Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: Tommy Joe Waido
Bennett accepts invite to play in East-West Shrine Game
11/30/2017 3:29:00 PM | Football
Senior center to showcase skills on Jan. 20 at Tropicana Field
TAMPA, Fla. — Colorado State center Jake Bennett has accepted an invitation to play in the 93rd East-West Shrine Game, scheduled for Jan. 20 at 1 p.m. MT at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Lakewood, Colo., native was recently named first-team All-Mountain West after starting all 12 regular season games at center for the Rams. Bennett has made 40 consecutive starts.
Bennett has helped lead nation's 10th-ranked offense in terms of yards per game (501.0), while allowing just 0.67 sacks per game (third fewest in the FBS).
"This is a great honor for Jake," said head coach Mike Bobo. "He has been a consistent leader both on and off the field for our team, and now he will get to showcase his abilities against top competition from across the country. It is a well-deserved invitation, and I'm very happy for Jake to have this opportunity."
The communications studies major is CSU's 47th participant in the East-West Shrine Game. Carlyle Vickers was the program's first to play in the prestigious pre-draft showcase, in 1927. Bennett is the Rams' first offensive lineman to compete in the game since both Cole Pemberton and Shelley Smith did so in 2009.
Linebacker Kevin Davis played in last year's East-West Shrine Game before signing with the Los Angeles Rams as a free agent.
CSU has had representatives in the last five East-West Shrine Games, dating back to 2013.
While the teams are divided by East and West, the players come together for the beneficiary of the event, Shriners Hospitals for Children®, an international pediatric specialty health care system that treats children in orthopedics, spinal cord injuries, cleft lift and palate, and burns, regardless of the families' ability to pay.
The game will be televised live on NFL Network.
The Lakewood, Colo., native was recently named first-team All-Mountain West after starting all 12 regular season games at center for the Rams. Bennett has made 40 consecutive starts.
Bennett has helped lead nation's 10th-ranked offense in terms of yards per game (501.0), while allowing just 0.67 sacks per game (third fewest in the FBS).
"This is a great honor for Jake," said head coach Mike Bobo. "He has been a consistent leader both on and off the field for our team, and now he will get to showcase his abilities against top competition from across the country. It is a well-deserved invitation, and I'm very happy for Jake to have this opportunity."
The communications studies major is CSU's 47th participant in the East-West Shrine Game. Carlyle Vickers was the program's first to play in the prestigious pre-draft showcase, in 1927. Bennett is the Rams' first offensive lineman to compete in the game since both Cole Pemberton and Shelley Smith did so in 2009.
Linebacker Kevin Davis played in last year's East-West Shrine Game before signing with the Los Angeles Rams as a free agent.
CSU has had representatives in the last five East-West Shrine Games, dating back to 2013.
While the teams are divided by East and West, the players come together for the beneficiary of the event, Shriners Hospitals for Children®, an international pediatric specialty health care system that treats children in orthopedics, spinal cord injuries, cleft lift and palate, and burns, regardless of the families' ability to pay.
The game will be televised live on NFL Network.
Players Mentioned
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