Tag: Colorado State Rams

2024 NCAA Tournament: #10 Colorado State Loses 56-44 to #7 Texas

Colorado State came into this game with high expectations, but a poor first half cost the Rams a chance to make a bigger splash.

2024 NCAA Tournament: #10 Colorado State Loses 56-44 to #7 Texas

The Rams couldn’t continue their momentum from Tuesday

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A bad first half cost CSU.

After taking it to the Virginia Cavaliers, the CSU Rams faced basically the same fate. A poor first half of just 11 points cost Colorado State. They were able to make a run in the second half, but the Texas Longhorns were just too much to overcome for the Rams.

First Half

The Rams got out to a fast start by opening an 8-2 lead, but then the Longhorns went on a 25-3 run to close out the half. The Rams were getting open looks, but they just weren’t falling. Isaiah Stevens also struggled from the field as he went 0-8 from the field in the first half.

Texas was active on defense as they didn’t allow the Rams to get comfortable. The Rams were held to just one three point make and 4-25 overall from the field with no free throw attempts. The length and physicality kept the Rams in check on both ends of the floor.

Second half

Colorado State tried to make it a game in the second half, but the week of travel they had just left them with dead legs. The Rams were missing a lot of their shots short and just couldn’t overcome the athleticism of Texas. Joel Scott and Isaiah Stevens were able to make it to double figures, but it just wasn’t enough.

Texas was held in check for the most part. Dylan Disu and Max Abmas combined to shoot 10-33 from the floor, 1-12 from three, and 3-6 from the line for 24 points. Chendal Weaver was the other player to step up for Texas. The sophomore guard was able to chip in 11 points and played strong defense for the Longhorns.

Final thoughts

This was a great season for the Rams. They were able to make it to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years. Niko Medved now has some things to work on for the Rams. They need to get more athletic and more physical. A lot of times they were outworked and outphysicaled this season. If the Rams can do that, they can go further in the NCAA tournament.

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Preview: No. 7 Texas takes on No. 10 Colorado State

March Madness is underway on Thursday.

March Madness is underway across several college basketball games on Thursday. The No. 7 seeded Texas Longhorns are set to begin their NCAA tournament run in the evening.

Texas looks to avoid an upset after reaching the Elite Eight last season. It will face the No. 10 seed Colorado State Rams who won their play-in game over the Virginia Cavaliers on Tuesday.

Colorado State presents a unique challenge as a team that can both score and defend at a high level. The Rams defense shined against the Virginia Cavaliers in a performance that saw the team hold Virginia to just 14 first half points.

Unlike the Cavaliers, the Longhorns have more reliable scoring options. The only question is whether or not Texas will get them the basketball.

Texas forwards Dylan Disu and Dillon Mitchell have proven the most efficient scorers on the team. Disu is shooting 49.4% from the field including 50% on three point baskets. Mitchell has made 59% of his field goals this season.

If past games are any indication, Disu and Mitchell may not receive the most shot attempts. Texas guard Max Abmas leads the team in shot attempts for the year with 431 attempted field goals. Fellow guard Tyrese Hunter has the next highest total on the team with 285 field goals.

Abmas has a history of success in the tournament from his time at Oral Roberts, but he might need to rely on teammates to make shots as well. Texas’ offensive approach could determine whether or not it stays in the tournament.

The Longhorns will look to advance past the round of 64 at 5:50 p.m. CT on TNT.

Colorado State’s Jack Payne is the first 2024 March Madness meme thanks to his glorious mustache

Meet the player with the glorious mustache who lit up the 2024 First Four.

It only took one night of 2024 March Madness — the First Four, which counts! — for us to get a meme on the board.

That would be because Colorado State’s Jack Payne came into the blowout win over Virginia and fans on X (formerly Twitter) loved what they saw: a redshirt freshman who had a glorious mustache, one that we’ll hopefully get to see again when they face the Texas Longhorns in the first round on Thursday.

There was a lot of commentary and at least one comparison to the famed Tom DeLonge “WTF?” GIF from Blink-182’s First Dateย video.

