Turnovers, penalties sink CSU's chance of winning at Utah State

Discipline isn’t inherited, it’s learned.

And the Rams better get in the classroom, because they need a lesson on playing disciplined football.

Colorado State football was out-played by the Utah State Aggies Saturday night, being gashed by the run game for a jaw-dropping 298 yards as well as through the air — including the 42-yard touchdown from Kent Myers to Hunter Sharp in the second quarter — but that wasn’t the reason they lost.

The Rams were defeated 18-33 in their first Mountain West conference game of the year due to far too many penalties, ones at crucial times, as well as two costly turnovers.

While Colorado State jumped out to the 10-3 lead in Logan, Utah, the Aggies kicked it into high gear in the second quarter. Then Myers connected with Sharp to tie the game up at 10 and the wheels starting falling off for the Rams.

When CSU got the ball back, a personal foul by Nolan Peralta put them into a 3^rd and 21, which turned into a punt. Those types of penalties continued throughout the game.

Then the turnovers started.

The Rams had the ball to start the second half, but Nick Stevens fumbled while hit, giving the Aggies possession on their 12 yard line. CSU’s defense “bowed their necks,” as Mike Bobo said, and held Utah State to a field goal.

In the third quarter, the Rams had Utah State stopped on a 3^rd and 15, but DeAndre Elliott made a poor play and was too physical with the receiver, being called for pass interference and a free first down. On the next Utah State drive, while they were punting on a 4^th and 18, CSU committed another personal foul for an automatic first down which turned into a field goal.

Following 20 straight points by the Aggies, the Rams had to answer with a score of their own. That’s when Stevens heated up and hit Higgins for multiple big pass plays. It moved CSU to the Utah State 21 yard line, but then the drive died. Dalyn Dawkins ran the ball through the line and was stripped; CSU turned the ball over for the second time in the game.

That turnover was a killer.

But CSU’s defense again “bowed their necks.” Again they held Utah State to a field goal and trailed 10-26.

The offense struck back when Stevens ran a 15-yard touchdown into the corner of the end zone and he then connected with Higgins for the two-point conversion to trail by only eight with 11:37 to play. After another stop by the Rams defense, the penalties continued.

Two false starts in a row created a 2^nd and 17, and following a Higgins catch, it was 3^rd and 12. Stevens took off for a first down but it came back following a holding penalty and the Rams had to punt the ball back away.

The Rams did not quit, they played their hearts out. But their brains – and the silly penalties – let the team down and led them to a loss. Those two turnovers didn’t help Colorado State’s cause, either.

In all, the Rams committed 12 penalties for 110 yards and lost the turnover battle 0-2. Those telling stats add up to one big “L” in the loss column.

“It’s evident that when we’re on the road and make mistakes like we did, we’re not going to have a chance to win the game,” Bobo said after the loss. “I thought we came out with more effort and energy in the second half. It was a great job by the defense to hold them to field goals, but then the penalties and turnovers really put us behind the eight ball.”

CSU now sits at 2-3 overall in Mike Bobo’s first season as head coach, with the Rams main man losing his first Mountain West game. It’s not a major surprise on the road against a difficult defense in Utah State, and the team can look at the mistakes as a learning opportunity.

Now, they must watch tape and learn from the costly errors. The Rams must remind themselves that being emotionally charged for a game is a positive, but keeping those emotions in check is of utmost importance. And they have to play more disciplined in all aspects – protecting the quarterback, protecting the ball while running and not committing mindless penalties – in order to become a winning team.