Wyoming won’t have its coach Saturday when No. 21 Boise State visits War Memorial Stadium in Laramie.

Athletic Director Tom Burman suspended coach Dave Christensen on Monday for his postgame tirade after an Oct. 13 game against Air Force. Christensen can’t participate in practice or visit the team facilities this week. The coach also was fined $50,000.

“Dave would be the first to tell you he lost it and said stuff that was inappropriate, and I think he went overboard,” Burman said.

Christensen confronted Air Force coach Troy Calhoun as the teams left the field after the Falcons’ 28-27 win. He was upset that Air Force quarterback Connor Dietz walked about 20 yards before taking a knee near the sideline — an act Christensen considered faking an injury. Dietz had lost his helmet on the previous play and by rule had to leave for one snap.

The injury timeout provided extra time for backup quarterback Kale Pearson to get ready. Pearson scored a TD on the next play and Dietz returned for the next drive.

“In this game we’re supposed to be ethical and that’s not ethical,” Christensen said after the game.

His comments to Calhoun were much more colorful — and profane. A video surfaced on the Internet on Thursday, and Christensen can be heard calling Calhoun “Mr. … Howdy-Doody” and “Fly Boy.” The YouTube video has been viewed more than 105,000 times.

Mountain West officials forwarded the video to Wyoming on Oct. 15, Burman said. The league office issued a public reprimand but did not suspend Christensen for last week’s game at Fresno State.

Burman said the video’s public release influenced his decision, but the suspension came nine days after the incident because of the time required to make the decision and review contractual issues. He also did not want to suspend Christensen late in a game week.

“I didn’t want to be hasty,” Burman said.

Christensen is in his fourth season at Wyoming. He took the Cowboys to bowl games in two of his first three seasons but they are 1-6 this year, with four losses by three points or less or in overtime.

His job is not in jeopardy, Burman said.

“I expect him to be the football coach at Wyoming next year,” Burman said. “… I believe Dave has learned a lesson. I believe he feels terrible about his actions. He was devastated this morning when I told him of my action.”

Assistant head coach Pete Kaligis will serve as the interim head coach. He was chosen in part to make sure the two coordinators can focus on the game plan, Burman said.

“The program Christensen has installed is a fine oiled machine,” Kaligis said, according to the Casper Star-Tribune. “It rolls.”

LAWRENCE RETURNS

Boise State sophomore starting defensive end Demarcus Lawrence, who was suspended last week for an unspecified team-rules violation, is eligible to play this week, coach Chris Petersen said.

BURROUGHS UPDATE

Senior wide receiver Mitch Burroughs has a cast on his injured wrist but could return for the regular-season finale at Nevada, Petersen said. Burroughs was injured Oct. 6 at Southern Miss.

Petersen does not have timetables for the returns of tight ends Gabe Linehan and Kyle Sosnowski. Linehan has a hamstring injury and hasn't played since Sept. 29 at New Mexico. Sosnowski has not played this season.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Boise State’s internal players of the week were quarterback Joe Southwick (offense), cornerback Jerrell Gavins (defense), linebacker Blake Renaud (special teams) and defensive end Tyler Horn (lineman).

Chadd Cripe: 377-6398, Twitter: @IDS_BroncoBeat