Once again, Colorado State football has fallen in another rivalry game. This past Saturday, CSU was defeated by Air Force 38-21.

Every year, CSU fans are treated with three rivalries: the Rocky Mountain Showdown (non-conference), the Border War and the battle for the Ram-Falcon Trophy. 

These three rivalry football games give fans of both football teams the opportunity to have bragging rights until the next matchup. In recent CSU football memory, the Rams have ended up on the wrong side of the record book.

Since 2015, CSU football has a combined rivalry record of 2-12. The most recent rivalry victory was Nov. 7, 2015, when the Rams were able take the Bronze Boot back from the Cowboys with a 26-7 win in the Border War.

Since the 2015 season, CSU has had a combined record of 28-33: a bad record, especially for the green and gold. Over this same time period, CSU has a bowl record of 0-3. 

This poor stretch of performance for CSU football has one unifying factor: it all started with the introduction of the Mike Bobo coaching era. This season, Bobo has come under a lot of scrutiny for the underwhelming success of the team this year. 

|￣￣￣￣￣￣|
| FIRE |
| MIKE |
| BOBO |
| ＿＿＿＿＿__|
(__/) ||
(•ㅅ•) ||
/ 　 づ

— Barstool Colorado State (@BarstoolCSU) September 15, 2019

CSU football fans are running out of patience for Bobo, and understandably so. Every year, fans are promised a change from their multi-million dollar coach. Unfortunately, nothing changes. CSU has been caught in a substantial financial debacle.

Before the 2015 season, the CSU football team was coached under Jim McElwain. During the McElwain era (2012-14), CSU had a combined regular season record of 22-16, a rivalry record of 5-4 and one bowl win.

That era of CSU football seems like a dream to a current-day CSU football fan. From 2012-14, Rams football held their own; CSU competed well in rivalry games, and they had a bowl game win to their name.

But even more importantly, during the McElwain era, the Rams had a chance to take the conference title. For two years during McElwain’s head coaching period, CSU finished in the top quarter of the Mountain West.

That era of Colorado State football passes the eye test, but the reality is that McElwain coached in an era of Mountain West football that was weak relative to every other college football conference.

During the 2014 season, McElwain’s most successful season as the CSU football head coach, the Rams had an overall record of 10-3. Mountain West teams during the 2014 season had an outside conference win percentage of .318. That means over the duration of the 2014 college football season, Mountain West teams won a total of 31.8% of their out-of-conference games. 

Bobo has been raked over the coals for the team’s performance under his coaching. His era of Colorado State football doesn’t pass the eye test. However, the Mountain West conference he coaches in would humiliate the Mountain West McElwain coached.

Last season, the Rams finished going 2-6 in conference play. But those six losses in the Mountain West shouldn’t hurt as bad as they seem. Last year, Mountain West teams had an outside conference win percentage of .462. 

During the Bobo era, Mountain West teams have become better. Mountain West teams have held a near .500 win percentage against out-of-conference opponents every year. The Rams play in a tougher conference now than they did in the McElwain era.

Rams football fans owe Bobo the recognition that he is coaching in a significantly tougher Mountain West Conference than the coach before him. However, losing games in a tougher conference doesn’t excuse the lackluster performance, but it does offer some perspective into why the Rams have been struggling under Bobo. 

Jack Taylor can be reached at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @j_taylr.