Throwback Thursday: Rams run over Cowboys in last Laramie Border War game

Let’s take a trip down memory lane.

2013 was a special year for Colorado State Rams football fans; it was the first time since 2008 the team made it to a bowl game.

And one of those wonderful wins was the victory over Wyoming in Laramie.

Let’s rewind a bit further for a minute: Heading into the 2013 Border War, Wyoming had beaten CSU four straight times including a 44-0 blowout and a 17-16 heartbreaker. The Cowboys were a team the Rams couldn’t figure out, especially in Laramie.

The Rams wanted revenge over their rival, sure, and in 2013 they needed the win to avoid going 2-6 (eerily similar to this season and their current 3-5 record).

It all started perfectly for Colorado State; led by Garrett Grayson, the green and gold marched on Wyoming 75 yards, including a Grayson to Kivon Cartwright 24-yard touchdown for the 7-0 lead.

Two drives later, Donnell Alexander scored from three yards out for the 14-0 Rams lead. Then, Kapri Bibbs got into the mix, scoring from seven yards out to push to a 21-0 advantage.

Wyoming finally go on the board with an 11-yard touchdown run from Shaun Wick, but CSU drove with a quickness to set up Jared Roberts with a 45-yard field goal and the 24-7 halftime lead.

If fans didn’t leave at the break — at War Memorial Stadium, fans can exit to drink in the parking lot at halftime and re-enter — they should have.

Grayson found Austin Gray for a 22-yard touchdown, which was answered by a quick Cowboys score — a 71-yard touchdown pass — but the 16-point deficit was as close as Wyoming would be the rest of the day.

The Rams scored three straight touchdowns after that explosive play by Wyoming to take the 52-15 advantage. Alexander made a miraculous one-handed catch and blazed up the sideline for a 34-yard score, then Bibbs scored twice more (59, 9 yards). The Cowboys put one more touchdown on the board, but it was far too little, too late.

Bibbs finished the game with 201 rushing yards and three touchdowns, Grayson threw for three touchdowns for the third consecutive week and the Rams totaled 509 yards of offense with zero turnovers. That year, that offense was a sight to behold.

When it was all said and done, this game represented the Rams largest victory over rival Wyoming since their 40-0 win in 1925, which was played in Fort Collins.

2013 was a special season indeed. Bibbs ran for 31 touchdowns, only the third player in NCAA history to do so; Barry Sanders and Montee Ball were the others. Colorado State finished the season 8-6 including their Gildan New Mexico Bowl victory.

And that team featured six current NFL players: Ty Sambrailo (Denver Broncos), Shaquil Barrett (Denver Broncos), Crockett Gillmore (Baltimore Ravens), Weston Richburg (New York Giants), Grayson (New Orleans Saints) and Bibbs (Denver Broncos practice squad).

In two days, the 2015 Rams take on Wyoming (1-8, 1-4 MW) in Laramie for this year’s version of the Border War. It’s a must-win game for Colorado State (3-5, 1-3 MW) to keep their bowl hopes alive in Mike Bobo’s first season as head coach. The game kicks off at 1 p.m. MT Saturday.