Football game notes: CSU vs. Air Force, Oct. 17

Oct. 12, 2015

ENTIRE WEEK 7 GAME NOTES (PDF)

Air Force at Colorado State
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015 | 1:30 p.m. MT
Fort Collins, Colo. | Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium

Tickets
TV: CBS Sports Network (find channel)
Radio: ESPN 105.5 FM / Sirius 145 / XM 203
Live Stats
In-Game Twitter Updates

RIVALRY WEEK
Colorado State enters the week looking to post back-to-back home wins over Air Force for the first time since 2003 and 2005. On the line is the Ram-Falcon Trophy, which has been awarded annually to the game’s winner since 1980. The trophy is traced back to former CSU ROTC commander Shelly Godkin.

HOMECOMING & FAMILY WEEKEND
The 101st annual Colorado State University Homecoming & Family Weekend will take place this week, beginning Friday with the community parade and Festival on the Oval – including a pep rally, bonfire and lighting of the A. Saturday morning will begin with the Homecoming 5K run, and continue with the Rams’ football game against Air Force. For more, visit homecoming.colostate.edu.

ABOUT COLORADO STATE

Under the guidance of first-year head coach Mike Bobo, formerly the OC at Georgia.
Has won 14 of its past 18 home games dating back to 2012, the team’s best period of success since 1997-2001.
Ranks 10th in the NCAA FBS on third-down defense (26.8 percent). CSU ranks fifth for kickoff-return average (29.8) and 11th for net punting (42.1).
Averaging 411.2 yards per game (3rd in MW), including 246.0 through the air.
The team’s experienced pass catchers lead the nation with 7,743 career yards combined.
2014 consensus All-American Rashard Higgins leads CSU with four touchdowns, and has recorded at least 100 receiving yards three of the past four games. His 6.8 receptions-per-game average ranks first in the MW and 17th nationally.
Junior LB Kevin Davis leads the MW with 9.0 tackles for loss, which ranks 26th in the NCAA FBS. He has at least a share of a TFL in eight consecutive games.
LB Cory James moved up to fourth in CSU history with his sack vs. Boise State, the 23rd of his career.
Hayden Hunt ranks 13th in the country for punting (46.0).

ABOUT AIR FORCE

Led by Troy Calhoun, who is 62-46 in his eight-plus seasons at the Academy, advancing to a bowl game in all but one season.
Is 2-0 in Mountain West action following last week’s 31-17 victory over Wyoming. The Falcons also beat San Jose State during Week 2.
Both of Air Force’s losses came on the road (35-21 at No. 4 Michigan State and 33-11 at Navy). AFA is 3-2 on the season.
DB Brodie Hicks is the reigning MW Defensive Player of the Week, totaling eight tackles, a fumble recovery and two interceptions vs. Wyoming.
AFA’s ground game ranks fifth nationally, averaging 320.8 yards per contest. Overall, AFA’s offense is putting up 32.6 points per game, second in the MW and 44th in the NCAA FBS.
AFA’s defense ranks third in the MW and 44th nationally, allowing 21.6 points and 300.6 yards per game.
Has six players averaging at least 29.2 rushing yards per game, led by D.J. Johnson’s 59.8 yards per game and five total touchdowns.
Alex Hansen leads the nation with two blocked kicks.
Garrett Brown ranks fourth in the country, averaging 20.3 yards per punt return, including a touchdown.

