a potential All-Mountain West first-team selection. After being limited to three catches for 32 yards by Montana State, Neyor finished with four receptions for 87 yards and two touchdowns against NIU. He also ran for a 5-yard touchdown on a reaction sweep and caught a 2-point conversion. Chambers and Neyor should be able to release a Ball State defense that ranks 121st in passing yards allowed (310.0 per game) so far this season. Penn State quarterbacks Sean Clifford and Ta’Quan Roberson completed a total of 22 passes for 31 for 253 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in last Saturday’s 44-13 win over the Cardinals.
A month of September to remember?
Beating the reigning MAC champions will be the toughest hurdle for the Cowboys on the road to a 4-0 start. And the first two games turned out to be draws late in the fourth quarter. Plitt is an outstanding quarterback and one of 16 Super Seniors on Ball State’s roster. The Cardinals also have three of the MAC’s top 15 tackles, linebacker Jaylin Thomas and defensemen Bryce Crosby and Brett Anderson. Head coach Mike Neu, a former Ball State quarterback, has the schedule in place for another great season after last year’s 7-1. But UW head coach Craig Bohl also has a full and experienced roster capable of fighting for an MWC crown. A victory on Saturday would put UW, who play hapless UConn on September 25, in a position to start a season 4-0 for the first time since 1996. The Pokes are the 7-point favorites on Saturday.
The third week of the pre-season football in Wyoming is Friday and Saturday.
Find all your game scores in one place, here! We will be following the games throughout the weekend.
These are the scheduled games, but any schedule is subject to change. If a game time moves, please email [email protected]
WyoPreps football rankings for this week
Did you miss our games of the week? Learn more about two matches here.
WyoPreps Big School Game of the Week
WyoPreps Small School Game of the Week
Games are listed in order of start time.
Week 3
Friday September 17th Class 4A
Final score:# 2 Sheridan 27 # 1 Rock Springs 24 – The Broncs take the win with a 70-yard screen pass to Coon on a fourth and one with 1:32 to go.
Final score:# 3 Thunder Basin 10 Cheyenne Central 7 – Indians miss 47-yard FG at time limit; The Thunderbolts took the lead with a 70-yard touchdown pass from Baker to LaFramboise with 13 seconds left in the 3Q.
Final score:# 4 Cheyenne East 49 Laramie 8 – Pugh of Thunderbird had 16 carries for 143 yards with 2 touchdowns, and Goff threw 101 yards for 4 touchdowns and had a rushed touchdown.
Final score:# 5 Natrona 42 Kelly Walsh 7
Final score: Campbell County 65 Cheyenne South 15 – Camels rush for 491 yards as a team. Miller with 206 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. Carter added 143 rushing yards and 1 touchdown.
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Class 3A
Final score:# 1 Cody 49 Ox 14
Final score:# 2 Jackson 28 Riverton 17
Final score:# 3 Powell 17 # 4 Douglas 0 – The Panthers give the Bearcats their first shutout since 2017.
Final score:# 5 Star Valley 74 Rawlins 7 – The Braves break school record for most points in a game
Final score:Evanston 20 Lander 14
Final score:Worland 49 Green River 35
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Class 2A
Final score:# 1 Wheatland 38 # 5 Upton-Sundance 28 – Front for the Bulldogs with a 60 yard punt return; Interception 100 yards from the Bulldogs Hicks TD.
Final score:# 2 Lyman 34 # 3 Lovell 15 – The Eagles go undefeated as they hand the Bulldogs their first loss of the season; Housekeeper of Lyman with more than 200 meters of passes; Smith had a pick of six late in the game to seal it.
Final score:# 4 Torrington 42 Tongue River 14 – The game was tied at 14 and the Blazers scored the last 28 points.
