Air Force vs Wyoming Picks and Predictions for Friday October 23 2026
Air Force has won four straight, and the Falcons are starting to look like a team nobody wants to deal with in November. They just beat UNLV 41-31, and now they’re heading up to Laramie to play Wyoming on Friday, October 23, 2026. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:00 PM ET on The CW from War Memorial Stadium. Air Force is favored by seven points, with the total around 44.5. That’s a pretty interesting number considering the Falcons just played a 72-point game. But Wyoming isn’t UNLV, and playing football at 7,200 feet in late October can be a little different. The game-time forecast still needs checking closer to Friday. Wind matters in Laramie, and I wouldn’t make a total bet without looking at it. Check out our free college football picks for more predictions.
Air Force Has Been Winning The Hard Way
Air Force is 5-1, including a 2-0 road record. The Falcons lost 38-32 to North Dakota State back in September and haven’t lost since. They beat Nevada 36-33 in overtime, Navy 14-9, Northern Illinois 28-7, and UNLV 41-31. That’s four straight wins, and they’ve done it in different ways. The Navy game was a defensive fight. The UNLV game turned into a shootout. Air Force managed to win both. That’s a good sign. The Falcons are 3-1 in Mountain West play, and they’re right in the conference race.
The Falcons have been running the football well, which shouldn’t surprise anybody. That’s what Air Force does. But the defense has been a little inconsistent. It held Navy to nine points and Northern Illinois to seven, then gave up 31 to UNLV. Wyoming has been better offensively lately, so Air Force can’t assume this will be another easy defensive night. The Falcons need to control the clock and avoid giving Wyoming short fields. The Cowboys aren’t the most explosive team in the conference, but they’re capable of moving the ball when the running game gets going.
Liam Szarka has been a big part of the offense, and his ability to run makes Air Force difficult to defend. He’s been the team’s leading rusher and one of its main passing threats, which is what you want from an option quarterback. The Falcons have also been getting production from their backs, and the offensive line has been doing a good job creating running lanes. The concern is the short week and the trip to Laramie. Air Force is used to altitude, but Wyoming’s stadium is even higher than Falcon Stadium. That’s not something I’d ignore, especially if the wind picks up.
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Wyoming Is Getting Better At The Right Time
Wyoming is 4-3, and the Cowboys have won two straight. They beat San Jose State 16-13 in overtime on October 9, then knocked off Northern Illinois 41-23 Saturday. That was easily their best offensive performance in a while. Wyoming had been struggling to score, including a 28-0 loss at North Dakota State earlier in October. Now the Cowboys have put together back-to-back wins, and they’re 3-1 in Mountain West play. That’s not bad for a team that started 1-2. They’re also 3-0 at home, and War Memorial Stadium has been a pretty good place for them.
The Cowboys have been leaning on their running game more, and that showed against Northern Illinois. Wyoming ran for 176 yards and threw for another 216. That’s 392 yards of offense, which is a good night for a team that hasn’t always moved the ball consistently. The defense has been pretty solid at home, although it gave up 23 to Northern Illinois. Air Force’s option attack is a different challenge. Wyoming needs to stay disciplined, tackle well, and avoid giving up the long runs that can make an option offense impossible to stop.
Wyoming’s offense has been getting better quarterback play, and the running backs have started finding more room. That’s encouraging, but Air Force has been playing good defense for most of the season. The Cowboys can’t count on scoring 41 again. They need to make their possessions count and avoid turnovers. Wyoming also has to be careful about falling behind early. Air Force can chew up the clock with its running game, and chasing a two-touchdown deficit against that kind of offense isn’t much fun. But the Cowboys have been tough at home, and I think they’ll make this interesting.
Air Force vs Wyoming Picks and Predictions
Wyoming +7 (-110)
I’m taking Wyoming and the touchdown. Air Force is the better team, and four straight wins prove the Falcons are playing good football. But seven points on the road in Laramie is a lot, especially on a short week. Wyoming is 3-0 at home, and the Cowboys have won two straight. They’re playing better than they were a month ago. Air Force can absolutely win this game, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Falcons control the ball for most of the night. But Wyoming’s defense has been good enough at home to keep games close. I’ll take the touchdown and hope the Cowboys don’t give up a couple of long option runs.
Under 44.5 Points (-110)
I’m going under 44.5, but I’d want one more look at the weather before betting it. Wind can make a big difference in Laramie, especially with two teams that want to run the football. Air Force has played some high-scoring games, but the Falcons also beat Navy 14-9 and Northern Illinois 28-7. Wyoming has been involved in plenty of low-scoring games, including that 16-13 overtime win at San Jose State. I think both teams try to control the clock and keep the other offense on the sideline. The danger is a couple of long runs. Option teams can turn a 14-10 game into 28-17 pretty quickly. But I think this stays closer to 24-17. Give me the under.
Final Picks: Wyoming +7 (-110) and Under 44.5 Points (-110)
This article was completed on October 18, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, and especially the Laramie weather forecast may change before Friday’s kickoff.
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