SERIES NOTES

CSU won the most-recent meeting in Fort Collins (2013), but had previously lost three in a row at home and seven consecutive overall.
In two career games vs. Air Force, Rashard Higgins has 320 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Against Air Force, Cory James and Trent Matthews have recovered fumbles, while Kevin Pierre-Louis has forced one.
In three career games vs. Air Force, Joe Hansley has 10 catches for 126 yards.
CSU has thrown for at least 300 yards in each of the past three meetings in the series.
In CSU’s 2013 victory, the Rams limited the Falcons to 154 yards on the ground. Air Force has averaged 350.5 rushing yards in victories in 2012 and 2014. In 2013, CSU out-rushed Air Force, 234-154, in addition to throwing for 395 yards.
After taking a 10-7 lead, CSU trailed the 2014 meeting by two scores, 24-10, before scoring twice during a 5-minute period to tie the game early in the fourth quarter. Neither team would score again until AFA’s Will Conant nailed a 39-yard field goal as time expired to win the game. The loss snapped CSU’s nine-game winning streak.
Rashard Higgins caught a career-most 12 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-tying score early in the fourth quarter.
Xavier Williams, playing in his first game vs. Air Force, caught one pass for a career-long 76 yards and a score.
Cory James had a career-high 10 tackles, including a seven-yard sack.
Terry Jackson, Jr. had eight tackles, including a career-most 2.5 for loss.
In 2013, CSU scored on its first two possessions en route to a 58-13 blowout victory. The Rams led 58-0 midway through the fourth quarter, before the Falcons scored twice in the final 5 minutes of the game.
In the win, CSU out-rushed the run-heavy Falcons, 234-154, in addition to putting up nearly 400 yards through the air. CSU finished with 629 total yards of offense.
CSU scored on nine of its 12 possessions, while holding Air Force without a point for its first 10 drives.
Playing in his first game vs. Air Force, Rashard Higgins had seven catches for 127 yards and two scores.
Jordon Vaden caught four passes for a (career-most) 72 yards in the 2013 meeting, including a 49-yard touchdown.
CSU did not turn the ball over in the victory, and threw just one interception in 2014 against Air Force.
In 2012, CSU never led, allowing Air Force to score on each of its first four possessions.
Between 1992-2005, CSU went 5-1 against Air Force at Hughes Stadium, and 10-4 overall.
The first game ever played at Hughes Stadium was against Air Force, with the Falcons claiming victory, 31-0, on Oct. 19, 1968.

PACKING THE HOUSE
Last Friday, CSU Athletics announced it would release 1,000 standing-room-only tickets for CSU’s Homecoming football game against Air Force. All traditional, non-student tickets have sold out. Student tickets (free with ID) and the standing-room-only allotment can be purchased online at CSURams.com/tickets, over the phone at 1-800-491-RAMS or at the McGraw Athletic Center ticket office or Ram Zone retail store.

The Rams are aiming for their fourth sellout in their past eight home contests, dating back to last year’s homecoming game against Utah State on Oct. 18, 2014. Prior to that, it had been 10 years since Hughes Stadium was filled to capacity. Overall, CSU has won 14 of its last 18 home games dating back to 2012, the best period of success since winning 15 of 18 from 1997-2001.

CONFERENCE ACTION
CSU will have to play catchup after dropping its first two Mountain West games. CSU has not lost three consecutive conference games since losing three in a row to open the 2012 conference season.

Other Mountain West notes:

CSU is 58-65 (.472) all-time in Mountain West games, the second-best winning percentage among charter MW institutions that are still in the league.
CSU played in the first-ever MW contest, Sept. 16, 1999 at BYU.
The Rams have the league’s toughest stretch to begin conference play, facing three teams in a row that won 10 or more games last year.

GETTING ON THE BOARD
CSU scored 10 first-half points against Boise State, snapping the Broncos’ streak of 108 consecutive scoreless minutes. However, CSU was unable to score in the second half, marking the first time since the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl vs. Utah on Dec. 20, 2014 that the Rams have not scored in the second half.

GROUND ATTACK
CSU rushed for 105 yards against Boise State, the most rushing yards by a Boise State opponent this season. The Broncos entered the game ranked second in the NCAA FBS, allowing just 51.8 rushing yards per game and 1.8 yards per carry. CSU averaged 2.8 yards per rush, and on the night was led by Jasen Oden, Jr.’s 52 yards. On the season, the senior ranks eighth in the Mountain West, averaging 72.3 yards per game.

MOVIN’ ON UP
Cory James had been in on six tackles for losses entering Saturday’s contest against Boise State, but against the Broncos, he got his first sack of the season. The sack was the 23rd of James’ illustrious career, and moved him ahead of Adrian Ross and into fourth place on CSU’s and the Mountain West’s career lists.

CONSISTENT KEVIN
Junior linebacker Kevin Davis leads the Mountain West with 9.0 tackles for loss on the season. Impressive, without a doubt, but even more interesting is the fact that he has exactly 1.5 tackles for loss in all six games this season. Dating back to 2014, he has at least shared a tackle for loss in eight consecutive games. Davis had a career-high 13 tackles against Boise State, and leads the team with 8.2 per game.

