Brunt of schedule greets Rams as bowl game possibility looms

After reeling off wins in three of their last four games, Colorado State looks poised to be in a bowl game for the fourth consecutive season. But it’s not going to be an easy task.

The Rams’ final three games come against teams who have already gotten that magic number of six wins. It’s what makes this slate of contests the most challenging for coach Mike Bobo and CSU.

At the beginning of the season, you could have pointed to where the Rams played at Minnesota, then at home against Wyoming and Utah State as the toughest stretch of 2016. The Rams wound up losing those first two games before coming from behind in the second half to beat an Aggies team that’s now 3-6.

There’s no question that CSU has improved immensely from one week to the next. But consider that in their last two victories, they beat UNLV and Fresno State, who are a combined 4-15.

Call them measuring stick games if you so choose, but CSU’s next opponents (Air Force, New Mexico and San Diego State) are a combined 20-7 entering this week.

It starts with a trip to Air Force, where the Rams will be seeking their first road win in the series since 2002, a span of six losses at Falcon Stadium.

The traditionally home-dominant Falcons have been a bit of an enigma this season. Following wins in their first four games, Air Force fell to Wyoming in Laramie before losing in Colorado Springs to New Mexico and Hawaii in subsequent weeks.

Bobo still believes that the Falcons present a tall order this weekend.

“I know it’s a tough place to play,” Bobo said to the media during his Monday press conference. “They’re a tough football team that’s disciplined. They do the right things. You’ve got to go there and earn the victory and beat them. They’re not going to give you the game.”

While Air Force football may be synonymous with the option, Troy Calhoun prides himself in taking away the opposition’s ground game. The Falcons currently rank second in the Mountain West in defense, allowing just 334.9 yards per game and 114.4 rushing yards per game.

Said Bobo: “They’re going to stack the box. They’re going to bring pressure, they’re going to get one more guy than you have in the box for the run game and they’re going to a lot of times zero-out, which puts stress on you. You watch the tape and you watch people take shots on them down the field. But those are low-percentage plays. They’re willing to give up one or two to stop the run. They play extremely hard. They recognize blocking schemes extremely well.”

Calhoun’s defense is led by Weston Steelhammer, a Preseason All-MW selection. The Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist leads Air Force with 53 tackles and enters Saturday with four interceptions, tied for the team lead with Brodie Hicks.

Bobo noted the Falcons’ star defensive back shares some similarities with Wyoming’s Andrew Wingard, though Steelhammer tends to be more of a factor in the passing game.

A win Saturday night would send CSU to postseason play. Lose, however, and the Rams face a virtual must-win in the final game at Hughes Stadium the following week against the Lobos.

If the Rams somehow get knocked off the next two weeks,  their last chance at a bowl would be to get the best of San Diego State and Donnel Pumphrey, which would be anything but an easy assignment.