The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Air Force Runs Over James Madison 31-21

The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Air Force Runs Over James Madison 31-21 The Falcons Nuke the Dukes Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire After going winless in the month of November, following an 8-0 start to the season, Air Force corrects course …


The Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Air Force Runs Over James Madison 31-21


The Falcons Nuke the Dukes


Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

After going winless in the month of November, following an 8-0 start to the season, Air Force corrects course by winning the Armed Forces Bowl in convincing fashion. The Falcons wore out the Dukes by a score of 31-21.

Entering the contest, the Dukes of JMU were favored, and for good reason. They just capped off a 12-1 campaign, and feature one of the top passing attacks in the country, and what was statistically the stoutest defense against the run nationally. Air Force said hold my beer.

JMU learned early on what many do the hard way; Air Force is built different. There aren’t any teams on the Dukes schedule that pose the kind of problems that the Falcons do, in particular in the run game. James Madison was averaging just 2 yards per carry allowed, and 62 yards per game on the ground for the season. Senior fullback, Emmanuel Michel pounded the Dukes for over 200 rush yards and two tudd’s on his own.

It was a great way to end the season, winning their 9th game of the season over a very good opponent. The Air Force seniors really showed up and impacted the game; from an unblockable Bo Richter being a menace and disrupting the Dukes offense all game long, to John Lee Eldridge III and Emmanuel Michel shredding JMU’s vaunted defense, Jonathan Youngblood’s interception and Zach Larrier’s flawless execution of the offense behind the road grading Diesel’s, the senior stars shined the brightest.

The Air Force Fightin’ Falcons have won their fifth consecutive Bowl Game, and are Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Champions!

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Mountain West Football’s Updated 2024 Matchups Released

Mountain West Football’s Updated 2024 Matchups Released The Mountain West revised its college football schedule to include games against wayward Oregon State and Washington State. Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire What’s new? The vagaries of …

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Mountain West Football’s Updated 2024 Matchups Released


The Mountain West revised its college football schedule to include games against wayward Oregon State and Washington State.


Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

What’s new?

The vagaries of college football realignment didn’t directly impact the Mountain West Conference over the last calendar year, but the shockwaves of moves across the country resulted today in a revised slate of matchups that includes the Oregon State Beavers and Washington State Cougars, the two Pac-12 programs left behind by their conference mates’ exodus.

When it was announced that the conference would do away with the Mountain and West divisions in 2022, the conference announced a rotation that would protect two games for each team and extend through the 2025 season. A multitude of Power 5 programs had other plans, however, and when the Big 12, Big Ten, and ACC raided the Pac-12 for ten of its teams throughout 2023, it left Oregon State and Washington State standing alone.

Here are the home and away games that the Mountain West had previously unveiled for 2024:

Air Force, Nevada, and San Diego State will host the Beavers while Boise State, Fresno State, and New Mexico will do the same for the Cougars. Conversely, Colorado State, San Jose State, and UNLV will travel to Corvallis; Hawaii, Utah State, and Wyoming will head to Pullman. None of the games will count as part of the conference standings, however, meaning that each Mountain West team will have seven conference games rather than the usual eight.

The changes, as you might expect, have differing impacts on every Mountain West team’s pre-existing schedule. Air Force, for instance, will get to face Oregon State at home instead of Hawaii, but Colorado State now travels to Oregon State and Nevada rather than Boise and San Diego. As DNVR Sports’s Justin Michael noted, it will be the first time since 2010 that the Rams and Broncos do not face each other. Similarly, Wyoming will now host San Diego State and Utah State rather than Nevada and UNLV.

One interesting twist is that the two teams who played in the Mountain West championship game this month, Boise State and UNLV, are now set to square off at Allegiant Stadium rather than Albertsons Stadium next year. Exact dates for the Mountain West schedule will be released at a later time, but next year’s title game is slated for Saturday, December 7, 2024.

