The Colorado State football team’s first game week began Monday with head coach Mike Bobo’s press conference. It will culminate Saturday, when the Rams take on the Savannah State Tigers at Hughes Stadium at 2 p.m.

Saturday’s game not only provides Bobo with an opportunity to get his first win as a head coach, it could also be the 500th win in program history. Here are some of the highlights from Monday’s press conference with Coach Bobo, senior safety Kevin Pierre-Louis and senior tight end Kivon Cartwright:

Q: Do you feel like in any way with this being your first game as head coach that you have to calm yourself down a little bit?

Bobo: I do, I was a little excited … I woke up this morning and had a text from my dad talking about ‘hey, game week, enjoy the journey,’ and you just remind yourself to enjoy every moment. Then I had a chance to meet with our pastors this morning for about an hour and we talked about staying in the moment. Staying in the moment and taking advantage of everyday … you have got to take care of today and tomorrow will take care of itself.

Q: Do you like having Savannah State as a first game or would you prefer a rivalry like Colorado?

Bobo: To be honest, we have to control what we can control. I didn’t control who the first game was. We can control how we work today as an offensive unit, as a defensive unit and as a special teams unit. If we want to get to where we want to go, that’s how we have to handle everyday. We have to respect everybody we play, every opponent, and that’s what we’re working on as a football team.

Q: What is it that you can say the team does well at this point of the season?

Bobo: They love each other, they believe in each other, and they are going to play hard for each other. There’s no doubt in my mind that on any given Saturday they’re going to line up and play hard for each other, and play hard for Colorado State. Defensively, I think we do a nice job of playing the scheme, playing around each other and I think we’ve got nice leadership on that side of the ball … Offensively I think we are going to be able to play fast. I’ve talked about that since day one.

Q: Considering the new coaching staff and everything, what are the team’s emotions going into this game?

Pierre-Louis: It’s going to be a very emotional year, and an emotional game … I’m expecting big things from this team, not because we are playing Savannah or anything, it’s because we came from camp and found our identity, and you could tell where this team is going.

Q: You have been through coaching staff changes before, how was this one different?

Pierre-Louis: Usually the past coaching staffs I’ve had, they have had to build a new program. They kind of start over again. These new coaches came here and laid their foundation down, but they didn’t forget what we did last year. They are just trying to continue the same thing, the same winning tradition.

Q: This is Bobo’s first game as a head coach, is that extra motivation in the locker room?

Pierre-Louis: We want every game to be successful. It’s going to be a very emotional game for him to step out their for the first time so yes, we want this to be a great win for him and for everything he has accomplished. He seems very confident and looks like he’s been doing this for years.

Q: Kivon, after such a tough year last year for you, what is it like going into this year ready to play and at the top of the depth chart?

Cartwright: Everything I went through, now looking back at it, it was truly a blessing. It was a hard year going through all of that. Just to go through all of those trials and tribulations, just to be here now, I’m truly blessed.

Collegian Sports Reporter Geoff Huebner can be reached by email at sports@collegian.com and on Twitter @Huebnermedia93.