Dominant first half propels Rams to first road win of season

Colorado State head coach Mike Bobo pleaded for a complete game performance out of his team. Though the Rams had some third quarter trouble once again, the green and gold dominated for close to three quarters en route to a 42-23 win over UNLV on Saturday afternoon.

Nick Stevens got the offense started on the opening possession, as the Rams went 75 yards on 12 plays that resulted in a Danny Nwosu touchdown.

Following a missed field goal by UNLV, the Rams got back to business, using a 37-yard Olabisi Johnson reception on third down to catapult them to another touchdown. This time though, it was Izzy Matthews getting into the endzone, making it 14-0.

The one-sided first half continued when Matthews added his second touchdown of the day, another 2-yard score with 5:07 to go in the half.

CSU’s defense showed its teeth again and forced a Rebels’ three-and-out. It took the Rams’ offense just five plays to march 71 yards on the drive, capped off by a Marvin Kinsey 34-yard touchdown run.

The disaster of a first half didn’t stop for UNLV when Justin Sweet recovered a backward pass that was ruled a fumble. CSU’s offense put the exclamation point on their best 30 minutes of football in 2016 when Kinsey rumbled for a two-yard score with just seconds remaining in the quarter.

35-0 wouldn’t last much longer though.

Dalton Sneed and the Rebels’ offense would score 17 unanswered points in the third quarter, thanks in part to a sluggish start to the half by the Rams.

Stevens and go-to receiving target Michael Gallup put their foot down though when the pair connected for a 36-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, making it 42-17.

UNLV recorded a garbage time touchdown when Sneed hit Mekhi Stevenson for a 51-yard touchdown.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Call him a game manager if you want, but Nick Stevens finished 21-of-28 for 237 yards and two touchdowns. More importantly though, he had no turnovers.

PLAY OF THE GAME

UNLV’s missed field goal on their opening possession didn’t seem like a big play at first, but it definitely turned out to be a momentum-changer.

TURNING POINT

Kinsey’s 34-yard touchdown run made it a four-score game. Kinsey was untouched on a play where the UNLV defense seemed lifeless.

BY THE NUMBERS

39:37 – The time of possession for CSU, compared to just 20:23 for UNLV. In their previous six games, the Rams had the edge in time of possession just once.

54- Combined rushing yards for Charles Williams and Lexington Thomas, one of the more explosive Mountain West running back duos heading into week 8.

9 – The number of different receivers that recorded a catch for CSU. Gallup, Johnson, Robert Ruiz, Nolan Peralta, Detrich Clark, Nwosu, Anthony Hawkins, Matthews and Dalyn Dawkins all caught at least one pass from Stevens.

LASTING IMPACT

Though the Rams let up a bit in the second half, this was a much-needed win for CSU. Both offenses had little trouble putting up points, which was expected based on last year’s meeting. Bobo and the Rams should head into their bye week full of confidence.

The green and gold remain on track to play in another bowl game.

WHAT’S NEXT

CSU returns to Hughes Stadium in two weeks as they host a struggling Fresno State team. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.