BENDING, BUT NOT BREAKING
CSU’s opponents have started drives in Rams territory four times this season, scoring just six points. Boise State’s second drive of the game started at the CSU 12-yard line after a turnover, but the Broncos had to settle for a field goal after gaining just one yard. Earlier in the season, Minnesota started a drive at the 27-yard line before fumbling, Colorado started at the 35 but missed a field goal and Utah State began a drive at the 8, successfully making a field goal.

VERSATILE HANSLEY
Senior wide receiver Joe Hansley scored the Rams’ first touchdown Saturday, a 13-yard reception in the end zone. Later in the second quarter, on a reverse, he completed a 35-yard pass to senior tight end Kivon Cartwright, setting up the Rams’ second score. It was Hansley’s second career completion, also connecting with Cartwright for a touchdown against UTEP in 2013.

CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A RECEPTION
All-America wide receiver Rashard Higgins caught the Rams’ first reception Saturday vs. Boise State. He has now recorded a catch in all 31 collegiate contests he has played in. Just six active FBS receivers have hauled in a catch in more consecutive games. Following in his footsteps, sophomore wide receiver Xavier Williams has caught a pass in all 19 of his collegiate contests.

KEY’S TURN IN COMMAND
Redshirt freshman quarterback Coleman Key entered Saturday’s game against Boise State during the third offensive series, just 4:52 into the game and on the Rams’ sixth play from scrimmage. It was the earliest action he’s seen this season, and the most since the season opener vs. Savannah State (9/5). Key remained in the contest for the remainder of the half and into the third quarter, completing 5-of-19 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Prior to the season opener, head coach Mike Bobo announced that he would use Key regularly in each game, despite naming Nick Stevens CSU’s starting quarterback in August. Key is 21-of-42 for 251 yards and three touchdowns this season, seeing action in five of six games. After taking over during the second half against Minnesota, Key led CSU down the field in 55 seconds to tie the game with a field goal as regulation expired. During the drive, he completed a 4th-and-8 completion.

STANDING TALL ON 3RD DOWN
CSU is forcing a three-and-out on nearly 40 percent of opponent drives, and a large reason for that is its ability to stop teams on third down. Opponents have converted on just 26.8 percent of third-down opportunities (22-of-82), which ranks 10th nationally.

Conversely, CSU’s offense has converted at a 42.9-percent rate (42-of-98; T-41st in NCAA FBS). Last year’s figure of 49 percent was a school record. The Rams’ 137 first downs in 2015 rank third in the MW and 27th nationally.

CSU is 7-of-11 (63.6 percent) on fourth-down conversions, ranking 36th nationally. Against Boise State, the Rams converted two 4th-and-1s during their touchdown drive in the second quarter.

OPENING STATEMENT
CSU has made a statement in the first quarter, out-scoring opponents 57-27. During the Rams’ first three games of the season, they allowed zero points, three total first downs and 65 net yards through the first quarter.

FLIPPING THE FIELD
Hayden Hunt wasn’t needed through the first 69:42 of the season, but since has been used to punt 29 times, including eight vs. Boise State. The junior is averaging 46.0 yards per punt this season, with eight boots of 50 yards and 11 placed inside the 20. His average currently ranks 13th among all punters in the NCAA FBS.

Against UTSA, Hunt had two over 50 yards, and all four were inside the 20. His first punt traveled 56 yards and went out of bounds at the 2-yard line. Two plays later, CSU’s defense recorded a safety. Against Minnesota, Hunt also had a punt downed at the 2-yard line, traveling 73 yards. It was the eighth-longest punt in school history, and the longest since Pete Kontodiakos on Sept. 29, 2012. For his efforts, Hunt was named the Ray Guy Award Player of the Week on Sept. 14. He is a two-time candidate for the national punter of the year award, and in 2015 has already been named to the watch list.

FIELD-POSITION GAME
CSU’s has the third-most points in the Mountain West, and while a lot of that is due to the playmakers on offense, some of the credit goes to Deionte Gaines, Jordon Vaden and the kickoff returners. CSU is averaging 29.8 yards per return, which ranks fifth nationally. Three of Gaines’ returns have gone for at least 30 yards, including a long of 51, and Jordon Vaden returned a kickoff in the season opener 99 yards. On the season, Gaines ranks 34th nationally, averaging 24.7 yards per return.

