Cait Mckinzie
Colorado State University running back Lloyd Avant (25) sprints to the endzone during CSU's game against Fresno State University Oct. 10. CSU won 49-21.
In a winning drought, the Rams found water.
Game after game, Colorado State football was shut down, no matter the opponent. Even the win against Northern Colorado left fans feeling like something was missing. And going into week seven, it was no different.
Fresno State sat at the top of the Mountain West rankings, but then the Rams rolled in, wrecking the Bulldogs’ five-game win streak with a 49-21 win Friday.
“(I’m) really proud of our program, really proud of our players,” head coach Jay Norvell said. “You know, it’s one game, but it’s an example of what we’re capable of when we play together. And that was the most satisfying thing of tonight is that we played well in all three phases, and we complemented each other.”
CSU has had its fair share of ups and downs throughout the season, whether it was having a national leader in tackles or having category leaders out due to injury. And with so many players out came an opportunity to lead, to stand out.
And finally, against FSU, multiple players seized their chance. Defensive back Jace Bellah not only snagged one interception, but two — in his second interception, he gained back 27 yards for the Rams.
In the past few games, there’s been a lot of recognition for running backs Jalen Dupree and Lloyd Avant — both of whom continued to perform well, each racking up one touchdown — but it was Justin Marshall who provided that first burst for CSU with a 73-yard rushing touchdown, putting the Rams on an energetic start which would only continue to grow in the first.
Unfortunately, sticking to the Rams’ injury trend, Marshall went down in the fourth quarter and did not play for the rest of the game.
“They’re playing for each other,” Norvell said. “I think they genuinely care for each other, and I think you can see that when they play. I think it’s fairly obvious that they care about each other … and that’s all we’ve been trying to generate is that closeness and that feeling of one, and we found it tonight, and we got to keep pushing it.”
Javion Kinnard and Rocky Beers went on to score receiving touchdowns, all while the defense kept the Bulldogs to zero. Jackson Brousseau and Beers have displayed strong chemistry on the field, and they would eventually go on to score another touchdown together with just over six minutes left in the second quarter.
“We always try to be explosive, and that helps our scoring percentage go up a ton when we get explosive to start drives,” Brousseau said. “So, that’s always our goal is to be explosive and to score points. But yeah, it was really important that we started out fast.”
And after just ten seconds passed after Beers’ second touchdown, there was a tangle of both teams spread out across multiple yards, but in the chaos emerged Paul Tangelo.
Tangelo ran for 36 yards, scoring not only another touchdown for the Rams but his first collegiate one, which was “awesome to get in the game like that” for him.
Robert Edmonson also stepped up for the defense, tallying nine tackles and recording two tackles-for-losses and two quarterback hits.
“We had a great week of practice, our best one yet,” captain Owen Long said. “And, you know, coach (Tyson) Summers really had us locked in and ready to roll. And we had a great game plan. And, I mean, shoot, you got guys like Paul, you got (Edmonson), you got Jace Bellah. … And when that happens, it’s so fun to be a part of.”
The results CSU produced in the first half were what fans had been wanting to see all season. Going into halftime, the Rams were leading by 21 points and had only one penalty. Long — as he does every game — led the defense, and by the end of the first half had 12 tackles, his first sack, two tackles for loss and a pass breakup.
By the end of the game, he matched his career-high tackles with 16.
“What can you say about Owen Long?” Norvell said. “I mean, that guy absolutely loves to play football. … We play the one sport where people can see your soul on Saturdays — and I guess it’s Friday tonight — but you know, we show people our soul when we go out there and work. And I don’t know, if you can’t appreciate this football team’s soul, then you (have) got a problem.”
In the second half, it wasn’t as much of an offensive outburst. But where the offense lacked explosiveness, the defense made up for it.
Because of Bellah’s second interception on the night, Dupree was able to score the final touchdown of the night on a short field. And a little earlier in the fourth, CJ Blocker pulled off an interception in the end zone after the Rams’ defense stuffed FSU’s offense from scoring again, flipping over several players during the tackles.
“Obviously, we’re down some guys and some big spots, but guys step up and, I mean, we were so confident,” Long said. “It’s not just a few guys that are able to do a job, you know, you got … however many dudes on defense. I feel confident that a lot of those guys are going to go in there and do a great job, like you saw tonight.”
When fans were losing faith, the Rams came out and proved they were capable of securing the upset, of taking down the top team in the MW. CSU is only two games into the conference season, but this win provides some confidence as the Rams approach their homecoming game against Hawaii.
CSU enters its next matchup seeking payback after dropping the last meeting to UH in 2023. But neither team is the same as two years ago.
And now the Rams know what they’re capable of.
“When you have tough times and stuff, you find out a lot,” Norvell said. “Before the game, I told them, I really am appreciative of the good times, but I’m also appreciative of the hard times. … I feel very blessed, you know? I’ve got a great football team, “(I’ve) got great kids, (I’ve) got (a) great staff that I get to work with every day.”
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Reach Sophie Webb at sports@collegian.com or on social media @sophgwebb.