Check it out:

 

2024 NCAA Tournament: Colorado State Blows Out Virginia 67-42

Colorado State came into this game with something to prove and they did so in dominate fashion over the Virginia Cavaliers.

2024 NCAA Tournament: #10 Colorado State Blows Out #10 Virginia 67-42

The Rams made a statement for the Mountain West

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CSU leaves their mark.

The entire basketball community said the Mountian West was underseeded in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The committee basically said prove it. And the Colorado State Rams took that personally. They came into Dayton on a mission and walked out with a giant confidence gaining 67-42 victory over the Virginia Cavaliers.

First Half

The game started out in typical Virginia fashion with the under 16 timeout having a score of Virginia 4 – Colorado State 2. Then Isaiah Stevens made a three, one of just two field goals in the game for him, to give the Rams the lead for the rest of the game. Joel Scott, Nique Clifford, and Patrick Cartier led the way for the Rams in the first half offensively. The Rams shot 50% from the floor and 43% from three, which against a Virginia defense is fantastic.

The real story of the first half was Virginia’s shooting. It was part just missing shots and part CSU defense. Virginia went almost an hour of real time with out scoring a point. Reece Beekman made a free throw with 9:20 left on the clock in the first half and they didn’t score again until Beekman made a jump shot at the 16:37 mark of the second half. A 12:43 stretch of no points for the Cavaliers.

Second half

You would think Virginia would do better in the second half and they did. It’s just Colorado State continued to dominate the game. Anytime the Cavaliers went on a run, the Rams came right back. Reece Beekman was able to get to the line more in the second half which pushed his point total into double digits, but the Rams were able to hold everyone else to seven or less points.

Nique Clifford and Joel Scott both came away with double-doubles, with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 23 points, 11 rebounds respectively.ย  The Rams made all the necessary plays even without Isaiah Stevens having a large impact. He drew Virginia’s toughest defender and was held to just five points, but he chipped in six rebounds and four assists.

Final thoughts

This was just a great performance from a Rams team that definitely need this type of performance after the past few months. They also fired a shot at the commitee for underseeding the Mountain West like they did. Everyone was watching and it became the talk of the sports world on twitter.

Some fun facts from Reddit, courtesy of u/longconsilver13:

  • UVA had 42 points and 42 missed field goals.
  • UVA over 40 minutes only outscored second half Colorado State by just 2 points.
  • If we take out Colorado State’s highest scorer, they still win by 2.
  • UVA scored 12 points fewer than their NET ranking.
  • And one from u/morrisjr1989, CSU had more rebounds than Virginia had points (CSU had 43 rebounds).

Next UP

The Rams now travel to Charlotte to face the Texas Longhorns and a couple familiar faces. Former Fresno State head coach Rodney Terry is the Longhorns head coach and the Rams will see former Oral Roberts guard Max Abmas as well.

This will be a matchup of two very similar teams and almost a complete opposite game from the Virginia game. If you look at the stats, both teams are very similar across the board. The other player to watch for Texas is Dylan Disu, the 6’9″ 225lbs forward is shooting 50% from three. So this will be a fun one.

Thursday, March 21st 4:50 pm MT in Charlotte vs #7 Texas

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2024 NCAA Tournament: #10 Virginia vs. #10 Colorado State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Virginia Cavaliers face off with the Colorado State Rams in a First Four matchup. Here’s what to look out for.

2024 NCAA Tournament: #10 Virginia vs. #10 Colorado State: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Rams and Cavaliers face off in the First Four

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Can the Rams move on?

WHO: #10 Virginia Cavaliers (23-10) vs. #10 Colorado State Rams (24-10)

WHEN: Wednesday, March 19th โ€” 7:10 p.m. MST / 6:10 p.m. PST

WHERE: UD Arena; Dayton, OH (13,409)

TV:ย TruTV

STREAM:ย Max will be carrying the entire NCAA Tournament

SERIES RECORD: This will be the first ever matchup between the two schools.

