The Colorado State Rams celebrated Senior Day with a big 30-20 win over the Nevada Wolf Pack. With the win, Jay Norvell’s team improved to 5-6 on the season with one game to go against Hawaii and a shot at becoming bowl eligible.

Multiple seniors came up huge for Colorado State in the win including defensive end Mohamed Kamara and wide receiver Tory Horton.

The Rams started out hot, taking a 20-3 lead before the Wolf Pack stormed back. A crucial pick-6 was thrown by Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and returned 66 yards by Richard Toney Jr. to bring the game to 20-13 at halftime.

Then Nevada made it even closer—23-20—as Brandon Lewis sliced and diced the Rams defense through the air and scored from nine yards out on the ground. CSU answered in the fourth quarter, though, when Fowler-Nicolosi connected with Louis Brown for the game-sealing win.

Stock Up: Seniors balled out on Senior Day for Colorado State

Tory Horton

Horton was invited to the Reese’s Senior Bowl on Friday, and today he showed why. The senior receiver led all of Colorado State’s wideouts with six receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown.

His score came early in the game and he also enjoyed a 53-yard pass on the receiving end of a flea flicker. But maybe his best catch came on a 3rd and 9 in the 4th quarter, one which kept the Rams drive alive. Three plays later, Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi completed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Louis Brown IV for the 10-point lead.

The Rams have run many trick plays with Horton this year, including his passing touchdown and big gain throw last week to Dylan Goffney.

His 87 catches on the year are now fourth-most in Colorado State history for a single season. Michael Gallup had 100 receptions in 2017.

Mohamed Kamara

It took a while, into the fourth quarter even, but Kamara finally got his sack.

It was the eighth game this year he’s enjoyed at least one sack, and it brought his season total to 12.5 sacks.

The timing of the takedown by Kamara was amazing. Facing a 3rd and 5 from the Rams 19 yard line, the senior defensive end not only sacked Lewis, he lost the Wolf Pack seven yards. On the next play, Nevada missed the field goal which would have tied the game up at 23-23.

Kamara became only the second-ever Colorado State Ram with 30 sacks in a season, joining Clark Haggans (33.0). Haggans sadly passed away earlier this year at the young age of 46.

Henry Blackburn

The junior safety had a solid performance with seven total tackles and five solo. He also intercepted a pass on Nevada’s first drive of the game which helped give Colorado State early momentum and a short field.

The Rams offense scored four plays later to lead 7-0.

Jay Norvell

Norvell’s team is on the rise, and so is his stock. Colorado State has now improved by two wins over last year, his first as the Rams head man. On top of that, he beat his former team in Nevada today.

Can he get his CSU Rams to win next week at Hawaii and become bowl eligible?

Stock Down: Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi struggles

Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi

The redshirt freshman has enjoyed an overall better than average year. But, he’s also had these up-and-down stretches of inconsistency.

Today was a down game for him. BF-N went 15-30 (50%) for 245 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception. He struggled quite a bit in the first half and his half-ending pick-6 was not only detrimental, it was inexcusable.

Still, Fowler-Nicolosi hung in there and completed some big passes when the Rams needed it most in the fourth quarter.

On the year, he has 18 touchdowns compared to 14 interceptions. That’s too many turnovers and he needs to learn to limit those mistakes going forward. If he can, Fowler-Nicolosi will continue to lead the Rams to big wins in the next few years.

Next up for Colorado State (5-6) is their season finale at Hawaii (4-8) which kicks off at 9 p.m. MT on Saturday, Nov. 25.