FORT COLLINS — Colorado State wanted to make a statement at the Rocky Mountain Showdown. The Rams ended up making the wrong statement.
After holding on early and building a 3-0 lead, the Rams collapsed in a 28-9 loss to the CU Buffs. A weak offensive performance, key defensive penalties and four turnovers condemned CSU to its seventh straight loss in the rivalry series.
Now the Rams (1-2) face several questions after CU somewhat dampened CSU’s announcement earlier this week that it would join the Pac-12 in 2026.
Can their offense, which has stumbled in two of three games, find its rhythm? Has redshirt sophomore quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi faded? And do the Rams have enough firepower to end a six-year bowl drought in head coach Jay Norvell’s third season in Fort Collins?
“We just weren’t good enough tonight,” Norvell said. “I’m disappointed with the turnovers we had and disappointed with the penalties. We should have played clean and we didn’t. And we didn’t make enough plays in the first half to really capitalize on some of our opportunities.”
“…The good thing is that we still have a lot of the season ahead of us, but we also have to see how we have to prepare to play well in a game like this. That responsibility is mine.”
CSU’s Air Raid offense came to a halt as Buffs defensive coordinator Robert Livingston kept Norvell’s attack in check.
Fowler-Nicolosi threw for 209 yards, but much of that came after the game was no longer winnable. He also threw two interceptions, one on the Rams’ first possession of the second half that nearly decided the game.
CSU’s most explosive player, wideout Tory Horton, played injured and it showed. He had little impact, catching two balls for 24 yards in the first half before leaving the game.
“He tried to play, but he wasn’t healthy and I probably should have taken him out sooner,” Norvell said.
On the other side of the ball, the Rams failed to generate pressure on Buffs QB Shedeur Sanders, who threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns. The senior seemed comfortable in the pocket after an inconsistent first quarter and was sacked just once – a slide that resulted in a loss of three yards.
“They have explosive players, and if you give them enough chances, it will hurt you after a while,” Norvell said.
The CSU defense committed two personal fouls toward the end of their decent first-half performance, which extended CU’s offense and led to two touchdowns.
A roughing the passer call against redshirt freshman defensive lineman Andrew Laurich turned a potential third-and-13 at CU’s 44-yard line into a first down. Just over two minutes later, CU took its first lead, 7-3.
Later in the half, a face-mask call on defensive lineman James Mitchell turned a potential third-and-5 at the CU 37-yard line into a first down at the CSU 48. Just 35 seconds later, the Buffs scored again to take a 14-3 lead.
“We have to eliminate these (penalties),” said Gabe Kirschke, a redshirt sophomore on the defensive line.
In addition, the CSU offense made some glaring mistakes in the first half.
A mistimed snap inside the CU 10-yard line stalled a Rams drive that ended in a field goal, and two more ended with Fowler-Nicolosi missing third-and-long throws and hitting open receivers.
“We weren’t good enough in the passing game today,” Norvell said. “We didn’t have enough space and we didn’t make enough plays. And I have to be careful with our defense because (Fowler-Nicolosi) was running around a lot.”
The stab in the back came in the third quarter when Fowler-Nicolosi made a mistake reminiscent of last year, when he led the Mountain West Conference with 16 interceptions.
After CSU forced a punt on the Buffs’ opening drive of the second half, the Rams QB made a terrible decision in his own end zone. Fower-Nicolosi ran to his right and threw the ball on his back foot across the field into double coverage – where senior cornerback Preston Hodge was waiting to intercept the ball.
Two plays later, Travis Hunter made the first of his two touchdown catches and took a 21-3 lead.
“It was simply a mistake in thinking,” said Fowler-Nicolosi. “It wasn’t necessary.”
After that, the Rams’ mistakes piled up, losing the ball three more times on CU’s side, with a fumble by Keegan Holles, an interception by Fowler-Nicolosi and a botched snap by center Jacob Gardner.
The sold-out crowd of 40,099 – a CSU home game record – was already streaming toward the exits when Gardner’s deep snap was fumbled and recovered by CU.
“I appreciated all the fans coming. I wish we could have given them a little more reason to cheer,” Norvell lamented.
The CSU’s last victory in the Rocky Mountain Showdown was in 2014, and the Rams’ last victory in the series in Fort Collins dates back to 1955, when the university was still called Colorado A&M.
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