Air Force

Home – Colorado State, Fresno State, San Jose State, Oregon State
Away – Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, Wyoming

Boise State

Home – Nevada, San Diego State, Utah State, Washington State
Away – Hawaii, San Jose State, UNLV, Wyoming

Colorado State

Home – New Mexico, San Jose State, Utah State, Wyoming
Away – Air Force, Fresno State, Nevada, Oregon State

Fresno State

Home – Colorado State, Hawaii, San Jose State, Washington State
Away – Air Force, Nevada, New Mexico, UNLV

Hawaii

Home – Boise State, Nevada, New Mexico, UNLV
Away – Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State, Washington State

Nevada

Home – Air Force, Colorado State, Fresno State, Oregon State
Away – Boise State, Hawaii, San Jose State, UNLV

New Mexico

Home – Air Force, Fresno State, Wyoming, Washington State
Away – Colorado State, Hawai‘i, San Diego State, Utah State

San Diego State

Home – Air Force, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon State
Away – Boise State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming

San Jose State

Home – Boise State, Nevada, UNLV, Wyoming
Away – Air Force, Colorado State, Fresno State, Oregon State

UNLV

Home – Boise State, Fresno State, Nevada, San Diego State
Away – Hawaii, San Jose State, Utah State, Oregon State

Utah State

Home – Hawaii, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV
Away – Boise State, Colorado State, Wyoming, Washington State

Wyoming

Home – Air Force, Boise State, San Diego State, Utah State
Away – Colorado State, New Mexico, San Jose State, Washington State

Oregon State

Home – Colorado State, San Jose State, UNLV
Away – Air Force, Nevada, San Diego State

Washington State

Home – Hawaii, Utah State, Wyoming
Away – Boise State, Fresno State, New Mexico

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Colorado State Football: Mohamed Kamara Is MWwire’s 2023 Defensive Player Of The Year

The Colorado State Rams defensive end remained dominant this season and was a near-unanimous pick as Mountain West football’s top defender.

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Colorado State Football: Mohamed Kamara Is MWwire’s 2023 Defensive Player Of The Year


The Rams defensive end remained dominant this season and was a near-unanimous pick as Mountain West football’s top defender.


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

A quarterback’s worst nightmare.

Mountain West Wire’s 2023 postseason honors:

All-Conference Teams | Offensive Player of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year | Special Teams Player of the YearFreshman of the Year | Newcomer of the Year | Coach of the Year | Coordinator of the Year

Colorado State football showed signs of progress in their second season under head coach Jay Norvell, but few players propelled the Rams back in the right direction like veteran defensive end Mohamed Kamara, who dominated as a fifth-year senior in 2023 and earned our honor as the Mountain West’s premier defensive standout.

After racking up 16 tackles for loss in 2022, Kamara raised his game this fall and had few equals anywhere in the country in terms of disrupting offensive backfields. He led the Mountain West with 17 TFLs and 13 sacks and, according to Pro Football Focus, 35 quarterback hurries.

Now that his collegiate career is in the books, there’s little doubt Kamara will go down in program history as a CSU great because he finished second with 30.5 career sacks and third with 45.5 career tackles for loss.

Also received votes: Jay’Vion Cole, CB, San Jose State; Wyatt Ekeler, S, Wyoming; Easton Gibbs, LB, Wyoming; Ahmed Hassanein, DE, Boise State; Emany Johnson, S, Nevada; Ike Larsen, S, Utah State; Bo Richter, LB, Air Force; MJ Tafisi, LB, Utah State; Trey Taylor, S, Air Force; Jackson Woodard, LB, UNLV

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Colorado State Football: Dallin Holker Is MWwire’s 2023 Newcomer Of The Year

The Rams tight end broke out with a big role this year and won a close vote to be our pick as Mountain West football’s top new arrival.

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Colorado State Football: Dallin Holker Is MWwire’s 2023 Newcomer Of The Year


The Rams tight end broke out with a big role this year and won a close vote to be our pick as Mountain West football’s top new arrival.


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

The Rams offense was in good hands.

Mountain West Wire’s 2023 postseason honors:

All-Conference Teams | Offensive Player of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year | Special Teams Player of the YearFreshman of the Year | Newcomer of the Year | Coach of the Year | Coordinator of the Year

Many college football teams have a knack for developing talent at certain positions. At Colorado State, that knack has coalesced around pass-catchers and it was no different in 2023 thanks to Dallin Holker, our pick as the Mountain West’s best new import.

Holker transferred to the Rams last off-season from BYU and it wasn’t hard to see why CSU provided such an alluring landing spot: Not only has the program developed the likes of Crockett Gillmore and Trey McBride over the years, head coach Jay Norvell has a track record of maximizing output from tight ends. As expected, he got busy and stayed busy, leading all FBS players at the position with 67 catches and 767 yards while scoring six touchdowns, all of which helped him become a John Mackey Award finalist in recent days.

