Colorado State (4-6, 2-4 MW) vs. Nevada (2-8, 2-4 MW)
When/where: 1 p.m. Saturday/Canvas Stadium
TV/Radio: Mountain West Network/Rams Radio Network
BetMGM Line: CSU -11.5, 47.5 over/under
Weather: Mix of sunshine and clouds with high of 61 degrees.
Five storylines
Chasing Bowl Eligibility: It’s bowl-or-bust for the Rams, who have endured a roller-coaster season yet are two wins away from six wins and their first bowl since 2017. Through an early-season QB change, to disappointing rivalry losses to CU and Wyoming, to the Rams’ last-second Hail Mary to beat Boise State for the first time in program history, it would be a letdown for the Rams to not finish on a high note by beating Nevada and then winning again as a likely favorite next week in Hawaii.
Jay Norvell Bowl: In his first game last year against his former school, Norvell led the Rams to a 17-14 win in Reno when Michael Boyle hit a 43-yard field goal as time expired. It was CSU’s fifth walk-off win in program history. That was CSU’s first true look at Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, who played the entire game due to an injury to then-starter Clay Millen. Running back Avery Murrow carried CSU that day with 169 rushing yards. CSU holds a 13-5 all-time advantage over the Wolfpack.
Individual Record Watch: Three of the Rams’ stars are near statistical milestones with a couple games left to play. Mo Kamara is at 29 career sacks and needs four to match CSU’s all-time record of 33, set by Clark Haggans in the late 1990s. Dallin Holker is at six TD grabs and needs one more to own the CSU record for TD receptions in a season by a tight end. And Tory Horton, who has been banged up this fall, needs 128 yards for his second straight 1,000-yard receiving season.
O-Line Improvement: After CSU’s 2022 offensive line bombed, giving up 59 sacks for 399 yards with both marks the worst in FBS, this year’s revamped front has shown vast improvement. Coach Bill Best’s unit has yielded 13 sacks for 85 yards, an average of 1.30 sacks per game compared to 4.92 sacks per game last year. Staying healthy has played a part in that, but major credit also goes to the Rams’ transfer tackles, Saveyon Henderson (from Lane College) and Drew Moss (Lamar).
Marshall Law: Did the Rams just find their next great tailback? Freshman Justin Marshall looked the part in his first appearance in green and gold, rushing for 119 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries in a 22-19 win over San Diego State. It was a welcome development for a Rams ground game battered by injuries and ranked near the bottom of FBS at just 82.9 yards/game. One of the best parts about Marshall’s debut? Since it came in the third-to-last game of the season, Marshall can play out the rest of the schedule and still preserve his red-shirt if the Merrillville, Ind., product so chooses.
Predictions
Kyle Newman, sportswriter: CSU 35, Nevada 21
After Justin Marshall burst onto the scene last week to become the first CSU freshman to rush for 100 yards in a game since 1974, the Rams suddenly have three tailbacks in Marshall, Avery Murrow and Vann Schield. That takes a lot of pressure off Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, and if the young QB can limit his mistakes once again, CSU should run away with this. Mo Kamara will set the tone early and finish with a pair of sacks to ensure the Rams aren’t looking ahead to Hawaii.
Sean Keeler, sports columnist: CSU 24, Nevada 13
Jay Norvell’s Rammies are 3-2 when they’ve been intercepted one or zero times in a game. They’re 1-4 when that pickoff count is two or higher. Even better? The Pack is dragging the Mountain West’s worst rush defense into Canvas, allowing 184 rush yards per game and 5.3 yards per tote. Ground, pound, punt, win. Onto the islands with .500 on the line.
Matt Schubert, sports editor: CSU 28, Nevada 17
In the second leg of the Rams’ three-win journey to bowl eligibility, freshman Justin Marshall delivers another big performance and the Rams defense holds down a Wolf Pack attack that’s a long way from the days of Carson Strong and Jay Norvell. Then, it all comes down to Hawaii.
