Dandy dozen

ALBUQUERQUE» It was early January in 2013 when a crop of future Colorado State football players arrived in Fort Collins for their official visits. The Rams had not reached a bowl game in six out of the past seven seasons, but a group of soon-to-be signed college freshmen were sold on a new era at CSU.

Defensive back Jake Schlager and linebacker Evan Colorito were roommates during that weekend long ago. Quarterback Nick Stevens was among those on campus too. They all believed the same thing.

“We knew that the program was on the rise,” Schlager said, “and we knew the only way to go was up.”

Saturday at 2:30 p.m., life comes full circle with confirmation.

CSU and Marshall meet in the New Mexico Bowl, with the Rams making their fifth consecutive postseason appearance. Throughout the 125 years of Rams football, it is tied for the longest bowl stretch in program history, matching former head coach Sonny Lubick’s run at CSU from 1999 to 2003. And it all began in Albuquerque in 2013, when the Rams clawed back from a 15-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Washington State 48-45 in a New Mexico Bowl thriller.

Among the 23 original members of CSU’s 2013 signing class, 12 remain with hopes to finish their careers with another trophy. Their postseason consistency is made more impressive by the tumultuous coaching turnover it accompanied, including two head coaching changes and more than a dozen assistants coming and going. Schlager alone has filtered through four defensive backs coaches.

“In college football, there are a lot of changes all the time and these guys have been awesome,” said CSU head coach Mike Bobo. “They’ve embraced me since Day One. I said … ‘We both chose Colorado State. We’re all Rams and we’re all family.’ What we’ve been able to do, to be able to handle the ups and the downs and remain a football team and remain a family is something I’m proud of.”

But the new expectation among CSU players is no longer to just reach the postseason. The Rams followed their dramatic 2013 New Mexico Bowl win with three consecutive bowl losses. They hope to reverse that trend Saturday.

“That win in New Mexico my freshman year was great. Even though I wasn’t really a part of it, it was an awesome feeling,” offensive lineman Zack Golditch said. “Every single year after that has been complete heartbreak, especially when I started to play more, because you put so much time and energy into it.

“To win it, would definitely be the best feeling.” There are 12 redshirt seniors who have been on the CSU roster for five consecutive bowl games:

• Nick Stevens, QB,

Murrieta, Calif.

• Jake Schlager, S,

McCook, Neb.

• Deonte Clyburn, LB,

Louisville, Ky.

• Kiel Robinson, LB,

San Marcos, Calif.

• Justin Sweet, S, Las Vegas • Patrick Elsenblast, LB,

Littleton

• Evan Colorito, LB,

Beaverton, Ore.

• Trent Sieg, OL, Eaton

• Trae Moxley, OL,

Carbondale

• Jake Bennett, OL, Lakewood • Jakob Buys, DL, Arvada • Zack Golditch, OL, Aurora