Final score: Big Piney 28 Pinedale 0
Final score:Cokeville 28 Mountain View 7
Final Notes:Thermopolis 41 Kemmerer 14
Final score:Big Horn 20 Newcastle 0
Final score:Burns 26 Glenrock 22
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Class 1A-9 Male
Final score:# 1 Shoshoni 72 St. Stephens 6
Final score:# 2 Pine Bluffs 52 # 5 Saratoga 0
Final score:# 3 Lusk 50 Moorcroft 6
Final score:# 4 Wind River 8 # 5 South East 6
Final score: Rocky Mountain 19 Riverside 12
Final score:Wright 20 Lingle-Ft. Laramie 7
Final score:Greybull 50 Wyoming Indian 0
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Class 1A-6 Male Final score: # 3 Little Snake River 68 Burlington 16
Oppon out of stateent Final score:Guernsey-Sunrise 44 Sioux County, NE 42 (6-Man) – Sioux scored a TD in the final 10 seconds, but couldn’t get the 2-point conversion to send him to OT. The Vikings win their first victory of the season.
Non-university opponent Natrona Soph. in the Midwest, 10 a.m.
HEM at Natrona Soph. – canceled
Opening date : Kaycee (Week 3 opponent canceled his season)
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WyoPreps Football ranking up to week 2
10 of the most famous Wyomingites in history
We asked our listeners to tell us who they think is the most famous Wyomingite in history, here are the top 10 picks. NOTE: To be a Wyomingite you do NOT need to be born here, but you must have lived here for at least a year.
WYOMING, Ohio – Wyoming junior full-back CJ Hester isn’t shy about enjoying a Kit Kat and a blue Gatorade in the locker room about 30 minutes before every game this season.
“It’s funny because he’s a Kit Kat and a Gatorade – you wouldn’t expect that on match day,” Hester said with a smile before practice on Tuesday afternoon.
“But, I’ve always done this for games, and I’m doing well – like very well – so I was like, ‘I need this. “”
There’s certainly no reason to change the pre-game snack for Hester, who racked up 775 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Cowboys (4-0, 1-0 Cincinnati Hills League), who play Reading (4 -0, 2 -0 LCH) Friday evening.
“CJ is a great kid,” Wyoming coach Aaron Hancock said. “A great young man. He’s got his head on his shoulders, a lot of physical attributes that come off the charts. But the passion and desire to be the best he can be is second to none.”
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Hester, who is listed at 5-foot, 11, and 185 pounds, showed his versatility on the court last week when he scored all of the Cowboys’ points in a 30-0 win over rival Indian Hill.
Hester had three rushing touchdowns, converted three two-run conversions and scored on a 25-yard fumble for the Cowboys, who shut out Indian Hill for the first time since 2001.
Mike Dyer / WCPO
Wyoming’s CJ Hester junior hatchback has received scholarship offers from Toledo and Buffalo and has garnered interest from a number of other college programs including Cincinnati, Iowa, Iowa State, Michigan State, Purdue, Duke, Vanderbilt and Stanford.
“He has a passion for football,” Hancock said. “Just a competitor in all phases. Wants to be the best at whatever he does. I think it can kind of transcend into your program. Kids see it and want to be a part of it and really want to be part of it. improve themselves in the same direction.
Besides Hester’s main duties in the backfield, he also returns kicks and punts and plays it safe. He’s had 30 or more runs in three games this season and can see up to 40 reps on offense and up to 50 on defense.
“He’s leading us,” Wyoming offensive coordinator Keith Jordan said. “He’s a kid who wants the ball in his hands whenever he can. He never asks out.”
Wyoming running back coach DeShawn Wynn, a former Reading High School star who won a national title at the University of Florida before his NFL career, is deeply impressed with Hester’s work ethic.
“Throughout each week, he comes every day ready to train and ready to improve,” said Wynn. “Very easy to coach. Just a tough nosed kid. He’s all over the pitch.”
Tim wilking
Wyoming junior half-back CJ Hester amassed 201 yards and three touchdowns in a 36-4 win at Norwood on September 3. He also got an 11-yard touchdown reception.
Hester said he has learned to be a leader as a captain this season. He might not be the most vocal player at all times, but his goals are consistent.
“For the team, to be the best version of myself,” Hester said. “Push everyone. Make sure everyone is cool. Make sure everyone’s grades are good. My goal is basically to be myself. Don’t force you to be someone. other. Focus on me, focus on the team. “
Hester learned some of these leadership qualities as a freshman when he played with current University of Cincinnati quarterback Evan Prater, who graduated from Wyoming High School in 2020.
