Coming off a 10-win season and a trip to the Las Vegas Bowl, it’s understandable that Colorado State football fans might be feeling a bit down about their 4-5 record heading into the final three games of the year. But in Mike Bobo’s first year his team is on the precipice of a third consecutive bowl berth. All the Rams need is to win two of three games against teams that are a combined 6-10 in Mountain West play this year.

Terry Frei, who covers CSU for the Denver Post, says CSU should have no problem picking up those two wins. In fact, he expects CSU to win all three games. Frei joined Irv Brown and Joe Williams on Mile High Sports AM 1340 on Wednesday and said he might not have given Mike Bobo enough credit early this year.

Colorado State lost overtime games to two Power Five opponents, Minnesota and Colorado, in Weeks 2 and 3. Winning either of those games would have given Bobo and his Rams more of a boost on the field says Frei. It certainly would have helped boost their perception among college football fans in the state.

But now, with two very winnable games upcoming – first against UNLV, then at Fresno State – with a coin-toss game at New Mexico between them, the Rams should go bowling for a third straight year. The Buffs haven’t been able to make that claim since 1996. (A nine-year bowl bid streak ended for CU in 1997.)

“Bobo walked into a situation that wasn’t going to be perpetuated,” Frei told the Deans of Denver Sports, referring to the upswing seen under departed head coach Jim McElwain.

Colorado State lost key starters like quarterback Garrett Grayson, offensive tackle Ty Sambrailo and linebackers Max Morgan and Aaron Davis, Frei points out. So even with All-American wide receiver Rashard Higgins still on the roster, the talent level was going to see a bit of decline.

The loss of Grayson, who is now in the NFL, has been the toughest replacement of that bunch. Bobo hasn’t found “his” quarterback, says Frei, but he’s been willing to give Nick Stevens and Coleman Key an opportunity.

Given the loss of such key contributors, 4-5 with the chance to finish 6-6 or even 7-5 shouldn’t be considered so disappointing. If CSU can beat New Mexico, they’ll have wins over two likely six-win teams in Air Force and the Lobos.

CSU fans might have been disappointed with the departure of McElwain and the slow start for Bobo this year, but the season has the potential to take a very positive shape over these final three games. That’s something Bobo and the Rams can build on for a better year in 2016.

Listen to the full discussion about the Rams, plus some fascinating talk about Frei’s father and his time in the military while playing college football at Wisconsin, in the podcast below…

Catch The Irv and Joe Show every weekday from 1p-2p on Mile High Sports AM 1340 or stream live any time for the best local coverage of what’s new and what’s next in Colorado sports.