Strike 3: For the Colorado State Rams, opening the season against a team with national title aspirations is not a brand new thing.
Two years ago in Jay Norvell’s first season at the helm, the Rams opened up at Michigan and absorbed a 51-7 beating. Last year, Washington State – a team that was supposed to contend for a Pac-12 title and possible New Year’s Day bowl game – beat up the Rams 50-24 at Canvas Stadium in a game that was not as close as the final score.
However, the trend over the past decade has not been for CSU to just show up and be fodder for the big boys in September. More often than not the Rams have acquitted themselves decently in these kinds of rugged September tilts.
Since Jim McElwain took over as head coach for the 2012 season up through last season, CSU has won just five out of 23 games against the “Power” conference teams in the season’s first month. They’ve beaten CU twice, Boston College, Arkansas and Oregon State.
However, only five of those 18 L’s – in ’22 when they lost that Michigan game and then a week later fell to Washington State (38-7), two of the Rocky Mountain Showdown losses to CU in 2016 (44-7) and 2018 (45-13) and a 48-10 drubbing at Florida in 2018 – were games that were total blowouts from the opening kickoff.
The Rams played reasonably well in road losses to top ranked Alabama in 2013 (31-6) and 2017 (41-23) as well as playing competitive games at places like Arkansas, Minnesota and Iowa. And a year ago, the Rocky Mountain Showdown in Boulder was a double overtime barnburner, not the predicted blowout. Prior to the past six less-than-memorable campaigns (no winning records and 1-10 vs. Power conferences), good showings in September games typically led to solid seasons overall.
Looking for a solid season in Norvell’s third year, CSU opens at Texas on Saturday against a Longhorns team that’s new to the Southeastern Conference but has legit plans to be part of the College Football Playoff at the end of the season. It’s a Texas-sized tall order for CSU to be sure.
Most coaches, including Norvell, aren’t into moral victories. Coming close like they did a year ago in Boulder won’t be good enough for the Rams. They are going to Austin to win.
But if they don’t, what would playing a competitive game against a national power mean for this year’s squad? A strong showing could build a lot of confidence and end up meaning a good deal down the road.
Some feel like Norvell is on the hot seat going into his third season. New school president. New athletic director. Not exactly a comfort zone for a head coach who hasn’t had a winning record in his first two seasons. But this team should be much improved, and making a bowl game should be a reachable goal. If they play well against the Longhorns and can carry that momentum into a pair of local tilts at Canvas against rebuilding UNC before they host CU for the first time since 1996, it could mean everything.
The Rams’ schedule isn’t overwhelming, especially the Mountain West portion. Winning seven games or more is absolutely doable, especially if they can upset the Buffs and/or Pac-12 left out Oregon State at Canvas the first week of October.
First things first. The Rams need to go to Austin, play well and leave Darrell K. Royal Stadium knowing they can play with the big boys. They don’t necessarily need a win on the scoreboard to have the trip be a success.