ODDS: Colorado State -2.5

It’s not the expected First Four matchup, but we’re here now. Colorado State was not predicted to be the final team in the tournament and Virginia was not predicted to be in the tournament at all. Now both squads face off to send themselves to the first round.

Colorado State finished 7th in the Mountain West and lost to New Mexico in the Mountain West semi-finals. Virginia finished 3rd in the ACC and lost to NC State in the ACC semi-finals. Both squads lost to the eventually tournament champions.

Players to Watch

F Jacob Groves – Virginia

The senior forward form Spokane, WA will be a player for the Rams to key on on defense. Groves is a 6’9″ forward who isn’t afraid to let it fly from deep (He has three or more attempted threes in 20 out 33 games for Virginia). Limiting Groves from deep will be a big factor for CSU.

F Joel Scott – Colorado State

The former D2 Player of the Year has stepped up in a big way for the Rams at the end of the season. Since a defeat to San Diego State in February, Scott has been averaging 16.4 points on 58.7% shooting from the floor. His inside game has been key for the Rams since they’ve struggled from the outside in conference play.

Keys to the Game

Virginia

Limiting the Rams open looks and keeping them on the outside will be the keys on defense for Virginia. The Cavaliers defense is one of the best in the nation, but the CSU offense is one of the best at ball movement. If Virginia wants to play on Thursday, they’ll have to stay consistent the entire game.

On offense, the Cavaliers need to keep the Rams moving. CSU’s defense doubles the post a decent amount which leaves 4 on 3 for the offense. This causes the Rams to rotate to cover the open man and they have a tendency to overrun their rotation leaving a wide open shot or cut to the basket.

Colorado State

Wait for your shot. The Virginia defense allows for ball rotation and the CSU Princeton-style offense wants to keep the ball moving back and forth. The Cavaliers defense is suffocating, so the Rams can’t force a shot like they have been. They need to be patient and get inside looks.

When CSU is on defense, it’s a similar story. Virginia plays at the slowest tempo in the NCAA. This can lull teams to sleep at times. So the Rams will need to maintain their patience and cover their man until they get the ball back on offense.

Predictions

This one will be a dog fight. CSU has the better offense and Virginia has the better defense. The Rams have been doing damage inside and win when they do so. The Cavaliers smothering defense will keep this close. This could come down to the last couple minutes, but the Rams will use that chip on their shoulder to come out on top.

Final Score: Colorado State 62, Virginia 57

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UNLV vs. Colorado State: Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The UNLV Rebels head to Fort Collins to face the Colorado State Rams in Mountain West play. Here’s what to look for in this matchup.

UNLV vs. Colorado State: Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Rams and Rebels face off for momentum

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Can the Rams open conference play strong?

WHO: UNLV Rebels (9-7, 2-2 Mountain West) vs. Colorado State Rams (14-3, 2-2 Mountain West)

WHEN: Friday, January 19th โ€” 8:30 p.m. MST / 7:30 p.m. PST

WHERE: Moby Arena; Fort Collins, CO (8,083)

TV:ย Fox Sports 1 (Stream FS1 on Fubo and click the link hereย for a free trial)

SERIES RECORD: This will be the 65th all time matchup between the two schools. UNLV leads the all-time series 43-21

LAST MEETING: UNLV won 83-71 in Fort Collins last year

ODDS: Colorado State -7.5

It’s hard to call this early of a matchup a must win, but it feels like a must win for both teams. Colorado State needs to get back into their early season groove. And UNLV needs to continue riding their momentum if they want to make it to the NCAA Tournament.

CSU is hosting their annual Orange Out game coming off a double digit comeback win over Air Force. UNLV is heading to Fort Collins coming off a four point road win over Boise State. Both KenPom and the NET rankings have a similar distance between these two schools, but in conference play anything can happen.

Players to Watch

G Dedan Thomas Jr – UNLV

The Rebels floor general who seems like an even keeled player. Never too up and never too down. Even when Dedan is having a down game, he’s helping in other areas. Incredible vision on the court for the freshman and his teammates surely appreciate it.

