Rams can’t assume a win vs. Illinois St.

FORT COLLINS» This is the week for the cautionary tale.

For Colorado State, it shouldn’t be that hard to find true meaning, either.

Saturday, the Rams become the big school for the first time in three weeks, hosting FCS team Illinois State at Canvas Stadium (1 p.m; ATTRM).

It’s a good feeling — most of the time. It’s dangerous all the time when playing a game people don’t think you can lose, because the feeling is there is nothing to gain outside of the win.

That’s so not true for this Colorado State (13), a team with plenty still to prove and having to do it against a team that is really good at its level, as the Redbirds are ranked 15th in this week’s FCS Coaches Poll.

The Rams just aren’t good enough right now to expect they stroll out of the stadium and into a bye week with a victory.

“Whether it’s Alabama or a DIII college from North Dakota, we have to treat every team the same,” senior running back Izzy Matthews said. “That’s the mindset for this week. It’s been a hard, physical week of practice. Illinois State is a really good football team. You have to prepare for seeing different kinds of looks, different flow of the game. It’s just another challenge this week.”

The Rams have plenty of those. A running game averaging just 82.2yardspergame,just2.6yards per rush. Last week, Florida should have blocked two punts, andthepuntteamallowedan85yard touchdown return. The defense is still giving up too many big plays, many of them going for touchdowns.

The opponent doesn’t matter, because if the issues don’t get cleared up, it’s going to be a long season.

“It doesn’t matter if we play SEC, Big 10, Pac12, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing. FCS. Whoever we’re playing, it’s another day to get better,” linebacker Josh Watson said. “It’s an opportunity to showcase what we’ve been practicing off from our last mistakes and fixing those things. Being able to really take time out and focus on what we have in front of us and not worry about the clutter.”

Illinois State is a team with few issues. It’s rested, coming off a bye, and it is 20 after dismantling Saint Xavier (an NAIA school) and Eastern Illinois. Led by Memphis transfer Brady Davis, the Redbirds are averaging 47 points per game. Davis has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 440 yards and five touchdowns without an interception. The offense is averaging 475 yards a game with a balance the Rams are hoping to attain.

Defensively, they have allowed just 10 points and have created five turnovers.

“Sometimes when you say it, it goes on deaf ears, even to you guys,” CSU coach Mike Bobo said. “You think we’re here and this team is here, but at the end of the day, I think it’s two football teams that want to play, and all you have to do is look at the tape. They’re a very good football team that is going to contend for their conference championship.”

Right now, Colorado State does not look like one of those teams, which is the real point of the week.

To get there, the Rams have to get better.