Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: Marty Kling
Rams looking ahead to next challenge at Utah State
10/3/2017 7:11:00 PM | Football
Teams have split last six meetings
FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- The Colorado State Rams began their Mountain West slate with an impressive performance at Hawai'i, putting on an offensive clinic on their way to a 51-21 win.
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Each win gets the Rams closer to their ultimate goal – a divisional championship and a spot in the MW Championship game. While each win is worth celebrating, it is the next game on the calendar that the team is most focused on.
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This week, that next game is in Logan, Utah against a Utah State squad that has rattled off two consecutive victories in convincing fashion, opening league play with a 61-10 blowout win at San Jose State before returning home to beat BYU, 40-24.
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Utah State forced seven turnovers in its win over BYU, and the Aggies now lead the NCAA with 16 takeaways.
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"They create havoc on defense because of the different looks and sometimes it causes a little bit of confusion [for] the quarterback," CSU Head Coach Mike Bobo explained. "If you are a step slow throwing the ball, that's where they're making breaks in the secondary and getting some interceptions, or if you are a little bit confused and throw a ball high because they play a lot of zones behind their pressures, they get interceptions. Then they are creating turnovers through fumbles because they're getting a lot of hats to the ball. They're playing aggressive."
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Senior cornerback Jalen Davis leads the Aggies with five interceptions this season, including three versus BYU. He returned two of those for touchdowns, including a 50-yarder with 3:00 remaining in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
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CSU won last year's meeting in Fort Collins, 31-24, after trailing 24-10 at halftime. Quarterback Nick Stevens came off the bench in relief of injured starter Collin Hill to lead the comeback, entering late in the third quarter. Stevens led the Rams on a pair of scoring drives, including a 22-yard completion to Michael Gallup that led to a game-tying TD by running back Izzy Matthews on the very drive that Stevens replaced Hill in.
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Stevens has starred ever since reclaiming his starting role, and it all began with that Utah State comeback. This season, Stevens has thrown for 12 TDs and has thrown for at least 300 yards four of five games. His performance at Hawai'i last week garnered him national recognition. The senior completed 18-of-22 passes for 351 yards and 4 TDs, earning him significant attention.
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The Aggies have an experienced starting QB of their own in Kent Myers, who has appeared in 33 games (30 starts) over his four years in Logan. Myers has done damage using his arm and legs against the Rams in the past. In 2015, Myers rushed for a career-high 191 yards and a TD on 16 carries, leading Utah State to a 33-18 victory.
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"Coach [Matt] Wells and his staff have done a really good job offensively; they're an explosive offensive football team," Bobo said. "This is a really good offensive football team that's led by their quarterback in Myers… I know they've got a new offensive coordinator but he's a guy that can handle that new terminology, the new things they are doing on offense, they're executing at a high, high level."
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The two sides have split the last six meetings, with three being one-score games. The Rams' last win in Logan was a thriller in 2011. CSU running back Chris Nwoke ran for a touchdown with less than a minute remaining in regulation and scored another in overtime as the Rams took a 35-34 nailbiter on the road.
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The Rams are prepared for another gritty, arduous outing on the road – but Bobo is optimistic that his team will be ready.
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"They're at home and we're traveling so we've got to be a mature football team, again, have great leadership from top to bottom and our players have to have a great week of practice," Bobo said.
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Each win gets the Rams closer to their ultimate goal – a divisional championship and a spot in the MW Championship game. While each win is worth celebrating, it is the next game on the calendar that the team is most focused on.
Â
This week, that next game is in Logan, Utah against a Utah State squad that has rattled off two consecutive victories in convincing fashion, opening league play with a 61-10 blowout win at San Jose State before returning home to beat BYU, 40-24.
Â
Utah State forced seven turnovers in its win over BYU, and the Aggies now lead the NCAA with 16 takeaways.
Â
"They create havoc on defense because of the different looks and sometimes it causes a little bit of confusion [for] the quarterback," CSU Head Coach Mike Bobo explained. "If you are a step slow throwing the ball, that's where they're making breaks in the secondary and getting some interceptions, or if you are a little bit confused and throw a ball high because they play a lot of zones behind their pressures, they get interceptions. Then they are creating turnovers through fumbles because they're getting a lot of hats to the ball. They're playing aggressive."
Â
Senior cornerback Jalen Davis leads the Aggies with five interceptions this season, including three versus BYU. He returned two of those for touchdowns, including a 50-yarder with 3:00 remaining in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
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CSU won last year's meeting in Fort Collins, 31-24, after trailing 24-10 at halftime. Quarterback Nick Stevens came off the bench in relief of injured starter Collin Hill to lead the comeback, entering late in the third quarter. Stevens led the Rams on a pair of scoring drives, including a 22-yard completion to Michael Gallup that led to a game-tying TD by running back Izzy Matthews on the very drive that Stevens replaced Hill in.
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Stevens has starred ever since reclaiming his starting role, and it all began with that Utah State comeback. This season, Stevens has thrown for 12 TDs and has thrown for at least 300 yards four of five games. His performance at Hawai'i last week garnered him national recognition. The senior completed 18-of-22 passes for 351 yards and 4 TDs, earning him significant attention.
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The college football world is beginning to take notice: @stevens7nick is on a ROLL.#EDGE | #NeverSatisfied pic.twitter.com/weKiVRDgo2
— CSU Rams Football (@CSUFootball) October 3, 2017
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The Aggies have an experienced starting QB of their own in Kent Myers, who has appeared in 33 games (30 starts) over his four years in Logan. Myers has done damage using his arm and legs against the Rams in the past. In 2015, Myers rushed for a career-high 191 yards and a TD on 16 carries, leading Utah State to a 33-18 victory.
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"Coach [Matt] Wells and his staff have done a really good job offensively; they're an explosive offensive football team," Bobo said. "This is a really good offensive football team that's led by their quarterback in Myers… I know they've got a new offensive coordinator but he's a guy that can handle that new terminology, the new things they are doing on offense, they're executing at a high, high level."
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The two sides have split the last six meetings, with three being one-score games. The Rams' last win in Logan was a thriller in 2011. CSU running back Chris Nwoke ran for a touchdown with less than a minute remaining in regulation and scored another in overtime as the Rams took a 35-34 nailbiter on the road.
Â
The Rams are prepared for another gritty, arduous outing on the road – but Bobo is optimistic that his team will be ready.
Â
"They're at home and we're traveling so we've got to be a mature football team, again, have great leadership from top to bottom and our players have to have a great week of practice," Bobo said.
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Players Mentioned
Thursday, May 14
Monday, May 11
Friday, May 08
Tuesday, April 28