Hester still talks to the former Ohio winner Mr. Football and appreciates what Prater brought to the program while Hester watched as a high school student, then freshman.
Hester, who was a Division IV all-state first-team selection and the Southwest District’s second-year offensive player of the year in 2020, stays in the moment with a vision of success.
He has Toledo and Buffalo scholarship offerings and program interests that include UC, Purdue, Michigan State, Iowa, Iowa State, Duke, Vanderbilt, Stanford, and Bowling Green.
Hester said expectations in Wyoming never waver, and it’s something he doesn’t take lightly, whether at home or on the road. Wyoming has won 51 straight regular season games – the highest score in Ohio for this team category.
“The tradition is amazing,” Hester said. “Being a cowboy is very important. We really embrace it. We love the terrain. We protect the terrain. We do everything for each of us.”
LARAMIE – Here’s a look at how the 11 former Wyoming Cowboys currently on the NFL rosters fared in Week 1:
QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills: Finished 30 in 51 passes for 270 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the Bills’ 23-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Allen, who has been sacked three times, also had nine points for 44 yards.
LB Logan Wilson, Cincinnati Bengals: Finished with seven tackles and a failed quarterback in the Bengals’ 27-24 overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings.
C Chase Roullier, Washington football team: Began the Redskins’ 20-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
S Andrew Wingard, Jacksonville Jaguars: Finished with six tackles in the Jaguars’ 37-21 loss to the Houston Texans.
S Marcus Epps, Philadelphia Eagles: Finished with two tackles before leaving the Eagles 32-6 win over the Atlanta Falcons with possible concussion.
S Tashaun Gipson, Chicago Bears: Finished with three tackles in the Bears’ 34-14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
FROM Carl Granderson, Saints of New Orleans: Recorded no stats in the Saints’ 38-3 win over the Green Bay Packers.
DT Mike Purcell, Denver Broncos: Recorded no stats in the Broncos’ 27-13 win over the New York Giants.
TE Jacob Hollister, Jaguars: Recorded no stats in the Jaguars’ loss to the Houston Texans.
CB Tyler Hall, CB, LA Rams: Recorded no stats in the Rams’ 34-14 win over the Chicago Bears.
WR Tyler Gentry, Invoices: Has not been activated from the training squad.
Follow UW beat writer Ryan Thorburn on Twitter @By_RyanThorburn
LARAMIE – Craig Bohl has seen a lot in his nearly four decades on the sidelines.
The turn of events last Saturday – Wyoming let a 42-16 lead evaporate to a 43-42 deficit before taking a 50-43 victory over northern Illinois – was a particularly experience. stressful for Bohl.
“Frankly, I don’t know if I’ve ever been part of a game that rocked as fast as this game did,” Bohl said at his press conference on Monday. “Northern Illinois, thank you to them. They believed they could hang on and fight, which they did. They have made some progress. I thought we hit our toes and didn’t play as well as we could have.
“But the determination of our football team to come back and finish the game, both in attack and defense, has been really good the last couple of times.”
The Cowboys (2-0), who beat Montana State and NIU with clutch plates in the dying minutes to tie the program’s winning tally in 2020, are bracing for more #MACtion this week.
UW hosts the defending Mid-American Ball State Conference champion on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium (2:00 p.m., stadium).
The defense will look to finish stronger after allowing 33 points and 301 yards in the second half inside the hot and humid Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Ill..
“I really thought we were complacent,” nickel fullback Keyon Blankenbaker said. “We haven’t finished the game. That’s what I sort of saw from the defense in the fourth quarter. We wanted a victory. It’s all that matters.
“We are very proud, we have a huge test this weekend and we will bounce back for sure.”
Bohl credited NIU quarterback Rocky Lombardi for avoiding the rush and running back Harrison Waylee for making big plays during the rally.
UW defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel said mistakes made by his unit can easily be corrected in training.
“From a training standpoint, the corrections aren’t overwhelming about what we need to do,” Sawvel said. “I think we were a bit about to let go a bit as a football team. You’re leading 42-16 and you haven’t completed some things like we had to.
