What's at stake for CSU in the second half of the season

FORT COLLINS — Coming off of a bye week and a slump busting victory over New Mexico the week before, Colorado State football may not be on a winning streak — but considering it’s been over a year since the team has actually won back-to-back games, getting a full two weeks without a loss may actually be cause for celebration.

Ram fans everywhere can crack open a few cold ones, find some old Bradlee Van Pelt highlights on YouTube and much like a middle-aged bachelor trying to get back on the horse, CSU diehards can temporarily ignore their pain and try to embrace their Sunday single’s event. After all, they work way too hard to not at least enjoy a $7 margarita at the local Ramada.

Much like the singles at those events, though, deep in their hearts the Ram faithful know that the road won’t get any easier from here.

Saturday’s game against Fresno State (3-3) begins an extremely difficult stretch for CSU (2-5). The green and gold will face teams with a winning record in four of the five remaining games on the schedule, including the conference champions from each of the past two years.

In 2017, Boise State defeated Fresno State 17-14 in the conference title game. One year later, FSU returned the favor with a 19-16 victory on Boise’s smurf turf in the 2018 MW Championship Game.

Although it’s been an up-and-down year for Jeff Tedford’s squad, the Bulldogs were able to release some frustration in a 56-27 beatdown of UNLV this past weekend. In the win over the Rebels, FSU forced five turnovers and for the first time this season, they really looked like a team that was capable of making some noise. This of course is bad news for CSU, who this week will travel to Fresno, Calif., for the first time since November, 2015.

CSU will not play Boise State until the season finale on Nov. 29. But in-between games against the MW juggernauts, the Rams still have to face Air Force and Wyoming as well. Since 2015, CSU is 0-6 against their Front Range foes and unfortunately for the Ram faithful, both teams are currently hot.

Led by redshirt freshman quarterback Sean Chambers and a strong running back duo, the Cowboys (5-2) have established a consistent rushing attack that allows them to control possession and do just enough offensively to compliment a stout defensive unit.

The Falcons look just as strong, if not better than the Pokes and have won two straight after taking down a really strong Hawaii team on the road. With a competent defense and a really consistent offense, Air Force could potentially win nine or 10 games in 2019. Depending on what happens with Boise State, the Falcons may even contend for a league title — although it would likely take Air Force winning out and the Broncos losing two of their final five, which seems unlikely.

Of CSU’s five remaining opponents, the only one with a losing record is UNLV (2-5). But as Vanderbilt found out a few weeks ago, even the Rebels are capable of going on the road and winning. So what this means is that there really are no guaranteed wins left on the schedule, and the Rams are likely going to be underdogs in almost every game they’ll play from here on out.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s still plenty at stake for the Rams in 2019. For starters, CSU would definitely love to beat the bullies from just down I-25. Since 2009, Air Force has consistently taken CSU’s lunch money as the Falcons have gone 8-2 against the Rams and are averaging 35.4 points per game in that span.

And it should go without saying, but the Border War is absolutely a must-win game. The oldest continuous rivalry West of the Mississippi, CSU-Wyoming has more history than any other matchup on schedule. This game should always be marked on the calendar every year and talked about in the locker room all summer. But after watching the Cowboys dance in the end zone and chant how it sucks to be a CSU Ram in Fort Collins last season, if the 2019 Rams have any pride, they will be looking to return the favor in November.

Although improbable, beating Boise State in the season finale would be significant. Since joining the league in 2011, the Broncos are 8-0 in games against CSU. Regardless of what happens in the four games prior, if CSU managed to upset BSU for the first time in program history while potentially spoiling their postseason plans in the process, it would definitely be a great moment for the program.

Finally, on a less important note, Fresno State (2-0) and UNLV (2-0) are two of the four conference opponents that Mike Bobo has never lost to, along with New Mexico (5-0) and San Jose State (2-0). Keeping those streaks alive wouldn’t mean much but coaches are prideful, so I’m sure Bobo and the staff would like to keep them going.

If you’re wondering why bowl eligibility hasn’t come up yet, well then I applaud your optimism — or maybe it’s denial — but the Rams aren’t going 4-1 down the stretch. It would be a neat story if this team somehow turned everything around but the schedule is just too tough. Don’t anticipate this team quitting — it really wouldn’t be that shocking if they found a way to rally for a few wins in the closing weeks. After all, the players aren’t blind and can see that the pressure is mounting for Bobo. Reaching a bowl, though, — that would truly be insane.

Keeping all of this in mind, it will definitely be an interesting final stretch for CSU. How the Rams perform over the next six weeks will likely greatly impact the future of the program. If the team finishes strong and finds a way to beat some rivals, it will greatly increase the odds that Bobo returns in 2020. If CSU loses out or only wins one more game, the pressure for Joe Parker to make a change may be too much for the Colorado State athletic director to ignore. The picture will become more clear before the new year.