F Joel Scott – Colorado State

The big man down low for the Rams. Joel Scott is another D2 transfer for the Rams who is playing a big part. He has a tendency to disappear at times and the Rams need him to step up tonight to keep the lengthy Rebels in check. Scott has shown he can play at a high level and the Rams need him to play like that tonight.

Keys to the Game

UNLV

Play physical basketball is the main key for the Rebels. The Rams have a tendency to play soft and forcing their hand can yield results. The Rebels also need to take advantage of the CSU misplays. CSU throws an unnecessary amount of skip passes and all UNLV has to do is pay attention and they can jump the pass.

On offense, keep the Rams switching. They’ll get tired and eventually miss a switch or recover too late. Getting down low needs to play a big part of the plan for UNLV. The Rams aren’t that big and if you can back them down, lay ups and passouts for open threes will be there.

Colorado State

Play your game. That’s what the Rams need to do tonight. They can’t let UNLV dictate the pace or action of the game. Take over the game and force the Rebels to play to you. CSU has a tendency to let the other team dictate how the game goes, but the Rams need to force it tonight.

The bench, other than Joe Palmer, needs to step up. Palmer gets his off the bench and he needs someone else to join him. If the Rams bench can take a little pressure of the starters, CSU is going to have a smooth day.

Predictions

This is a matchup of two similar teams. They have very similar stats. And the only real difference is the overall records. Basketball is a game of runs and both teams will go on big runs tonight. The back and forth battle will go the full 40 minutes before the Rams take it in the end.

Final Score: Colorado State 87, UNLV 81

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New Mexico vs. #13 Colorado State: Keys to a Rams Win, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The CSU Rams welcome the New Mexico Lobos to Moby Arena to open conference play. Here’s how the Rams can get MW play started with a win.

New Mexico vs. #13 Colorado State: Keys to a Rams Win, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Rams host their in-state foe

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Can the Rams open conference play strong?

WHO: New Mexico Lobos (12-1) vs. #13 Colorado State Rams (12-1)

WHEN: Tuesday, January 2nd โ€” 8:30 p.m. MST / 7:30 p.m. PST

WHERE: Moby Arena; Fort Collins, CO (8,083)

TV:ย Fox Sports 1 (Stream FS1 on Fubo and click the link hereย for a free trial)

SERIES RECORD: This will be the 132nd all time matchup between the two schools. New Mexico leads the all-time series 79-52

LAST MEETING: Colorado State won 92-84 in Fort Collins last season.

ODDS: Colorado State -2.5

A big matchup to open Mountain West play on Tuesday for both Colorado State and New Mexico. The Rams are looking to keep the pressure on everyone else and the Lobos are looking for the road upset in Fort Collins.

Both teams are 12-1 coming into this matchup, however they’ve both gotten there in very different ways. New Mexico is 35th in both KenPom and NET, their SOS is ranked 198th by KenPom and their best win by NET rankings is a 13 point road win over UC Irvine. Colorado State is 30th in KenPom and 15th in NET, their SOS is ranked 52nd by KenPom and their best win by NET rankings is a 21 point neutral site win over, then 8th ranked, Creighton.

Players to Watch

F Jaelen House – New Mexico

Only the third leading scorer for the Lobos, House makes his impact all over the court. House is a hound on defense and will be all over his assignment in Fort Collins. He plays a pressure game on both ends of the floor and is a key reason why the Lobos force as many turnovers as they do.

G Isaiah Stevens – Colorado State

The Rams leader on and off the court. And now the all time leading scorer for Colorado State. As Stevens goes, the Rams go. Yes, the Rams have more depth this year. But Stevens still puts everything into motion. He finds those little spaces and leaves everything on the court.

Keys to the Game

Offensively

Take care of the basketball. The Rams have the 2nd ranked assist to turnover ratio in the country at 2.1. New Mexico is 15th in the nation in steals with 10 per game and and 16th in the nation with 16.31 turnovers forced per game. The Rams need to take care of the basketball in this one.

