Colorado State University Athletics
Saturday, October 26
Fort Collins, CO
3:00 PM
Colorado State
5-3 , 3-0
17
vs
6
New Mexico
3-5 , 2-2
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
New Mexico
0
3
3
0
6
Colorado State
0
17
0
0
17
Defense Serves Up a Baker’s Dozen Against Lobos
10/26/2024 7:54:00 PM | Football
Rams post third consecutive win
Consider it a slow build.
A week of solid play. Then do it again, with a dash of splash. Then one more time – against a hot offense – with a bit more flair, and in front of the fourth-largest crowd at Canvas Stadium on homecoming.
In a three-game win streak to open Mountain West play, the Rams have been riding it's defense, culminating in a 17-6 victory over New Mexico – a 13th consecutive over the Lobos – in front of 36,980 on Saturday afternoon.
"I just think consistency. I think we have some kids who are emerging with confidence," CSU coach Jay Norvell said. "I really liked the way we covered today. We were aggressive in our coverage; we were challenging receivers. I'm very proud of our pass rush. We lost a guy like Mo Kamara who was a dominant pass rusher. I knew we were going to have to do it by technique and discipline and being relentless, and that's what we were tonight."
The Rams are atop the Mountain West standings at 3-0 and are 5-3 overall. The last time the program won three consecutive conference games was 2019.
Colorado State's offense produced 10 points against a defense ranked third-to-last in the nation in total defense. The Rams' defense stifled an offense which had scored at least 50 points in its past three games.
Exactly how everybody pictured it would play out.
New Mexico, after an 0-4 start to the season, came to Fort Collins hot in running off three consecutive wins. The explosion was defused by a Colorado State defense which surrendered some yards – 453 to be exact – but very few points, forcing four turnovers with a pair of fumbles and a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions by linebackers Buom Jock and Chase Wilson.
The Lobos' dynamic quarterback, Devon Dampier, was finally physically sacked for the first time this year by Kennedy McDowell as New Mexico only reached the red zone twice, setting for a pair of field goal attempts, only one which was made. Dampier did throw for 319 yards, but he also fumbled in the red zone to go with his two picks. As the team's leading rusher, he was limited to just 51 yards on the ground as the Rams kept him contained.
The Lobos were getting chunk plays at the start – they averaged 9.9 yards per snap the first frame. After that, not so much.
"We didn't really play more aggressive but at the same time we were just making sure we were using our keys and responding to our keys," cornerback Dylan Phelps said. "Then it was just playing aggressive and playing ball."
The first half was about as complementary a performance as the hosts could have hoped, outside of one drive resulting in missing a long field goal attempt. The offense produced points with an exclamation point after the Lobos took a 3-0 lead, going 79 yards in four plays, the last one a 46-yard strike to Caleb Goodie to put the Rams in front for good.
It was the most explosive play the offense had in a game where the Rams generated 334 yards. While Avery Morrow's 100-yard game streak ended at four, he did finish with 89 in 16 carries with Justin Marshall going for 74 on 11 attempts, both of them averaging better than 5.0 yards per carry.
They extended the lead to 14-3 when Kobe Johnson, who threw a touchdown pass the week prior, returned a punt 82 yards for a score, the longest punt return by a Ram in Canvas Stadium, the eighth-longest overall.
"It was a punt I would like as a returner. I stepped into it, caught it and felt a guy on my right hip and made him miss," Johnson said. "I knew once I made those two people miss, with the scheme (special teams) coach (Tommy) Perry put together, once I got to the field that it was a touchdown."
His play started on the sideline on the New Mexico sideline and ended with him outsprinting the pursuit down the home side.
A 47-yard field goal by Jordon Noyes in the final 30 seconds of the opening half closed the scoring at the break.
As well as for the game for Colorado State.
Didn't matter. The defense answered the call. Something has clicked, Wilson said, but the unit is playing each game as it is designed.
"Each flow of the game is going to be different. San Jose was more fundamental, do your job, execute," said Wilson, who finished with 10 tackles. "You just have to be in the right place at the right time and doing your job and be in position to make plays and make turnovers when those things happen. We just have to be able to capitalize when turnovers come."
They did it in large part by creating turnovers. New Mexico's first drive of the second half carried them to the 1 but no further. A third-down flag – one of 10 offensive infractions against the Lobos – pushed them back to the 6, where on the third down Wilson wrapped up Dampier and Cam Bariteau forced a fumble recovered by Henry Blackburn.
A situation where the complexion of the game was going to change, only the Rams turned it to their advantage.
"Huge. You never stop playing, even if they're on the 1-yard line, it doesn't matter," Wilson said. "We can still get a turnover and that's what happened. It was a good opportunity for us to capitalize.
The Lobos' next two drives led to field goal attempts, only one of which was made. Their final two drives were ended by the Rams' linebackers, sealing victory.
Quite the transformation from a defense which allowed 30.6 points per outing the first five weeks. The timing for them, and the team, has been perfect.
A week of solid play. Then do it again, with a dash of splash. Then one more time – against a hot offense – with a bit more flair, and in front of the fourth-largest crowd at Canvas Stadium on homecoming.
In a three-game win streak to open Mountain West play, the Rams have been riding it's defense, culminating in a 17-6 victory over New Mexico – a 13th consecutive over the Lobos – in front of 36,980 on Saturday afternoon.
