Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, September 24
Fort Collins, CO
2:00 p.m.
Colorado State
0-4 , 0-0
10
vs
41
Sacramento State
3-0 , 0-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Sacramento State
7
17
7
10
41
Colorado State
0
10
0
0
10
Rams Fall On Ag Day to Sac State
9/24/2022 6:31:00 PM | Football
Team enters bye before starting conference play
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Finally, first-half points from the offense.
Â
It's a start, but once again on Saturday, not a fast one for Colorado State. Down 21-3 midway through the second quarter to Sacramento State, the Rams slipped to 0-4 on a season where the injuries continue to mount and so does the frustration.
Â
The Hornets, ranked No. 6 in FCS, left Canvas Stadium on Ag Day with a 41-10 victory. The last time the Rams began a season 0-4 was back in 2007.
Â
"It's frustrating. Obviously, nobody wants to lose; everybody wants to win," CSU head coach Jay Norvell said. "You obviously want guys to mature and play faster than they can. I think the biggest thing – and it is what it is - is we've had to play new players every week in the first four weeks of the season. Guys who have never played before, and those mistakes and the lack of execution that happens with those players really affects everybody else. When you're trying to build continuity and build on a past performance, it becomes difficult."
Â
It has been that kind of season for the Rams, epitomized in successive drives to open the second quarter.
Â
Colorado State hit a big play, a 56-yard connection between Clay Millen and Tory Horton at the close of the first quarter, giving the Rams first-and-goal from the Sac State 7. But the Rams' Air Raid offense ran three consecutive plays, generating no yards and ending in a field goal, with Michael Boyle's 24-yarder the first one for the team this season after two misses.
Â
How'd the Hornets' respond? With a touchdown drive, aided by the Rams allowing a 17-yard pass on third-and-10, then moving the sticks twice courtesy of two defensive penalties. On third down from the red zone, Jake Dunniway's pass was deflected high by CSU linebacker Justin Sanchez and over to Pierre Williams in the back of the end zone, where he hauled in the score.
Â
So many chances to get off the field, yet the Rams trailed 14-3, then surrendered another scoring drive for a 21-3 deficit.
Â
"I don't know how to answer that question other than we need to execute when we can," linebacker Dequan Jackson said. "Other than that, things will start going our way. I think when you take advantage of your opportunities and you execute where you can, I don't think stuff like that will be determining the game. If we're ever in a tight game and something like that decides to happen, we'll take it up with the football gods."
Â
Millen, who opened the game 7-of-7 for 62 yards, left after getting sacked and didn't return. It was backup true freshman Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi who engineered CSU's first first-half touchdown on his second series. He hit all four of his passes on the drive, capped by connecting with Horton in stride on a crossing route, Horton outrunning defenders for a 52-yard score.
Â
That was all the offense the Rams could muster in the game, finishing with just 253 yards of total offense converting just 3-of-13 third downs. Horton had two catches for 108 yards in the first half, finishing with three catches for 127 as Fowler-Nicolosi finished 6-of-15 for 116 yards. If the Rams were looking for good news, they were able to cut down the sack total by allowing just two in the game behind the fourth different starting line combination in as many games.
Â
It's why an offense which throws by nature ran the ball in the red zone.
Â
"We wanted to run the ball in the red zone. We're trying to be prudent now," Norvell said. "I'm not trying to be hard-headed; I understand what we're playing with. We threw three screen passes; we had minus yardage on them trying to slow the rush down. We threw two quick passes, and we got sacks. You're not supposed to get sacks in quick game. We just have to be better."
Â
Playing minus to starting tackles from the first week and with a third different starting center, the Rams would eventually be down a starting guard in Dante Bivens. No one is using it as an excuse.
Â
Has it been easy? No, but for running back A'Jon Vivens, it's a matter of having everybody prepared and ready to go at a moment's notice.