Sean Chambers and the offense had the chance to drive the final nail into the Huskies’ coffin early in the fourth quarter when Bohl left them on the field for a fourth and one at the NIU 10-yard line.
Xazavian Valladay, who finished with 101 rushing yards and one touchdown, was knocked down in the backfield.
The Huskies took advantage of the wave of touchdown momentum in their next three possessions to take the lead with 4:56 to go.
“This is how football is. Things don’t always go the way you want them to and you will always face adversity, ”right-back Logan Harris said. “Credit to our attack and the way we have responded over the past two weeks to the adversity we have faced. “
Chambers completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to tight end Treyton Welch with 47 seconds left in the 19-16 win over Montana State and ran for a 9-yard touchdown on the third and the goal with 1: 35 to play to beat NIU.
“I think you see real maturity from Sean,” said Bohl, who was pleased with UW’s offensive balance (204 passing yards, 191 rushing yards). “We looked explosive.”
The Cowboys escaped with two spectacular wins and no notable injuries this season other than cold sores brought on by Bohl’s stress.
“I don’t know if I’ve had two back-to-back games that ended the way they did, and I’ve coached 38 years,” said Bohl. “It’s great to be 2-0.”
Follow UW beat writer Ryan Thorburn on Twitter @By_RyanThorburn
(Editor’s note: University of Wyoming press release)
LARAMIE – University of Wyoming men’s basketball head coach Jeff Linder announced the 2021-2022 non-conference schedule on Wednesday afternoon. Wyoming will host six teams inside the Arena Auditorium during non-conference games and play four road competitions during the non-conference roster.
Wyoming opens the list of non-conferences hosting Detroit in the Arena Auditorium on Wednesday, November 10. This will be the second reunion in three seasons. The Titans have one of the nation’s top scorers in Antoine Davis, having placed third in the nation last season with 24 points per game.
The Cowboys will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sunday, November 14, in their first meeting since the 2007-08 season. Other home games include Hastings College on Friday, November 26, Denver on Thursday, December 2, and McNeese State on Saturday, December 11. Wyoming will close the non-conference home action on Saturday, Dec. 11 against Utah Valley.
Wyoming will open the non-conference route list in Washington on Thursday, Nov. 18 in the first meeting with the Huskies since the 2003-04 campaign. The Pokes will follow up on this contest with their first-ever meeting against the Grand Canyon on Monday, November 22 in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Pokes will also play non-conference road games in Cal State Fullerton on Monday, November 29 and in Arizona on Wednesday, December 8. This will be the first visit to Tucson since the 2004-05 season.
Wyoming will also compete in the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii during Christmas week. ESPN Events has revealed the clashes for the 2021 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic in July which will be held on December 22, 23 and 25 at the SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center with the Wyoming Cowboys opener on December 22 on ESPNU against Stanford. during the first meeting between the two schools since December 4, 1980.
The Cowboys will face in the second round against Liberty or Northern Iowa. Other first-round clashes include BYU against South Florida and Vanderbilt against South Florida.
Two 2021 field teams were part of the NCAA playoffs last season – BYU and Liberty. The field also includes two returning participants to the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic – BYU (2015) and Northern Iowa (2015).
DEKALB, Illinois – The University of Northern Illinois Huskies erased a 26-point second-half deficit, but a Wyoming touchdown with less than two minutes left was enough to help the Cowboys escape with a win. from 50-43 Saturday afternoon (September 11) at Huskie Stadium. Harrison waylee (Johnston, Iowa / Urbandale) rushed for a peak of 179 yards on 26 carries with two touchdowns.
“We need to play cleaner as a football team,” said NIU head coach Thomas Hammock. “The players win games and the coaches lose them. This loss is for me; we have to react, we have to come back and we will. I love the resilience of our guys, they competed for four quarters, they didn’t not let the score affect them one way or another, they just get ready for the next play.
