Gameday: CSU football vs. Fresno State, Nov. 5

Nov. 4, 2016

Fresh off of a bye week and win at UNLV, Colorado State returns to the football field Saturday to host Fresno State in the second-to-last game at Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m. MT on ROOT SPORTS.

LINKS: Gameday Guide | Game Notes | Roster | Media Guide | Schedule

Colorado State vs. Fresno State
Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016 | 1:30 p.m. MT
Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium | Fort Collins, Colo.

TV: ROOT SPORTS
Stream: CSURams.com/videos (outside of ROOT SPORTS Rocky Mountain footprint, blacked out in areas)
Radio: KARS 102.9 FM / KDCO 1340 AM & 104.7 FM
Live Stats
In-Game Twitter Updates
Tickets

THIS WEEK'S HEADLINES
All-Access with CSU Rams Radio: Fresno State
Nearly 80 CSU student-athletes take part in second annual Declare Your Major Day
#NextLevelRams: NFL Update Week 8
Game Notes: CSU football vs. Fresno State, Nov. 5

ABOUT COLORADO STATE

Under the direction of second-year head coach Mike Bobo, who led CSU to a bowl game in 2015.
LB Kevin Davis ranks 5th in the Mountain West with 9.0 tackles per game and 4th with 1.19 tackles for loss. He also has an interception, fumble recovery and 2 forced fumbles.
CSU has shut out its opponent for one half in 4 contests, including most recently at UNLV.
All-America P Hayden Hunt is a 2-time Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week honoree and is averaging 44.3 yards per punt.
CSU has won the turnover battle each of the past 3 games.
Since returning to the starting lineup, QB Nick Stevens is 38-of-59 for 426 yards and 4 touchdown and 0 interceptions.
WR Michael Gallup is averaging 107.3 yards per game over the past 3 contests, scoring in all 3 games.
CSU is 27-of-29 when reaching the red zone (10th in NCAA FBS).
RBs Dalyn Dawkins, Izzy Matthews and Marvin Kinsey, Jr. have combined for 1,110 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns.
CSU's defense ranks 30th nationally with 6.6 tackles for loss per game and 33rd with 2.38 sacks.
24 players have made their CSU debuts this season, including 8 true freshmen.

ABOUT FRESNO STATE

Is 1-8 on the season, with its lone victory coming during Week 2 against Sacramento State.
Has since lost six games, including five Mountain West contests.
Is under the direction of interim head coach Eric Kiesau, who assumed head coaching duties prior to last week's loss at Air Force.
Fresno State's special teams has blocked two field goals (18th in FBS) and two punts (3rd).
The defense leads the MW (4th in FBS), allowing 159.3 passing yards per game.
Ranks last in the MW for rushing offense (111.9 yards) and rushing defense (272.8).
K Kody Kroening ranks 5th in FBS with a 92.9 field goal percentage, averaging 1.44 per game.
QB Chason Virgil has passed for 2,013 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The Bulldogs have 3 receivers with 500 receiving yards, led by KeeSean Johnson, (659), who has 6 touchdowns. He had 142 yards last week at Air Force.
WRs Jamire Jordan (3) and Jamire Jordan (2) also have 100-yard receiving games this season.
LB Jeff Camilli leads the defense with 81 tackles, 3.0 sacks and a forced fumble.

SERIES NOTES & NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

CSU holds a 8-5 advantage over Fresno State and is 3-3 against the Bulldogs in Fort Collins.
In the 2015, meeting, CSU trailed 24-7 near the end of the first half before scoring 21 unanswered points and 28 of the game's final 35. The win was CSU's fourth win in a row and seventh of the season, helping Mike Bobo become CSU's only first-year coach to win seven regular-season games.
CSU scored three special-teams touchdowns in the 2015 victory. According to ESPN Stats & Info, it was the first time a team has done so in 10 seasons. Joe Hansley returned two punts for scores, while current Ram Kevin Nutt, Jr. housed a kickoff 96 yards. It was the sixth-longest kickoff return in school history and the longest scoring kick since 2000.
RB Izzy Matthews rushed for a career-most 140 yards, including a run of 39 yards (personal best). The true freshman averaged 7.8 yards per rush (18 carries). Leading by 3 with 5:02 to play, Matthews rushed four times for 47 yards (three first downs) to run out the clock.
LB Kevin Davis led all players with 12 tackles, including a then-career-most 2.5 for loss and 1.0 sack.
Davis is the only Ram to face the Bulldogs multiple times, also playing them in 2012, when he recorded eight tackles.
The two teams met in the 2008 New Mexico Bowl, when Fresno State was part of the WAC, with RB Gartrell Johnson setting an NCAA bowl record with 375 total yards (285 rushing) and two touchdowns.
In 2001, the Rams took No. 8 Fresno State to double overtime, CSU's first-ever overtime contest.
CSU won four games in a row in the series from 1993-97.

HOME SWEET HOME
After back-to-back road games and a bye week, the Rams return to Hughes Stadium for the first time since an Oct. 8 win over Utah State. CSU's is 3-1 at home this season, and all-time the Rams are 142-112 (.559) at Hughes Stadium, winning 14 of their last 18 games dating back to the 2013 season.

The CSU Department of Athletics is offering a number of special ticket promotions and gameday entertainment options for Saturday's game.

Commitment to Campus

All Colorado State University Faculty and Staff eligible for discounted tickets
Half-priced game tickets and a concessions voucher for 1 hot dog, or 1 order of nachos and 1 soda OR 1 water

Take A Kid to the Game

Youth tickets (16 & under) are just $18
Purchase tickets at CSURams.com/promocode, and enter "TAKG"
Ram Town kids' zone opens at 10:30 a.m.

Extra Yard for Teachers

Sponsored by the College Football Playoff
CSU Athletics will honor and recognize local educators during the game
Pregame concert by artist Turner Jackson, sponsored by Ram Events
Begins approximately at 12 p.m. in the Student Tailgate Area

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