Also received votes: Jay’Vion Cole, CB, San Jose State; Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, New Mexico; Jacob De Jesus, WR, UNLV; Dylan Hopkins, QB, New Mexico; Mikey Keene, QB, Fresno State; Steven McBride, WR, Hawaii; Harrison Waylee, RB, Wyoming; Jackson Woodard, LB, UNLV

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Mountain West Wire’s 2023 Postseason All-Conference Football Team

Who did our staff pick as the best of the best in Mountain West football this season?

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Mountain West Wire Presents Its 2023 Postseason All-Mountain West Football Teams


Our staff has made its selections for the best of Mountain West football as we close out the 2023 season.


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Only the best of the best make the cut.

Mountain West Wire’s 2023 postseason honors:

All-Conference Teams | Offensive Player of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year | Special Teams Player of the YearFreshman of the Year | Newcomer of the Year | Coach of the Year | Coordinator of the Year

With the Mountain West’s regular season in the books and the conference championship game just one day away, our staff here at Mountain West Wire has once again put its collective heads together to create our fifth annual postseason all-Mountain West football team.

If you’re interested in seeing how these selections stack up against our preseason picks, click here. Alternatively, you can click the following links to find our postseason honorees from 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018.

As always, our all-conference roster goes four deep and attempts to best reflect the variety of offenses and defenses we see week in and week out throughout the conference:

  • We vote for a Defensive Flex player to better reflect that some units — like Boise State, San Diego State, and Wyoming — often operate with five defensive backs or a nickelback/linebacker hybrid in their 3-3-5 or 4-2-5.
  • We split our linebacker selections into two, inside and outside, as we’d previously differentiated between centers, guards, and tackles on the offensive lines and between interior linemen and edge rushers on defense.
  • We vote for three wide receivers instead of two.

If you disagree with our choices, feel free to let us know what you’d have done differently on Twitter or Facebook.

First Team

Offense

QB – Chevan Cordeiro, San Jose State
RB – Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
RB – Jacory Croskey-Merritt, New Mexico
RB – Kairee Robinson, San Jose State
WR – Tory Horton, Colorado State
WR – Ricky White, UNLV
WR – Jalen Royals, Utah State
TE – Dallin Holker, Colorado State
C – Thor Paglialong, Air Force
G – Mark Hiestand, Air Force
G – Wesley Ndago, Air Force
T – Adam Karas, Air Force
T – Cade Beresford, Boise State

Defense

DT – Jordan Bertagnole, Wyoming
DT – Payton Zdroik, Air Force
DE – Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State
DE – Ahmed Hassanein, Boise State
OLB – Jackson Woodard, UNLV
OLB – Bo Richter, Air Force
ILB – Easton Gibbs, Wyoming
ILB – MJ Tafisi, Utah State
CB – Cameron Oliver, UNLV
CB – Jay’Vion Cole, San Jose State
CB – Carlton Johnson, Fresno State
S – Ike Larsen, Utah State
S – Wyatt Ekeler, Wyoming
FLEX – Morice Norris Jr., Fresno State

Special Teams

K – Jose Pizano, UNLV
P – James Ferguson-Reynolds, Boise State
KR – Jacob De Jesus, UNLV
PR – Jacob De Jesus, UNLV

Second Team

Offense

QB – Jayden Maiava, UNLV
RB – Malik Sherrod, Fresno State
RB – Emmanuel Michel, Air Force
WR – Steven McBride, Hawaii
WR – Terrell Vaughn, Utah State
WR – Pofele Ashlock, Hawaii
TE – Mark Redman, San Diego State
C – Jacob Gardner, Colorado State
G – Mose Vavao, Fresno State
G – Wes King, Wyoming
T – Frank Crum, Wyoming
T – Kage Casey, Boise State

Defense

DT – Soane Toia, San Jose State
DT – Cole Godbout, Wyoming
DE – P.J. Ramsey, Air Force
DE – Tre Smith, San Jose State
OLB – Levelle Bailey, Fresno State
OLB – Andrew Simpson, Boise State
ILB – Alec Mock, Air Force
ILB – Bryun Parham, San Jose State
CB – Noah Tumblin, San Diego State
CB – Donte Martin, New Mexico
S – Trey Taylor, Air Force
S – Jack Howell, Colorado State
FLEX – Seyi Oladipo, Boise State

Special Teams

K – Jonah Dalmas, Boise State
P – Marshall Nichols, UNLV
KR – Jaelen Gill, Fresno State
PR – Tory Horton, Colorado State

Mountain West Football: 2023 Postseason All-Conference Team, Individual Honors Announced

The regular season is in the books. Here are the all-Mountain West teams, players of the year, and coach of the year.

