This win bigger than others

Saturday night at Bulldog Stadium was different.

It feels like it has been forever, but Colorado State football finally delivered a meaningful victory.

CSU’s two previous wins, over Western Illinois and New Mexico, don’t compare to shocking Fresno State 41-31 on the road.

The Bulldogs (3-4) surely don’t pose as significant a threat as they did last season when the Jeff Tedfordled group captured a Mountain West championship. Regardless, the Rams’ Week 9 upset means more than any of the program’s victories since 2017.

It’s far too early to label the Fresno State win as a season saver. However, if the Rams climb their 3-5 hump and reach a bowl, the Fresno State matchup will undoubtedly represent the game fans designate as the moment CSU turned things around.

As is, there is a slight chance CSU can afford to lose to Boise State and still notch a bowl appearance. The 2-6 UNLV Rebels travel to Fort Collins on Saturday, which is a very winnable game.

Assuming CSU beats UNLV and loses to Boise State later on, that designates two rivalry games as consequential matchups. In all likelihood, achieving six wins will go down to whether the Rams can break three-game losing skids against both 6-2 Air Force and 6-2 Wyoming.

The CSU defense is showing progress, although allowing 388 total yards and 31 points might not show it. The Rams gave Bulldogs’ starting quarterback Jorge Reyna fits — sacking him twice in the first half. After a weak third quarter, CSU’s defense rose to the occasion and made critical fourth-quarter stops.

Also, when CSU suspended senior running back

Marvin Kinsey, it seemed probable that the Rams offense would regress. Not only did CSU lose the Mountain West’s leading rusher, the offense temporarily parted ways with the only running back on its roster who demonstrated an ability to handle a substantial workload.

Nevertheless, junior running back Marcus McElroy thrived in a lead role and kept the Rams’ two-dimensional offense intact without Kinsey. McElroy totaled a career-best 117 rushing yards and ran for two scores.