“I couldn’t be more proud of them, their level of focus and discipline. We have a good football team; Wyoming is a good football team. Let’s take nothing away from them. Wyoming was a football team. very, very tough. We’re proud to be tough, they were a good team, I have a lot of respect for Coach (Craig) Bohl and the program he runs. “
The Huskies fell to 1-1 over the season with the loss while Wyoming improved to 2-0.
An interception return for a touchdown by Chad Muma of Wyoming gave the Cowboys a 42-16 lead with six minutes remaining in the third quarter.
NIU responded immediately as the Huskies only needed four plays to go 70 yards, capped by a 40-yard touchdown pass from Lombardi Rockies (Clive, Iowa / Valley / Michigan State) to Trayvon Rudolph (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee), reducing Wyoming’s advance to 42-22.
Lombardi finished the contest 19 of 36 in the air for 233 yards and a touchdown.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Wyoming returned the ball to the downs and, four plays later, Waylee turned the corner to the left side and ran 75 yards for a score as the Huskies reduced the Cowboys’ advantage. to two scores with 12:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. It was the longest scrum run for a Huskie since Anthony Maddie totaled 75 yards against Ball State in 2016.
Just 13 seconds later, the Huskies were back in the end zone. Wyoming mishandled a pass behind the line of scrimmage on the first play of their drive and Ray Thomas (Racine, Wis./Washington Park) pounced on it to give the ball to NIU on Wyoming 14. Waylee found the end zone in the next game. as the Huskies reduced Wyoming’s lead to 42-36.
The NIU defense forced a three-and-out, recovering the ball in good position on the field in Wyoming 45. Five minutes and 10 games later, Clint ratkovich (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee/Western Illinois) crossed the goal line for his third score of the day and, after the point after de John richardson (Orland Park, Ill./Brother Rice), the Huskies took their first lead of the game, 43-42, with 4:56 to go.
Ratkovich ran 63 yards on six carries, largely on a 52-yard rush that set NIU’s first scoring, to go with his three touchdowns.
Wyoming came back on top on a 9-yard touchdown from Sean Chambers with 1:35 left. The Cowboys’ key practice play came second and nine at NIU 34 when Chambers connected with Isaiah Neyor for 30 yards. The game was initially deemed incomplete but, upon examination, the Cowboy catcher was deemed to have stepped in bounds and retained possession, giving Wyoming the first and the NIU goal four. Three games later, Chambers scored to help the Cowboys escape with the win.
Chambers had 13 of 23 passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns, Xazavian Valladay ran for 101 yards on 21 carries.
Cole tucker (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb) caught a team-high with six catches for 72 yards for the Huskies, Tyrice Richie (Chicago, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoore/Dodge City CC) had five receptions for 40 yards.
The Cowboys took a 21-3 lead early in the second quarter. Titus Swen and Valladay each had rushing touchdowns as Chambers connected with Neyor for a 33-yard score.
Ratkovich scored his first touchdown of the day by a yard in the middle of the second quarter before Wyoming responded as Chambers connected with Neyor for the second time to give the Cowboys a 28-10 lead in the mid -time.
In the first practice after intermission, Ratkovich won his second 1-yard touchdown of the game, but Wyoming scored the next 14 points on a 5-yard run from Neyor and Muma’s interception, giving the Cowboys their most great advance of the afternoon.
Next week, NIU will travel to Ann Arbor to face Michigan. The game against the Wolverines is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CT and will be televised on Big Ten Network.
Visitors inspect Wabtec’s FLXdrive battery electric locomotive at an event in Pittsburgh on Friday to announce the formation of a consortium of Wabtec, Genesee & Wyoming and Carnegie Mellon University to pursue new and improved rail technologies. (Dan Cupper)
PITTSBURGH – A railway manufacturer, a short-lived holding company and a university have announced the formation of a consortium that they hope will revolutionize the U.S. railroad and ultimately reduce the company’s carbon footprint to zero. industry.
Wabtec Corp., based in Pittsburgh; Carnegie Mellon University, known for its engineering studies; and local and regional rail operator Genesee & Wyoming announced on Friday (September 10) that they had signed a memorandum of understanding to work towards creating a more sustainable rail freight network.
