The Colorado State Rams have had a rollercoaster of a season, one that will likely culminate against Utah State University Aggies on Dec. 12. 

There have been the highs of reclaiming the Bronze Boot in a spirited 10-point win over the University of Wyoming, and there have been the lows of giving up five special teams touchdowns over their last two games.

Regardless of if the offense relies on the arm of O’Brien or the legs of Centeio, this will be the Rams’ game to lose.”

Although the Rams’ game against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas has technically not been canceled in the eyes of the Mountain West Conference, there has been no indication of if or when this game will be rescheduled. So there is a strong likelihood that the Rams’ 2020 football campaign will end after they take on the Aggies in Fort Collins. 

CSU will be going into this game sitting at 1-3 after last week’s loss. Similarly, USU has just one win, but it has only been subject to one canceled game this year, resulting in an overall record of 1-5. Both teams have struggled during this unpredictable season, and both will be looking to finish the season on a positive note. 

For the Rams, there needs to be a heightened level of consistency going into this game. In very game this season, there have been standouts. The offensive line is having a phenomenal season, Trey McBride is as efficient as ever and more recently the Ram run game has shown instances of brilliance. But for every positive, there have also been consistent negatives. 

To provide a complete performance against Utah State, the Rams will need to fix the woes of their special teams, stay tight on their pass defense and make sure to play a complete game on all sides of the ball. 

Luckily for CSU, Utah State is struggling as much as any team in the Mountain West this year. The Aggies are giving up 492.3 yards of offense per game, the most in the conference. Utah State is also gaining the least amount of yards per game in the conference, averaging 290.5, showcasing the all-around issues that have faced the team this year.

The Rams will be looking to take advantage of this matchup, one that heavily favors their offense, should they be able to sustain the explosive nature we have seen flashes of throughout the season.

Todd Centeio took over quarterback duties from Patrick O’Brien late in the loss to San Diego State University, once again showing head coach Steve Addazio’s choice of fluidity at the position and likely indicating he will bounce between both options in the upcoming game. Regardless of if the offense relies on the arm of O’Brien or the legs of Centeio, this will be the Rams’ game to lose.

Scott Patchan, a defensive line graduate student, will look to finish out the season continuing his defensive dominance. Patchan has recorded at least one sack in every game this season and was a bright spot in the Rams’ loss to SDSU, where two sacks were part of his three solo tackles in the game. Patchan will be looking to reek havoc against a Utah State team that has allowed eight sacks this season, another statistic they are leading in the Mountain West. 

Scott Nies can be reached at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @scott_nies98.