Keep moving the ball around. This along with taking care of the basketball will be the main keys for the Rams offense. CSU throws too many skip passes and it can cost them against New Mexico. The Rams need to keep moving the ball, but they can’t be careless with their passes.

Defensively

New Mexico is ranked 26th in the nation in Free Throw attempts per game at 24.5. However, they don’t convert those FTs as much as they should; ranking just 282nd in the nation at 67.08% from the line. The Rams need to play controlled defense and keep their hands up.

The Lobos like to drive the ball as evidenced by their large amount of FTs per game. They don’t shoot many three point shots and they only make them just over a third of the time. The Rams will need to use their length to stay in front of the Lobos, clog the passing lanes, and force New Mexico to shoot from the outside.

Predictions

This is going to be a close one. CSU shoots at a 53.2% clip and the Lobos only allow teams to make shots at a 39.8% clip. The Rams won’t have a full complient of players and that will be the biggest challenge for them. This will be a back and forth battle, but the home court advantage that a loud Moby Arena provides will be the difference maker in the end for the Rams.

Final Score: Colorado State 84, New Mexico 80

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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 โ€” 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:ย 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:ย CSURams.com, the official Colorado State athletics website | HawaiiAthletics.com, the official Hawai’i athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF):ย 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

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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 โ€” 1 p.m. MST / 12 p.m. PST

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

WEATHER: Cloudy, 59 degrees at kickoff

TV:ย 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): Nevada |ย Colorado 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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San Diego State vs. Colorado State: Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Rams host the Aztecs as they hope to get to bowl eligibility. Here’s how the Rams can start that journey on the right foot.

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San Diego State vs. Colorado State: Game Preview, How to Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Rams start their journey to bowl eligibility

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Can the Rams get start fast and finish strong?

WEEK 11: San Diego State Aztecs (3-6, 1-4 MW) vs Colorado State Rams (3-6, 1-4 MW)

WHEN: Saturday, November 11th โ€” 5 p.m. MST / 4 p.m. PST

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

WEATHER: Partly Cloudy, 50 degrees at kickoff

TV:ย CBS Sports Network (Stream CBS Sports on Fubo and click the link hereย for a free trial)

RADIO: K99-FM 99.1 / ESPN 1600 AM

SERIES RECORD: This will be the 36th all time matchup between these two schools. San Diego State leads the series 22-14. Aztecs won 29-17 in San Diego in the last matchup in 2020.

WEBSITES: GoAztecs.com, the official San Diego State athletics website | CSURams.com, the official Colorado State athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): San Diego State |ย Colorado State

ODDS: Colorado State -3.5

OVER/UNDER: 46.5

SP+ PROJECTION: Colorado State by 1.5

FEI PROJECTION: Colorado State by 3.5

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: Colorado State has a 58.85% win probability (27.03-24.07)

Now to the keys to victory for the Rams.

Keys to a colorado state victory

1. Spread the ball around

Everyone knows Tory Horton and Dallin Holker are going to get the ball at some point. But Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and Jay Norvell need to call plays for other receivers. Justus Ross-Simmons and Louis Brown have shown they can be playmakers. Dylan Goffney and others provide depth when needed and have also shown they can make plays when asked.

2. Start the third quarter strong

The Rams have been outscored 51-10 in conference play in the third quarter. Colorado State needs to make a change if they want to get to a bowl game. The Aztecs haven’t been the same Aztecs this year on both sides of the ball. The Rams need to come out with fire on both sides of the ball if they want to win.

3. Stay home on defense

San Diego State isn’t as run happy as they have been in previous seasons. They are more balanced. However, QB Jaylen Maden is their leading rusher. He can take off when needed. The Rams need to stay home, set the edge, and contain the QB. They also need to spy the QB. Letting the QB run has cost them in a couple games this season.

Prediction

It’s military appreciation night in Fort Collins. The Rams want to get to bowl eligibility and the fight starts this game. The Rams will play tough punch them in the mouth football. The Aztecs will have their moments, but the Rams will finish this one strong to earn their fourth win of the season.

Final Score: Colorado State 27, San Diego State 21

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