Road to overcome 1-3 start not easy for Rams
Aroughgothroughnonconference play forces Colorado State into desperation mode as its Mountain West schedule begins. Close defeats and moral victories no longer serve a purpose — not that theyeverdid. At Utah State (Sept. 28) 2019 record: 2-1
2018 results: 11-2 (7-1), New Mexico Bowl champions Historically, the Rams don’t experience much trouble competing in Logan. Still, imagining CSU pulling out the ”W” Saturday is difficult considering USU matches up well with the Rams on both sides of the ball. San Diego State (Oct. 5) 2019 record: 3-1
2018 results: 7-6(4-4),DXL Frisco Bowl loss
The Aztecs’ scoring defense represents the most efficient unit in the Mountain West, allowing fewer than 12 points per game thus far. Any team that takes pride in containing the opposition’s point-scoring doesn’t bode CSU well. Although, because the Aztecs aren’t particularly sound on offense, the Rams should have an opportunity to win their first conference home game if Patrick O’Brien commands the offense effectively. At New Mexico (Oct. 11) 2019 record: 2-1
2018 results: 3-9 (1-7)
For what it’s worth, ESPN’s matchup predictor assigns the Rams’ better odds to win this game than any of their remaining contests — granting CSU a 53.8 percent chance at victory. Obviously, take that with a grain of salt, as predictions often prove useless once the action is underway. Regardless, New Mexico on the road indeed marks a winnable, must-have scenario for CSU while the team will likely travel to Albuquerque holding a 2-4 record, at best. At Fresno State (Oct. 26) 2019 record: 1-2
2018 results: 12-2 (7-1), Las Vegas Bowl Champions Losing starting quarterback Marcus McMaryion, 1,340yard receiver KeeSean Johnson and its three leading defenders — Jeff Allison (131 tackles), Mike Bell (87 tackles) and George Helmuth (87 tackles) –– probably correlate to FSU’s underperformance. Hanging tight against USC on the road and taking Minnesota to double overtime suggests the Bulldogs can still do plenty of damage in the Mountain West, though. UNLV (Nov. 2)
2019 record: 1-2
2018 results: 4-8 (2-6) Dual-threat quarterback Armani Rogers is back to operating under center after enduring a season-ending injury in the middle of 2018. The junior hasn’t reached the high level of play he achieved before his injury as UNLV’s total offense falls within the bottom third of the conference. The Rams won’t have issues scoring points against UNLV’s subpar defense, so finding a way to suppress dangerous running back Charles Williams may result in a win. Air Force (Nov. 16) 2019 record: 2-1 2018 results: 5-7 (3-5) CSU hasn’t beaten Air Force in the Mike Bobo era since the head coach’s introductory season with the Rams. With a three-game winning streak in the rivalry, the Falcons and their triple option offense consistently give CSU’s defense fits. At Wyoming (Nov. 22) 2019 record: 3-1
2018 results: 6-6 (4-4)
The momentum train Wyoming hopped on in November last season finally arrived at its destination. The Cowboys unexpectedly won four straight outcomes to wrap up 2018 and stuck to their winning ways this year via a 3-0 start. Then, Tulsa stopped Wyoming’s sevengame streak dead in its tracks last week by squeaking past UW 24-21.Identical to the Air Force series, the Rams are in the thick of a three-game Border War skid. Beating its nemesis from Laramie requires overwhelming UW through the air — CSU’s biggest strength under Bobo. No. 16 Boise St/ (Nov. 29) 2019 record: 4-0
2018 results: 10-3 (7-1), Servpro First Responder Bowl postponed (weather) Freshman starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier is firing on all cylinders –– nearing the 2,000-yard mark and quickly eliminating any doubts of him following in 2018 MWC Offensive Player of the Year Brett Rypien’s footsteps. A deep offense aids the Broncos in filling the holes that running back Alexander Mattison and receiver Sean Modster left. Brace yourselves for this one, Ram fans.