Â
"That's never the easiest thing, but at the end of the day, we feel we have to be able to prepare whether you're a two or a three," he said. "You never know when the opportunity is going to come, so you have to prepare like you're starting every week. The chemistry thing, I feel comfortable with whoever is going to step in, be it the O-line position or Brayden or a receiver or a running back, I have full confidence in us because I see how we go out and work every day."
Â
What the offense couldn't generate, the defense could not contain. The Hornets used tempo to create some chaos, and the Rams didn't not fare well on third down, giving up 8-of-12 and 395 yards overall, producing 235 on the ground.
Â
They had six scoring drives which lasted eight or more plays, the last a 16-play march which drained 10:50.
Â
"Just overall, any team that gives you tempo is going to be tough if you can't get aligned or if you can't get everything rolling and get your feet in the ground on time," Jackson said. "That's' something we have to continue to work on. If we're going to be honest, we're probably going to get tempo until we stop it. It's one of those things where we have to have urgency on defense to get aligned and get ready to play the next snap no matter who it is or how fast they get going."
Â
Now done with non-conference play, Colorado State heads into a bye week before opening Mountain West play on the road at Nevada on a Friday night.
Â
Â
It's a start, but once again on Saturday, not a fast one for Colorado State. Down 21-3 midway through the second quarter to Sacramento State, the Rams slipped to 0-4 on a season where the injuries continue to mount and so does the frustration.
Â
The Hornets, ranked No. 6 in FCS, left Canvas Stadium on Ag Day with a 41-10 victory. The last time the Rams began a season 0-4 was back in 2007.
Â
"It's frustrating. Obviously, nobody wants to lose; everybody wants to win," CSU head coach Jay Norvell said. "You obviously want guys to mature and play faster than they can. I think the biggest thing – and it is what it is - is we've had to play new players every week in the first four weeks of the season. Guys who have never played before, and those mistakes and the lack of execution that happens with those players really affects everybody else. When you're trying to build continuity and build on a past performance, it becomes difficult."
Â
It has been that kind of season for the Rams, epitomized in successive drives to open the second quarter.
Â
Colorado State hit a big play, a 56-yard connection between Clay Millen and Tory Horton at the close of the first quarter, giving the Rams first-and-goal from the Sac State 7. But the Rams' Air Raid offense ran three consecutive plays, generating no yards and ending in a field goal, with Michael Boyle's 24-yarder the first one for the team this season after two misses.
Â
How'd the Hornets' respond? With a touchdown drive, aided by the Rams allowing a 17-yard pass on third-and-10, then moving the sticks twice courtesy of two defensive penalties. On third down from the red zone, Jake Dunniway's pass was deflected high by CSU linebacker Justin Sanchez and over to Pierre Williams in the back of the end zone, where he hauled in the score.
Â
So many chances to get off the field, yet the Rams trailed 14-3, then surrendered another scoring drive for a 21-3 deficit.
Â
"I don't know how to answer that question other than we need to execute when we can," linebacker Dequan Jackson said. "Other than that, things will start going our way. I think when you take advantage of your opportunities and you execute where you can, I don't think stuff like that will be determining the game. If we're ever in a tight game and something like that decides to happen, we'll take it up with the football gods."
Â
Millen, who opened the game 7-of-7 for 62 yards, left after getting sacked and didn't return. It was backup true freshman Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi who engineered CSU's first first-half touchdown on his second series. He hit all four of his passes on the drive, capped by connecting with Horton in stride on a crossing route, Horton outrunning defenders for a 52-yard score.
Â
That was all the offense the Rams could muster in the game, finishing with just 253 yards of total offense converting just 3-of-13 third downs. Horton had two catches for 108 yards in the first half, finishing with three catches for 127 as Fowler-Nicolosi finished 6-of-15 for 116 yards. If the Rams were looking for good news, they were able to cut down the sack total by allowing just two in the game behind the fourth different starting line combination in as many games.
Â
It's why an offense which throws by nature ran the ball in the red zone.
Â
"We wanted to run the ball in the red zone. We're trying to be prudent now," Norvell said. "I'm not trying to be hard-headed; I understand what we're playing with. We threw three screen passes; we had minus yardage on them trying to slow the rush down. We threw two quick passes, and we got sacks. You're not supposed to get sacks in quick game. We just have to be better."