NO SHORTAGE OF PASS-CATCHING TARGETS
No team nationally has logged more career receiving yards than CSU, and only Cincinnati has more touchdown receptions. CSU’s quarterbacks are throwing to targets – wide receivers, tight ends and running backs – who have accounted for 574 career receptions (7th) for 7,743 yards (1st) and 63 touchdowns (2nd).

CSU returned its top four pass catchers from 2014 and 10 of the 12 players who caught at least three or more passes last season. The wide receiver corps alone has logged 432 career receptions for 6,057 yards and 47 touchdowns.

MAKING HOLLYWOOD PLAYS
Wide receiver Rashard Higgins has since recorded three 100-yard receiving games in 2015, in addition to four touchdowns. Six weeks into the season, Higgins leads the Mountain West and ranks 17th nationally with 6.80 receptions per game. His 93.8 receiving yards per game are tied for 22nd.

Higgins has scored a touchdown in four games this season, and 17 different games throughout his career, totaling a school-record 27 career touchdowns. For his career, he is averaging 98.5 yards per game, and has 100-plus yards in 15 of them.

GETTING OFF THE FIELD
CSU’s stout defense began its first three games of 2015 with a three-and-out, including four straight against Savannah State and six in a row against Minnesota. Six weeks into the season, the Rams are 26th in the NCAA FBS with 4.67 three-and-outs averaged per game. By definition, a three-and-out means holding an opponent without a first down on a drive, and could include a punt, turnover, turnover on downs or missed field goal without a first down.

The Rams have forced 28 three-and-outs on 83 drives (33.7 percent). Furthermore, CSU has produced a three-and-out on 54.9 percent of non-scoring drives (28-of-51).

GETTING DEFENSIVE

Saturday against Boise State, senior defensive back Nick Januska recorded his first career interception. The pick came on the second play of the second half, deep in Boise State territory. Januska also added a career-most six tackles.
Also against Boise State, senior safety Kevin Pierre-Louis had eight tackles, including his fourth career fumble recovery. Freshman linebacker Tre Thomas tied a career high with five tackles, including a personal-best 1.5 for loss and one pass breakup.
A week prior, at Utah State on Oct. 3, senior safety Trent Matthews led all defenders with 12 tackles, a career high. Also in the game, Cory James (10), Kiel Robinson (9) and DeAndre Elliott (7) tied career highs for tackles. James and Robinson each had 1.5 tackles for loss, including a seven-yard sack by Robinson.
Martavius Foster, a senior defensive lineman, is tied for fourth in the MW with 3.5 sacks. He is followed by Joe Kawulok (2.5) and Robinson (2.0).
Junior Tyree Simmons has seven pass breakups, fourth in the MW and 22nd nationally.
Elliott is one of nine players in the MW with at least two interceptions. He is tied for 39th in the NCAA FBS.
CSU has three players ranked in the top 20 for tackles: Kevin Davis is seventh (8.2 per game), followed by James (7.2; 14th) and Pierre-Louis (6.8; 16th).
In addition to Davis, who leads the MW with 9.0 tackles for loss, James ranks fifth with 6.5 CSU is the only school with two players ranked in the top five.
Junior Preston Hodges blocked a field-goal attempt against Colorado, the team’s first since Oct. 25, 2014 vs. Wyoming.

SLOWLY BUT SURELY
CSU’s touchdown drive Saturday against Boise State used 16 plays and 7:57 off the clock, season highs for both categories. The Rams also had a seven-minute drive against UTSA, and two over five minutes against Colorado.

On the season, CSU’s scoring drives are averaging 3:09, including 4:22 over the past four games. CSU scored 47 seconds into the season, the second-fastest in school history, and through the first two weeks was averaging just 1:31 per scoring drive, scoring eight of 14 times in one minute or less.

FINDING THE END ZONE
CSU’s offense is putting up 411.2 yards of offense, which ranks third in the Mountain West. The Rams are one of five schools in the conference to rank in the upper half for total offense and total defense (400.8 yards, sixth).

QB1
First-year starting quarterback Nick Stevens ranks second in the Mountain West with 10 passing touchdowns and 1,190 passing yards. The figures rank 28th and 50th, respectively, in the NCAA FBS. Stevens has completed 57.3 percent of his passes (fourth in the MW) and has a passing efficiency of 129.2 (fourth). At Utah State on Oct. 3, he also scored his first career rushing touchdown, keeping on 4th-and-8 and scrambling 15 yards for the score to cut the Rams’ deficit to one possession early in the fourth quarter.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results