The parties will work on two fronts: developing fleets of locomotives using alternative energy sources such as batteries and hydrogen fuel cells, and advancing current signaling and digital technologies to increase railway capacity and safety.
Elected officials and other speakers hailed this effort as a first step towards “decarbonizing rail freight transport”. U.S. Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.) Highlighted Pennsylvania’s long-standing leadership role in transportation, from the main line of public works to the 1830s canal and rail system through the consummate railway town, Altoona, Pa., which once employed 16,000 workers at the Pennsylvania Railroad workshop complex.
US Senator Robert Casey speaks at the Wabtec Friday event, with the FLXdrive locomotive as a backdrop. (Dan Cupper)
“Today’s announcement will put Pittsburgh at the center of efforts to tackle climate change through transportation policy,” Casey said, “and will also drive significant job growth, reduce emissions greenhouse gas emissions and will allow the United States to become an international leader in the creation of zero emission solutions for rail. “
In May, Casey introduced a bill, S.1732, that would allocate $ 600 million to a freight rail innovation institute to research and develop alternate horsepower locomotives. U.S. Representative Conor Lamb (D-Pa.), Who also spoke on Friday, was a co-sponsor of the house version of the bill [see “Digest: Industrial development firm launches rail affiliate …,” Trains News Wire, May 26, 2021]. The deal announced Friday will see Wabtec, Carnegie Mellon and G&W formally join forces in a partnership to continue the creation of the institute.
G&W, which has 116 freight carriers in North America, the UK and Europe, will provide a place to test the technologies developed by the group on its Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad.
G&W President and CEO Jack Hellmann said The trains News Wire that Buffalo & Pittsburgh is ideal testing ground for new technology, having rugged inclines, operating a manifesto of 130 cars and experiencing extreme weather contrasts along its roughly 220 mile mainline between New Castle, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh and Buffalo, NY “We are the incubator, we are the proving ground for these new technologies,” he said. G&W plans to operate a battery-powered and hydrogen-powered assembly in commercial service on the B&P within three years
Joe Parsons, president and CEO of the Iowa Interstate Railroad, was in attendance and said his railroad would be interested in exploring battery-powered technology. A preliminary step, he said, would be for Iowa Interstate to upload event recorder data to Wabtec to provide information on ratings, fuel consumption and other profile-specific clues. operation of this railway. Iowa Interstate President Henry Posner III is on the CMU faculty.
FLXdrive details and plans for its successor
As part of this announcement, Wabtec presented its first efforts in the field of alternative energy locomotives, the six-axle FLXdrive battery electric locomotive developed in cooperation with BNSF Railway. The locomotive completed 13,000 miles of testing in California earlier this year [see “Wabtec, BNSF conclude initial tests of battery-electric locomotive,” News Wire, April 30, 2021].
The locomotive, labeled GECX 3000, is the result of years of testing and development and was built at Wabtec’s former GE Transportation plant in Erie, Pennsylvania. Wabtec acquired the locomotives business from GE in 2019.
Wabtec control engineer John Dick, in the interior gangway of the FLXdrive locomotive, explains the details of the battery compartment. (Dan Cupper)
From the front, the bright red locomotive looks like other GE road engines, but the likeness ends about 15 feet behind the cab, where the body flares out across the width to accommodate 500 lithium battery modules. -ion comprising 18,000 individual cells. An interior gangway along the center line of the battery compartment allows the crew access from the cabin to the aft platform and steps. Air is constantly circulated to cool the batteries, according to Wabtec control engineer John Dick, who added that a large HVAC unit mounted above the battery section is designed to keep the interior warm. constant 74 degrees Fahrenheit, year round.
Like a typical GE Tier 4 ES44 diesel-electric road freight model, the FLXdrive is rated at 4,400 horsepower, but it can generate maximum sustained power for only 30 to 40 minutes, according to Bruce Bloomster, a Wabtec commercial project manager. . Its power output is 2.4 megawatt hours, he said, but Wabtec is designing a next-generation model that will be capable of generating 7 megawatt hours, with the increase being attributable to improvements in battery technology. The next prototype is scheduled for 2023.
