FORT COLLINS – It’s never a good thing to be on your third quarterback in the second game of a season. It’s another when the switches are performance-based rather than the result of an injury.
But that’s the situation for Colorado State, who still managed to knock off visiting UTSA 23-14 before a crowd of 20,673.
Faton Bauta, who was named the starter this week by head coach Mike Bobo, did some good things early on. Facing a third-and-10 during the opening drive, he hit Olabisi Johnson for a 14-yard first down. The conversion helped set up the first points of the game.
The University of Georgia transfer finished the first half 5 for 11 for 74 yards. That’s not exactly Heisman-worthy, but considering the Rams had little trouble moving the ball on the ground, Bauta deserves credit for managing the offense.
At halftime, CSU led 20-14 and it looked like they might score at least 30 points with ease. But the third and fourth quarters quickly turned into an ugly, defensive struggle as both teams failed to get things going offensively. Bauta’s three possessions in the second half led to just one first down, forcing Bobo to send in true freshman Collin Hill.
“We’re inept throwing the ball right now,” said Bobo. “But we will get better.”
Hill finished an unimpressive 2 for 6 for 26 yards. However, both completions went for first downs, one of which was on a key third down.
So are the Rams ready to name Hill the starter for week 3?
Said Bobo: “I’m not going to make that decision right now.”
The quarterback some may have forgotten after the game was Nick Stevens, who went 6 for 20 for 31 yards and two interceptions against the University of Colorado. But Bobo explained postgame that he still needs to show some things in practice.
“Nick’s going to have to compete,” said Bobo. “He’s got to have to prove that he can hit his targets.”
The reality is that CSU has a three-way quarterback competition that could continue at least for another week.
“We don’t have a starting quarterback right now,” said Bobo. “We’ve got to figure out what we can do, figure out who can make the best decisions to get us in the right play.”
Ironically, it was the defense Saturday that ultimately won the game for the Rams. A group that coughed up 44 points to CU a week ago absolutely bullied a UTSA offense that features dual-threat quarterback Dalton Sturm and a pair of talented running backs in Jalen Rhodes and Jarveon Williams.
CSU held the Roadrunners off the board in the second half, the first time that’s happened since the Rams defense shut out New Mexico in the second half nearly five years ago.
Linebacker Kevin Davis, who was arguably the lone bright spot a week ago, put together a monster game. Davis’ line included six tackles, three sacks, two quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and a forced fumble.
“He (Davis) is playing really hard right now,” said Bobo. “He’s playing a lot more physical in my mind than what I saw before I got here and then what he played like last year. He is going to tackle the ball. He’s not just doing his assignments. You see him defeating blockers. You see him winning his 1-on-1 battles.”
Defensive lineman Jakob Buys said that Davis is “the G.O.A.T (greatest of all time).”
But to Davis, Saturday was just another day at the office.
“I was just doing my job,” he said.
Consider this, though: UTSA had seven possessions in the second half. If they marched down the field even once and scored a touchdown, the game could have easily flipped. Instead, they held their ground each time, helping them at least secure the field position battle.
So while Bobo continues to stomach the quarterback situation, at least he can hang his hat on an incredible defensive performance.