Â
Playing minus to starting tackles from the first week and with a third different starting center, the Rams would eventually be down a starting guard in Dante Bivens. No one is using it as an excuse.
Â
Has it been easy? No, but for running back A'Jon Vivens, it's a matter of having everybody prepared and ready to go at a moment's notice.
Â
"That's never the easiest thing, but at the end of the day, we feel we have to be able to prepare whether you're a two or a three," he said. "You never know when the opportunity is going to come, so you have to prepare like you're starting every week. The chemistry thing, I feel comfortable with whoever is going to step in, be it the O-line position or Brayden or a receiver or a running back, I have full confidence in us because I see how we go out and work every day."
Â
What the offense couldn't generate, the defense could not contain. The Hornets used tempo to create some chaos, and the Rams didn't not fare well on third down, giving up 8-of-12 and 395 yards overall, producing 235 on the ground.
Â
They had six scoring drives which lasted eight or more plays, the last a 16-play march which drained 10:50.
Â
"Just overall, any team that gives you tempo is going to be tough if you can't get aligned or if you can't get everything rolling and get your feet in the ground on time," Jackson said. "That's' something we have to continue to work on. If we're going to be honest, we're probably going to get tempo until we stop it. It's one of those things where we have to have urgency on defense to get aligned and get ready to play the next snap no matter who it is or how fast they get going."
Â
Now done with non-conference play, Colorado State heads into a bye week before opening Mountain West play on the road at Nevada on a Friday night.
Â
Team Stats
SAC
CSU
Total Yards
395
253
Pass Yards
235
178
Rushing Yards
160
75
Penalty Yards
5
29
1st Downs
25
10
3rd Downs
8
3
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
33:58
26:02
1st Quarter
SAC 7, CSU 0
SAC - O'Hara,Asher 6 yd run (Sentkowski,Kyle kick), 8 plays, 74 yards, TOP 02:58
2nd Quarter
SAC 7, CSU 3
CSU - Boyle,Michael 24 yd field goal 8 plays, 71 yards, TOP 04:23
SAC 14, CSU 3
SAC - Williams,Pierre 5 yd pass from Dunniway,Jake (Sentkowski,Kyle kick) 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:20
SAC 21, CSU 3
SAC - Fulcher,Marcus 14 yd pass from O'Hara,Asher (Sentkowski,Kyle kick) 2 plays, 16 yards, TOP 00:29
SAC 21, CSU 10
CSU - Horton,Tory 52 yd pass from Fowler-Nicolosi,Brayden (Boyle,Michael kick) 8 plays, 89 yards, TOP 03:47
SAC 24, CSU 10
SAC - Sentkowski,Kyle 45 yd field goal 8 plays, 49 yards, TOP 01:17
3rd Quarter
SAC 31, CSU 10
SAC - O'Hara,Asher 1 yd run (Sentkowski,Kyle kick), 8 plays, 32 yards, TOP 03:08
4th Quarter
SAC 34, CSU 10
SAC - Sentkowski,Kyle 47 yd field goal 8 plays, 28 yards, TOP 03:15
SAC 41, CSU 10
SAC - Skattebo,Cameron 1 yd run (Sentkowski,Kyle kick), 16 plays, 68 yards, TOP 10:50
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
6
TD
1
YDS
116
INT
0
CMP
7
TD
0
YDS
62
INT
0
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
K
/ FootballQB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
LB
/ FootballQB
/ FootballColorado State Athletics: Football Bye Week Update
Wednesday, September 10
Colorado State Football: Ellis (L) and Rogers (R) Postgame (Northern Colorado, 2025)
Saturday, September 06
Colorado State Football: Avant (L) and Fowler-Nicolosi (R) Postgame (Northern Colorado, 2025)
Saturday, September 06
Colorado State Football: Jay Norvell Post-Game (Northern Colorado, 2025)
Saturday, September 06