Rams Roundup: The Middle Tennessee Game

IT'S GAME WEEK!
It's the home opener as the Rams host Middle Tennessee on Saturday. We've got everything you need to know for game day in the Rams Roundup!

GAME DAY DETAILS

Colorado State (0-1) vs. Middle Tennessee (0-1)
Saturday, Sept. 10 - 2 p.m.
Canvas Stadium - Fort Collins, Colo.
Tickets » Buy Now
Presented by: Scheels and New Belgium Brewing

How to Track the Game:
📺 Television » Evoca TV/Local3
(Brian Roth, Mark Driscoll)
📺 Video Stream » Mountain West Network
📻 Radio Tuning » CSU Sports Network
📻 Radio Stream » The Varsity Network App
📊 Live Stats » Sidearm Stats Feed

GAME DAY PRIMER

Jay Norvell Weekly Press Conference
    » Watch | Read
Weekly Game Notes
    » Read
CSU Insider Podcast
    » Listen
Jay Norvell Coach's Radio Show
    » Listen | The Varsity Network App
⏰ Wednesday, Sept. 7 - 6 p.m.
📍 C.B. & Potts Collindale

GAME PROMOTIONS AND GUESTS

What to Wear: Wear Green!
Game Promotions:
    » CSU Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day
    » Youth Sports Day
    » Young Alumni Weekend
Old Main Bell Ringers: Jake and Jenny Bennett
Guest Cannoneer: Dr. Jud Harper
Postgame on the Porch: Following the game, the New Belgium Porch will remain open for an additional hour and head coach Jay Norvell's post-game press conference will air on RamVision.

ESSENTIAL READING

A RAMS WALK THROUGH TIME
» The 130-year timeline of Colorado State Football (CSU Source)

OFFENSE WORKS ON CORRECTIONS, NOT OVERCORRECTING
» The entire offense watched the film and witnessed the mistakes.

POPPING THE CORN IN UNISON
» Get the popcorn ready. That's what Jay Norvell is trying to do.

WHAT WE SAW: RAMS FEEL EXPERIENCE WILL SERVE THEM WELL
» Our Sunday reflection on the Michigan game...

GAME DAY GUIDES
GAME DAY AT CANVAS STADIUM All your information for parking, tailgating, stadium entry, and more!
CANVAS STADIUM A TO Z Everything You Need to Know About Canvas Stadium

GAME DAY TIMELINE

10:00 a.m. - Parking/Tailgating Opens
10:00 a.m. - The New Ram Town Opens!
    » Corner of Meridian and Hughes
    » Rams Kids Zone Inflatables
    » Coors Light Ram Walk Tailgate
    » Food vendors
11:30 a.m. - Meet the Team for the Ram Walk!
    » Corner of Meridian and Hughes
    » Read More about the New Design for 2022
12:30 p.m. - Gates Open
1:17 p.m. - Comatose Fires!
        » Tailgating Closes
1:45 p.m. - Golden Poms/Band Take the Field
2:00 p.m. - Kick Off!

GAME NOTES

The Rams begin year one under head coach Jay Norvell who was named the program's 24th head coach on Dec. 6, 2021. Norvell led his Wolf Pack team onto Sonny Lubick Field in the season finale on Nov. 27 and was the final head coach to walk off the turf. He returned to Fort Collins nine days later as the Rams new head coach.
Over his five years in Reno, (2017-21) he compiled four-straight seven-plus win seasons and led the Wolf Pack to four bowl games. Colorado State last won seven games in a season in 2017.
Norvell is the fourth Colorado State head coach in the last nine seasons, dating back to Jim McElwain's final season in 2014.
Norvell brought over a number of FBS transfers to bolster the Colorado State roster and even more newcomers. All totaled, there are 15 scholarship transfers from FBS programs on the roster and 54 newcomers overall.
Colorado State's redshirt freshman quarterback Clay Millen became the first freshman quarterback to start a season opener for the Rams since true freshman Pete Thomas in 2010 when he took the first snap at Michigan in Week 1. That season, Thomas set the freshman passing record with 2,662 yards in 12 starts.
The five starters among the offensive line combined for 92 starts entering the season - zero coming from the Rams' starter at left tackle Brian Crespo-Jaquez who had never even appeared in a game prior to Week 1 at Michigan. That total would rank as the 14th-most combined starts by an offensive line unit in the nation, however, none of those starts came together as a unit.
While Colorado State's roster features 15 players with 10 or more starts at the FBS level, the team effectively returns just six offensive and defensive starters overall. Offensively, only Ty McCullouch and David Bailey started more than eight games last season. On defense, only Devin Phillips, Dequan Jackson, Cam'Ron Carter, and Tywan Francis eclipsed eight starts in 2021.

On the Game...

Jay Norvell will lead his Rams onto Sonny Lubick Field for the first time as the program's head coach this week, squaring off with C-USA foe Middle Tennessee. Colorado State's week 2 opponent in 2021 was also from the central Tennessee area in Vanderbilt.
It will be the first time a C-USA opponent has played in Canvas Stadium and the first to play in Fort Collins since UTSA came to Hughes Stadium during its farewell season in 2016.
Over the past 20 seasons, including the 2020 COVID "season", the Rams are 15-5 in home openers.
Player Connections: Colorado State linebacker Aaron Moore attended Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

NEXT UP

Colorado State at Washington State
Saturday, Sept. 17 - 3 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
Martin Stadium - Pullman, Washington
Tickets » Buy Now

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Cam'Ron Carter

Brian Crespo-Jaquez

Dequan Jackson

Clay Millen

Aaron Moore

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