It all started with Josh Allen and it’s continuing to grow.
The University of Wyoming on Wednesday announced a continued partnership with the Buffalo Bills in 2026.
That means the university is going back out to Buffalo to attend a Bills game to not only support Josh Allen but to network and to “build a pipeline for incoming students.”
Appetite
University of Wyoming spokesman Chad Baldwin told Cowboy State Daily there’s an “appetite for UW” in Bills country.
“We think we have the potential to create a student recruitment pipeline in western New York,” Baldwin said.
“Culturally it is very similar to Wyoming,” he said. “There’s a blue collar ethic there and our most famous alumnus is a hero in this place.”
Is it working so far?
Baldwin says yes. In fact, he says that applicants from New York to the University of Wyoming are up 25% from the year before.
Plus, if the trend holds, there will be more students coming from New York to UW than from neighboring states Utah and Idaho.
“They aren’t huge numbers yet,” Baldwin said. “But it’s real. And we think this is the start of something.”
New Stadium
Hundreds of alumni attended the Bills game last year against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It will be different this year, however, as attendees will get to go to the brand new $2.2 billion stadium.
“We are excited to continue shining a light on Josh’s achievements -- and UW’s role in his amazing career -- particularly in a community that has embraced him at a level only Poke Nation can understand,” Baldwin said.
A Lot In Common
University of Wyoming trustee Paul Ulrich said the experience in Buffalo last year was surreal.
He didn't know anyone in Buffalo but once people saw the UW gear that he and others were wearing, there was an immediate outburst.
"We were greeted with loud cheers and embraces," he said. "Sometimes really loud cheers."
Ulrich thinks the partnership is the beginning of something big because of the shared nature of the people.
Like Baldwin, Ulrich mentioned "blue collar" in describing the commonality between the two places that are geographically 1,500 miles apart.
"I really felt a strong connection with the people of Buffalo. Resilient, hard-working, tough but kind warm and welcoming. We have a lot in common," he said.
Jimmy Orr can be reached at jimmy@cowboystatedaily.com.
