Diamonds are incredibly hard to break, shine bright and are created under intense pressure.
Thanks to Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, Tory Horton and Dallin Holker, a green-and-gold diamond was created and shone bright under the Saturday night lights.
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With just 33 seconds left, 88 yards to go, no timeouts remaining and prayers throughout Canvas Stadium, the Rams etched their names into eternity as they completed one of the most improbable comebacks in college football history.
Just like they drew it up: The Rams knew that for the Hail Mary to work, it would need to be a batted ball — something that they have been practicing a lot.
“We’ve been practicing this Hail Mary thing for so long, and I told Dallin, ‘It’s either going to tip to me or you,’” Horton said. “I was like, ‘The tip is going down — I promise you.’ And I don’t know what happened, but as soon as I jumped up and I didn’t see the ball and he pulled up with it, … I called it out. No doubt I called it out.”
In a 31-30 upset victory over Boise State, Colorado State football completed the miracle of the Rockies.
At multiple points, the game looked like a lost cause for the Rams. Fowler-Nicolosi throwing an interception inside the Rams 20 would lead to a score.
The Rams incomplete fourth and goal throw would be called for a pass interference, giving them another chance. A second onside kick recovery would get called as an illegal block, giving the Broncos the ball.
And finally a Taylen Green scamper for a first down would eventually be called back because of a Boise State hold.
All of these probably should have put the Rams away, but diamonds are created by pressure, and a green-and-gold one was created through the controversy.
“Most people are going to look at 33 seconds with no timeouts as, ‘You can’t do it,’” Jack Howell said. “But when you’ve got 14 and five, anything is possible.”
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With all of the celebrations and excitement, head coach Jay Norvell made sure that Kennedy McDowell was a part of that.
McDowell was injured in a scary play on the opening kickoff of the second half. He would lie on the field motionless for some time before eventually being carted off and taken to the hospital.
It was reported by the team via X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was responsive and had movement in his extremities, but it was nonetheless still an incredibly scary event.
“McDowell is in the hospital, and we’re praying for him,” Norvell said. “He’s still getting some tests done, and we’ll get more information on him. I’m going to go see him when we get done here, but we’re hoping he’ll be fully recovered.”
With McDowell’s injury happening immediately in the second half, Howell said that was really a rallying point for the team.
“We just said, ‘It’s personal now, and look what they did to one of your brothers,’” Howell said. “The love that we have on this team — no one’s going to get away with something like that, and that was a mistake because that really motivated us on defense.”
With the defense holding up and the offense completing the miracle, the game sat tied at 30-30.
After an unsportsmanlike penalty and a several-minute delay due to replay, CSU’s 31-year-old kicker Jordan Noyes trotted onto the field.
Having one kick blocked and hitting his career long of 49 yards in this game, the weight of all of Ram Nation’s hopes rested on the foot of Noyes.
Being Mr. Automatic a year ago, hitting 21-21 PATs, Noyes knew nothing else and stayed true.
“All I felt was it come off my foot and (I) looked up and it was straight down the middle,” Noyes said.
The Rams will next head to Las Vegas to take on UNLV. The Rebels are 5-1 heading into the match with a perfect 2-0 record in the Mountain West. Kickoff is slated for 5 p.m. Oct. 21.
Reach Damon Cook at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @dwcook2001.