"I just think consistency. I think we have some kids who are emerging with confidence," CSU coach Jay Norvell said. "I really liked the way we covered today. We were aggressive in our coverage; we were challenging receivers. I'm very proud of our pass rush. We lost a guy like Mo Kamara who was a dominant pass rusher. I knew we were going to have to do it by technique and discipline and being relentless, and that's what we were tonight."
The Rams are atop the Mountain West standings at 3-0 and are 5-3 overall. The last time the program won three consecutive conference games was 2019.
Colorado State's offense produced 10 points against a defense ranked third-to-last in the nation in total defense. The Rams' defense stifled an offense which had scored at least 50 points in its past three games.
Exactly how everybody pictured it would play out.
New Mexico, after an 0-4 start to the season, came to Fort Collins hot in running off three consecutive wins. The explosion was defused by a Colorado State defense which surrendered some yards – 453 to be exact – but very few points, forcing four turnovers with a pair of fumbles and a pair of fourth-quarter interceptions by linebackers Buom Jock and Chase Wilson.
The Lobos' dynamic quarterback, Devon Dampier, was finally physically sacked for the first time this year by Kennedy McDowell as New Mexico only reached the red zone twice, setting for a pair of field goal attempts, only one which was made. Dampier did throw for 319 yards, but he also fumbled in the red zone to go with his two picks. As the team's leading rusher, he was limited to just 51 yards on the ground as the Rams kept him contained.
The Lobos were getting chunk plays at the start – they averaged 9.9 yards per snap the first frame. After that, not so much.
"We didn't really play more aggressive but at the same time we were just making sure we were using our keys and responding to our keys," cornerback Dylan Phelps said. "Then it was just playing aggressive and playing ball."
The first half was about as complementary a performance as the hosts could have hoped, outside of one drive resulting in missing a long field goal attempt. The offense produced points with an exclamation point after the Lobos took a 3-0 lead, going 79 yards in four plays, the last one a 46-yard strike to Caleb Goodie to put the Rams in front for good.
It was the most explosive play the offense had in a game where the Rams generated 334 yards. While Avery Morrow's 100-yard game streak ended at four, he did finish with 89 in 16 carries with Justin Marshall going for 74 on 11 attempts, both of them averaging better than 5.0 yards per carry.
They extended the lead to 14-3 when Kobe Johnson, who threw a touchdown pass the week prior, returned a punt 82 yards for a score, the longest punt return by a Ram in Canvas Stadium, the eighth-longest overall.
"It was a punt I would like as a returner. I stepped into it, caught it and felt a guy on my right hip and made him miss," Johnson said. "I knew once I made those two people miss, with the scheme (special teams) coach (Tommy) Perry put together, once I got to the field that it was a touchdown."
His play started on the sideline on the New Mexico sideline and ended with him outsprinting the pursuit down the home side.
A 47-yard field goal by Jordon Noyes in the final 30 seconds of the opening half closed the scoring at the break.
As well as for the game for Colorado State.
Didn't matter. The defense answered the call. Something has clicked, Wilson said, but the unit is playing each game as it is designed.
"Each flow of the game is going to be different. San Jose was more fundamental, do your job, execute," said Wilson, who finished with 10 tackles. "You just have to be in the right place at the right time and doing your job and be in position to make plays and make turnovers when those things happen. We just have to be able to capitalize when turnovers come."
They did it in large part by creating turnovers. New Mexico's first drive of the second half carried them to the 1 but no further. A third-down flag – one of 10 offensive infractions against the Lobos – pushed them back to the 6, where on the third down Wilson wrapped up Dampier and Cam Bariteau forced a fumble recovered by Henry Blackburn.
A situation where the complexion of the game was going to change, only the Rams turned it to their advantage.
"Huge. You never stop playing, even if they're on the 1-yard line, it doesn't matter," Wilson said. "We can still get a turnover and that's what happened. It was a good opportunity for us to capitalize.
The Lobos' next two drives led to field goal attempts, only one of which was made. Their final two drives were ended by the Rams' linebackers, sealing victory.
Quite the transformation from a defense which allowed 30.6 points per outing the first five weeks. The timing for them, and the team, has been perfect.
Team Stats
UNM
CSU
Total Yards
453
334
Pass Yards
319
142
Rushing Yards
134
192
Penalty Yards
65
65
1st Downs
25
14
3rd Downs
5
5
4th Downs
3
0
TOP
29:35
30:25
2nd Quarter
UNM 3, CSU 0
UNM - Drzewiecki,Luke 29 yd field goal 10 plays, 76 yards, TOP 04:15
UNM 3, CSU 7
CSU - Goodie,Caleb 46 yd pass from Fowler-Nicolosi,Brayden (Noyes,Jordan kick) 4 plays, 79 yards, TOP 01:26
UNM 3, CSU 14
CSU - Johnson,Kobe 82 yd punt return (Noyes,Jordan kick)
UNM 3, CSU 17
CSU - Noyes,Jordan 47 yd field goal 9 plays, 51 yards, TOP 04:12
3rd Quarter
UNM 6, CSU 17
UNM - Drzewiecki,Luke 44 yd field goal 8 plays, 15 yards, TOP 03:37
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
11
TD
1
YDS
142
INT
0
Players Mentioned
DL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
LB
/ FootballColorado 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 Weekly Press Conference - Week 2 (2025)
Monday, September 01
Colorado State Football: Long (L) and Warren (R) Postgame (Washington, 2025)
Sunday, August 31