Monday Presser: Getting Back in the Groove

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Sep 5

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vs Wyoming

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vs Southern Utah

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vs BYU

Sep 26

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at UTSA

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vs Oregon State

Definitely disappointed, and no longer in control of their own fate, Colorado State remains determined to the task.

As coach Jay Norvell noted at his Monday press conference, "8-4 is better than 7-5." An eighth win gives the Rams chance to still reach the Mountain West Championship game on Dec. 6 against Boise State. It would give the team the most wins since the 2013 team posted 10. It will also meet the criteria of how the program wants to be seen.

"We're still playing for something. Even if we weren't, the mentality needs to be this is something we committed to and we just follow through 100 percent because we agreed to play 12 games," center Jacob Gardner said. "Shoot, we've got to finish this out. It has to be an honor code as a man; if you agree to something, you have to follow through."

Had Colorado State beaten Fresno State, every goal this Friday against Utah State would be crystal clear. Instead, a letdown in the first half put in motion a 28-22 loss, leaving a championship shot in another team's hands.

Bouncing back is what's on the table now, with the Rams intent on getting back to the style of play which led to a five-game winning streak and reaching bowl eligibility. The team will play this Friday. The Rams will play at least one more game beyond it and the overriding theme is to return to winning ways.

"We'll be focused. This is a team that's always been hungry to compete this year," Norvell said. "I've never doubted that in them. I think we have a lot of prideful guys who are going to be playing their last home game and they want to play well and they want to win eight games.

"That's a special thing. To play back in Canvas one last time for these guys, and that's special. We have some amazing kids under this roof. Jack (Howell) and Henry (Blackburn) are two of the best safeties to ever play at this school. Tory (Horton) won't play, but he's one of the best receivers in Mountain West conference history. Jacob Gardner has accomplished so much in his career. Drew moss. We have some incredible players in this class who are going to be playing their last home game, and they're prideful, and the underclassmen want to send them out in style. I don't have any doubt that we'll play very well."

To the point, this squad has hit some targets which haven't been met in quite some time. Winning becomes contagious.

Following a setback, the Rams are intent on returning to the celebratory locker room they were experiencing. Linebacker Chase Wilson knows the way back, too.

"I think why we've been having the success is we've been a process-oriented team. It's not about the opponent we're going up against and the situation, regardless of whether we're bowl eligible right now or not, we've had a process every single game of how we've prepared and how we get ready for Saturday or Friday," he said. "That's' gotten us to where we're at, and that can't change just because we have one or two more shots."

The Breakdown

Colorado State and UNLV both enter this week with 5-1 marks in Mountain West play. If both teams win – or both lose – and remain tied, Boise State's opponent in the title game on Dec. 6 will be determined by the College Football Playoffs rankings, or on results-based computer metrics since the two teams did not play this season.

The Rams can set the stage with a win on Friday. The Rebels (8-2) face rival Nevada a day later. The Rebels, ranked No. 24 by the CFP last week, would win a tiebreaker with the Rams based on those metrics since the two did not play. All making Colorado State big fans of the Wolf Pack on Saturday when the rivalry game is played in Las Vegas at 6 p.m. (MT).

Some of the transplants from the Nevada program said they would have no issue cheering for the Pack to win.

Here and There

After some major statistical adjustments from Saturday's game, Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi had the first 300-yard passing day of the season, finishing with 302. Jamari Person was credited with 10 catches for 125 yards (both career bests) and Justin Marshall had 73 yards rushing on 18 carries. … Safety Jack Howell had three tackles, giving him 346 in his career, passing Aaron Davis for eighth on the career list. With three more, he would pass Max Morgan into seventh.

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