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Mountain West Football: 2023 Postseason All-Conference Team, Individual Honors Announced


The regular season is in the books. Here are the all-Mountain West teams, players of the year, and coach of the year.


Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Only the best of the best.

The Mountain West football season is nearly complete, but before Saturday’s championship tilt between Boise State and UNLV and bowl games after that, the conference media announced its selections for the all-Mountain West two-deep and individual awards.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty earned the nod as the Mountain West’s offensive player of the year, becoming the first sophomore to do so since Nevada’s Carson Strong in 2020. Though he was limited to just ten games because of injury, the Broncos’ super sophomore led the conference with 110.9 rushing yards per game and 164.6 all-purpose yards per game and finished second with 18 total touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, Jeanty’s 92.4 overall grade also led the Mountain West and ranked third among all FBS running backs.

Colorado State’s Mohamed Kamara was tabbed as the Mountain West’s defensive player of the year, the first Ram to be decorated as such since Shaquil Barrett in 2013. His 13 sacks and 17 tackles for loss both paced the conference, as did the 35 quarterback hurries for which he was credited by PFF, while his 83.2 overall grade is third-best among all Mountain West defenders.

Meanwhile, UNLV kicker Jose Pizano stepped up to win the conference’s special teams player of the year award. After transferring in from Missouri State, Pizano led the Mountain West in connecting on 23-of-25 field goals, including a perfect 16-of-16 inside of 40 yards, and finished second overall with 119 total points. That made him just the second Rebel to crack the century mark dating back to 2009.

UNLV quarterback Jayden Maiava was named the conference’s freshman of the year, becoming the fourth Rebel in the last seven seasons to earn the honor. He stepped into a difficult situation when incumbent starter Doug Brumfield was sidelined by injury in September, but the Vegas native stepped up and finished the regular season with a 64.1% completion rate, 2,626 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and a 2.1% interception rate. More than any of the other individual awards, this one may have been a foregone conclusion after Maiava had already earned freshman of the week five times throughout 2023, a conference first.

Lastly, UNLV’s Barry Odom became the first Rebels head coach since John Robinson in 2000 to be named the Mountain West’s coach of the year. After taking over from Marcus Arroyo, Odom shepherded the Rebels to a 9-3 record, the team’s highest single-season win total since 1984, engineering an offense that led the conference with 35.5 points per game and a defense that tied for first with 22 total giveaways and led the way in allowing a 34.6% third-down conversion rate.

As for the all-conference teams, every program has at least one player on this year’s postseason honor roll. UNLV leads the way with six first-team selections, while three players — Wyoming’s Easton Gibbs and Colorado State’s Jack Howell and Tory Horton — each earned their second postseason first-team appearance.

2023 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM

Offense

QB – Chevan Cordeiro, San Jose State
WR – Tory Horton, Colorado State
WR – Ricky White, UNLV
WR – Jalen Royals, Utah State
RB – Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
RB – Kairee Robinson, San Jose State
TE – Dallin Holker, Colorado State
OL – Thor Paglialong, Air Force
OL – Cade Beresford, Boise State
OL – JC Davis, New Mexico
OL – Tiger Shanks, UNLV
OL – Frank Crum, Wyoming
PK – Jose Pizano, UNLV
KR – Jacob De Jesus, UNLV

Defense

DL – PJ Ramsey, Air Force
DL – Ahmed Hassanein, Boise State
DL – Mohamed Kamara, Colorado State
DL – Tre Smith, San Jose State
LB – Bo Richter, Air Force
LB – Jackson Woodard, UNLV
LB – MJ Tafisi, Utah State
LB – Easton Gibbs, Wyoming
DB – Trey Taylor, Air Force
DB – Jack Howell, Colorado State
DB – Emany Johnson, Nevada
DB – Ike Larsen, Utah State
P – James Ferguson-Reynolds, Boise State
PR – Jacob De Jesus, UNLV

2023 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM

Offense

QB – Jayden Maiava, UNLV
WR – Steven McBride, Hawaii
WR – Nick Nash, San Jose State
WR – Terrell Vaughn, Utah State
RB – Emmanuel Michel, Air Force
RB – Jacory Croskey-Merritt, New Mexico
TE – Mark Redman, San Diego State
OL – Adam Karas, Air Force
OL – Kage Casey, Boise State
OL – Jacob Gardner, Colorado State
OL – Mose Vavao, Fresno State
OL – Cade Barnett, San Diego State
PK – Jonah Dalmas, Boise State
KR – Terrell Vaughn, Utah State