From December 2020 to March 2021, GECX 3000 operated in manifest freight service on the BNSF Railway between Stockton and Barstow, Calif. For a distance of approximately 370 miles. Although the engine cabin was fitted with a control console, the prototype is designed to operate only in a trailed configuration, so it typically operated with BNSF diesel units in the front and rear.
Wabtec’s old Trip Optimizer technology, used on diesel locomotives to serve as cruise control, has been modified to allow the distribution of the electrical load between units operating in a multi-unit configuration, first using the battery power, then diesel power. For an engineer, the transition would be invisible. Another aspect of the crew cab environment is that the unit is much quieter than a conventional diesel locomotive.
Between trips, the unit is plugged into a 480 volt power supply which takes eight hours to recharge. Engineers say the next iteration of the unit will reduce that to four hours, and the charging method could possibly be changed to a pantograph on the roof of the crate.
In place of the fuel tank are two electrical cabinets mounted on a frame. The front part ensures the load, while the rear part is dedicated to the management of the auxiliary low power electricity, that is to say all that is not necessary for the propulsion.
The unit runs on a C4 configuration, with four axles powered per truck. Two central idler axles on each truck work like a diesel unit, dynamically distributing weight for maximum traction. The FLXdrive unit uses regenerative (dynamic) braking to recharge the batteries.
Using a yard track from the former Monongahela Connecting Railway (now operated by Allegheny Valley Railroad), the event was held at the campus of CMU’s Entertainment Technology Center along the east bank of the Monongahela River, with the Pittsburgh skyline behind. Speakers, in addition to Casey, Lamb and Hellmann, were Wabtec CEO Rafael Santana and William H. Sanders, Dean of CMU College of Engineering.
Missouri lost to Wyoming in straight sets (25-13, 25-22, 25-22), adding to their difficult start to the season. While both clubs recorded the same total number of wins with 38 apiece, the Cowboys edged out the Tigers in aces and digs.
Missouri (2-7) regroup at 4 p.m. Tuesday against Kansas State at Hearnes Center.
Cougars volleyball goes 2-0 in doubles
Columbia College gave Haskell Indian Nations University a home sweep.
The Cougars’ most dominant set came in the second, winning 25-9. Sidney Branson of Columbia led both teams with 12 kills.
Later in the day, the Cougars faced Saint Mary’s University in a much closer game, winning three sets to two, while extending their winning streak to five games. With the game tied 2-2 before the deciding set, the Cougars barely edged the Spiers 15-13 to move to 12-4 this season. Branson again led his team in kills with 19.
The wins put Columbia College 4-0 at the 2021 Baker Invitational in Baldwin City, Kansas. The Cougars will continue their journey at 6 p.m. Tuesday against Tabor in Hillsboro, Kansas, where they will look to add to their best winning streak of the season.
Stephens volley takes first victory of the season in doubles
In the first game of a doubles program at Stephens, the Stars were swept away by Cottey.
As the Comets improved to 5-6, Stephens went winless for the year until later in the afternoon, when he beat Iowa Wesleyan in straight sets. The Stars outscored the Tigers in kills, 30-6.
Next, the Stars will face Baptist Bible College at 6 p.m. Thursday in Springfield.
CC women’s football demolishes statesmen
Columbia College women’s football defeated William Penn in a 5-0 loss, improving her overall record to 2-1. Macie Lucas led the way with two goals, scoring in the 11th and 55th minutes.
The Cougars will look to maintain their momentum against Oklahoma Wesleyan at 6 p.m. Wednesday at home.
All-star football takes narrow victory over Warriors
Stephens narrowly beat Sterling 1-0, with Kaya Coconougher scoring the game’s only goal in the seventh minute.
The Stars improve to 3-3 on the year, while Sterling remains winless at 0-6.
Stephens will face William Penn University at 7 p.m. Tuesday at home.
Cougar men’s football defeats William Penn
Columbia College edged the Statesmen 3-0, with junior Nick Brandt scoring two and senior Jake Totty scoring one. Cougars goaltender Liam Gibbs made two saves without allowing a single point.
Now at 3-1, Columbia will face Indiana at 2 p.m. Following Saturday to face Grace College.
