Cheyenne South to Cancel Varsity Football for 2027

The school will field only junior varsity and freshman-sophomore teams during the upcoming 2027 football season.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Football

Cheyenne South to Cancel Varsity Football for 2027

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Should high schools prioritize player safety by suspending varsity teams that lack sufficient roster depth?

Cheyenne South High School will suspend its varsity football program for the 2027 season due to insufficient roster depth. The school will focus instead on developing younger athletes through junior varsity and freshman-sophomore competition.

Why it matters

Administrators cited significant safety concerns and a lack of competitive depth as the primary reasons for the suspension. The decision follows a 2026 season where the team faced a high injury rate and severe scoring deficits against larger varsity programs.

The football program holds an all-time record of 10-135 since 2011 and recently concluded a 65-game losing streak. In the 2026 season, the team averaged a scoring deficit of 62.3 points per game.

The players

Cheyenne South High School

This institution is the seventh-largest high school in Wyoming by average daily membership.

The details

Cheyenne South, the seventh-largest high school in Wyoming, struggled to maintain a viable roster for Class 4A play, even forfeiting a 2024 game at Campbell County. Officials now plan to seek matchups against smaller varsity programs across Wyoming, Colorado, and Nebraska to prioritize player development.

Oct. 11, 2019: Cheyenne South achieved its last varsity victory.
2026 season: The team completed its most recent varsity schedule.
Oct. 29, 2026: Athletes were formally informed of the program decision.
Nov. 3, 2026: Class 4A athletics directors met to discuss the update.
2027: The school will field only sub-varsity teams.

Season Trajectory

The removal of the school from varsity competition reduces the Class 4A landscape to nine teams for the 2027 season. This adjustment disrupts the typical league schedule and necessitates a reorganization of Wyoming school classifications after the 2027-28 school year.

The school will no longer contribute to Class 4A varsity standings or playoff calculations in 2027. Students interested in the sport will transition to a junior varsity or freshman-sophomore schedule for the duration of the upcoming year.

The takeaway

Schools with limited participation often prioritize sub-varsity development to ensure athlete safety and long-term program sustainability. Focusing on foundational skills allows smaller rosters to compete more effectively before attempting a return to varsity play.