Defense

DL – Jalen Dixon, UNLV
DL – Devo Bridges, Fresno State
DL – Soane Toia, San Jose State
DL – Jordan Bertagnole, Wyoming
LB – Alec Mock, Air Force
LB – Andrew Simpson, Boise State
LB – Chase Wilson, Colorado State
LB – Levelle Bailey, Fresno State
DB – Carlton Johnson, Fresno State
DB – Morice Norris Jr., Fresno State
DB – Noah Tumblin, San Diego State
DB – Cameron Oliver, UNLV
P – Jack Browning, San Diego State
PR – Tory Horton, Colorado State

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Colorado State Football: Dallin Holker Named John Mackey Award Finalist

The Rams once again boast one of the nation’s top tight ends.

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Colorado State Football: Dallin Holker Named John Mackey Award Finalist


The Rams once again boast one of the nation’s top tight ends.


Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

Is the Mackey bound for Fort Collins again?

The Colorado State Rams seem to have a knack for developing pass-catching talent, the latest evidence of which is Dallin Holker’s inclusion as one of three finalists for the John Mackey Award, which is given annually to college football’s top tight end.

Holker was named a finalist along with Georgia’s Brock Bowers, who won the Mackey Award in 2022, and Ohio State’s Cade Stover. In his first season with the Rams after transferring from BYU, it didn’t take long for him to make an impact; he scored a touchdown in each of the team’s first four games and ended the regular season with 64 catches and 767 receiving yards, both of which lead all FBS tight ends, as well as six touchdowns.

The highlight of Holker’s season, of course, was the famed Hail Mary that he managed to bring in to secure Colorado State’s first win ever against Boise State back in October.

The winner will be announced as part of ESPN’s Home Depot College Football Awards on Friday, December 8, with a broadcast that begins at 5:00 PM Mountain/4:00 PM Pacific.

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Mountain West Football: 2023-24 Transfer Tracker

Mountain West Football: 2022-23 Transfer Tracker College football’s transfer is open for business in the new academic year. We’ll keep track of who’s leaving and who’s coming to the Mountain West. Contact/Follow @MWCwire Who is the league losing and …

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Mountain West Football: 2022-23 Transfer Tracker


College football’s transfer is open for business in the new academic year. We’ll keep track of who’s leaving and who’s coming to the Mountain West.


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Who is the league losing and adding?

College football’s regular season is underway, but transfer portal season is never really over.

Since the new year officially began on August 1, football players from the Mountain West and beyond have announced their intention to find new places to play. Check back here periodically as we keep an eye on who is arriving and who’s heading out from the conference in the days, weeks, and months to come.

Leaving the Mountain West

Air Force

Boise State 

Colorado State

Fresno State

Hawaii

Nevada

New Mexico

San Diego State

San Jose State

UNLV

Utah State

Wyoming

Colorado State vs Hawai’i: How The Rams Can Win, How to Watch, Odds, Predicition

The Rams are in Hawai’i needing just one win to reach bowl eligibility. Here’s how CSU can beat the Warriors to do so.

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Colorado State vs Hawai’i: How The Rams Can Win, How to Watch, Odds, Predicition


The Rams are on the Islands to face the Warriors


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Can the Rams reach bowl eligibility?

WEEK 13: Colorado State Rams (5-6, 3-4 MW) vs. Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (4-8, 2-5 MW)

WHEN: Saturday, November 25th — 9:00 p.m. MST / 8:00 p.m. PST

WHERE: Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium; Laramie, WY (29,181)

WEATHER: Partly Cloudy, high of 81 degrees

STREAM: Team1 Sports App

RADIO: K99-FM 99.1 / ESPN 1600 AM (Colorado)

SERIES RECORD: This will be the 28th all time matchup between the two schools. CSU leads 16-11

LAST MEETING: Colorado State won 17-13 in Fort Collins last season.

WEBSITES: CSURams.com, the official Colorado State athletics website | HawaiiAthletics.com, the official Hawai’i athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): Colorado State | Hawaii

ODDS: Colorado State -5.5

OVER/UNDER: 53.5

SP+ PROJECTION: Colorado State by 6.0

FEI PROJECTION: Colorado State by 6.0

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: Colorado State 57.45% win probability (29.07 to 26.58)

Now onto some keys to victory for the Rams.

Three Keys to a colorado state victory

1. DBs Wake Up

After facing a gauntlet of teams that run the ball more often than not, the Rams now find themselves in a virtual mirror matchup. Hawai’i throws the ball as often as CSU wants to and the Rams defensive backs will need to be up for the job.

