CSU Rams’ bowl hopes extinguished by 51-yard field goal as time expires in Hawaii

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After making a catch, Hawaii wide receiver Pofele Ashlock (86) fumbles while under pressure from Colorado State defensive back Dominic Morris (12) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, in Honolulu. Ashlock was able to recover the ball. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)

HONOLULU –Colorado State’s bowl hopes made it to the final moments of the 2023 season, only to be extinguished in heartbreaking fashion.

Brayden Schager was 30-of-43 passing for 320 yards and a touchdown, and Matthew Shipley kicked a 51-yard field goal as time expired to send Hawaii to a 27-24 victory over CSU on Saturday night.

The Rams needed to make one stop to send the game to overtime.

Instead, on third-and-3 from the CSU 45, Schager hit Chuuky Hines for an 11-yard gain to set up Shipley’s winner. And with that, Colorado State (5-7, 3-5 Mountain West) was denied a bowl bid for the sixth straight season, and second in a row under head coach Jay Norvell.

Colorado State took the opening kickoff and went 75 yards in nine plays to take a 7-0 lead when Justin Marshall scored on a 21-yard run and Jordan Noyes kicked to 22-yard field goal to give the Rams a 10-7 lead with 9:27 remaining in the second quarter. Hawaii (4-8, 2-5) responded with a five-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with Tauaefa’s first career touchdown less than 3 minutes later.

Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala ran for a 8-yard touchdown in the third quarter and Matthew Shipley kicked a 35-yard field goal with 13:32 to play that made it 24-10.

Then CSU mounted its rally.

Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Louis Brown IV with about 9 minutes left that brought the Rams within eight points.

Facing fourth-and-8, Tory Horton got behind the defense and caught a pass from Fowler-Nicolosi on his way to a 70-yard touchdown and the pair connected again for the 2-point conversion to make it 24-all with 54 seconds left.

Fowler-Nicolosi finished with 317 yards passing and two touchdowns, Marshall had 20 carries for 94 yards rushing and Horton added 186 yards receiving on nine catches for Colorado State.

Still, it wasn’t enough for the Rams to close out the season with a third straight win.

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