Brayden Schager is as wild a thrower as Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi is. Five more touchdowns and one less interception, but Schager isn’t afraid to throw it in there. Everyone from Jack Howell to Henry Blackburn to Chigozie Anusiem need to be ready to play a full 60 minutes at speed.

2. Pressure, Pressure, Pressure

Hawai’i has allowed 38 sacks. Colorado State has collected 32 sacks. Something has to give and the Rams need to make sure it isn’t them. 12 players have collected at least 0.5 sacks for CSU and everyone needs to step up against the Warriors.

They also need to not over run the play. Schager isn’t that much of runner, but he will run if necessary. Mohamed Kamara, Nuer Gatkuoth, and company need to set the edge and maintain it if they want to get off the field and not let Hawai’i drive down the field.

3. Take Your Shots

Tory Horton, Justus Ross-Simmons, Louis Brown, Dallin Holker, and Dylan Goffney. The Rams receiving core has been outstanding this year. All five have at least two touchdowns and at least one 40 yard catch down the field. Against the Warriors, they all need to be at their best one more time.

We can’t forget Justin Marshall. The freshman has burst onto the scene in these past two games with 217 yards and one touchdown on 37 carries. The run game will be key to keep the Hawai’i defense honest and Marshall has shown he can break plays open.

what will happen

It’s the last game of the season. One win. 1-0. That’s the goal for the Rams. Win and in. Bowl eligibility is in grasp. Now they need to go take it. And they will. The offense has been better somewhat than last year. The defense has taken a step back. But against Hawai’i, it all comes together and the Rams reach bowl eligibility for the first time since 2017.

Final Score: Colorado State 38, Hawai’i 27

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Nevada vs. Colorado State: Keys to a Rams Win, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The CSU Rams celebrate Senior Day against the Wolf Pack in Part 2 of the Norvell Bowl. Here’s how the Rams can come out with the win.

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Nevada vs. Colorado State: Keys to a Rams Win, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction


The Rams face the Wolf Pack on Senior Day


Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire

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Can the Rams finish their home stand strong?

WEEK 12: Nevada Wolf Pack (2-8, 2-4 MW) vs Colorado State Rams (4-6, 2-4 MW)

WHEN: Saturday, November 18th — 1 p.m. MST / 12 p.m. PST

WHERE: Canvas Stadium; Fort Collins, CO (36,500)

WEATHER: Cloudy, 59 degrees at kickoff

TV: MW Network

RADIO: K99-FM 99.1 / ESPN 1600 AM

SERIES RECORD: This will be the 19th all time matchup between these two schools. Colorado State leads the series 13-5. The Rams won 17-14 in Reno last season.

WEBSITES: NevadaWolfPack.com, the official Nevada athletics website | CSURams.com, the official Colorado State athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): NevadaColorado State

ODDS: Colorado State -12.5

OVER/UNDER: 46.5

SP+ PROJECTION: Colorado State by 10.5

FEI PROJECTION: Colorado State by 9.3

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: Colorado State has a 58.29% win probability (26.89-24.12)

Now to the keys to victory for the Rams.

Keys to a colorado state victory

1. Keep the run game going

Every CSU fan now knows the name Justin Marshall. The freshman RB from Merrillville, Indiana had a breakout game with 18 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown. The Rams had 183 yards and two touchdowns on the ground as a team. This is the complement to the air raid passing game head coach Jay Norvell has been looking for all year. If the Rams want to get to a bowl game, they will have to keep this momentum going.

2. No silly mistakes

The Rams are the second-most penalized team in the Mountain West, behind only New Mexico, with 8.2 penalties for 74.1 yards per game. And the majority of those penalties are the bad ones. Too many unsportsmanlike calls setting back the defense. Penalties setting back the offense when getting into red zone territory. This is becoming a worrying trend for the Rams, but something that can be fixed.

3. Stay home on defense

Another run happy team for the defense. Another week of staying home on the edge. Both quarterbacks, AJ Bianco and Brendon Lewis, are dual threats, so the Rams have to keep contain. Nevada’s offense isn’t that good overall, but they have the talent to burn a defense. The Rams will need to stay on assignment to contain this defense.

Prediction

The Rams are still taking this one game at a time. It’s time to celebrate the seniors, but CSU will also take care of business on the field against the Wolf Pack. This is a better CSU squad than last season. And the Rams will show it on the field by not letting this one be close.

Final Score: Colorado State 34, Nevada 17

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