Fort Collins – If for no other reason than playing Nevada- Las Vegas, which is the worst team in the Mountain West Conference and arguably one of the weakest in the country, Colorado State can become eligible for a bowl Saturday.
Does that mean the Rams, who have managed just one touchdown in their past two games, are worthy of a bowl?
We’re not talking even second-tier bowl here. CSU’s hopes ride on a pre-Christmas trip to the inaugural Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego, a more favorable bowl destination than many on the postseason menu.
“We’ve had some great wins during the year and that’s what the bowl thing is all about,” CSU coach Sonny Lubick said Monday. “I would venture there are about probably 20 teams in the next two weeks fighting for a position. I think our conference is even. We have a chance to have five wins in the conference.”
Actually there are 27 other teams with a chance to finish with a 6-5 record. They range from high-profile programs such as Maryland, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arizona State and Michigan State to a combined eight teams from the Mid-American and Sun Belt leagues.
CSU (5-5, 4-3 MWC) has defeated only two teams that will finish with a winning record – Nevada (6-3, 5-1 Western Athletic Conference) and New Mexico (6-4, 4-3 MWC). Utah is 5-5 (3-4 MWC), but lost starting quarterback Brian Johnson to a knee injury and plays Saturday against rival Brigham Young.
CSU’s schedule did not include any Division I-AA teams, and three of its losses came to teams currently or previously ranked in the Bowl Championship Series top 25 – Colorado, Minnesota and Texas Christian. Another loss was to BYU, which has proved itself as the second-best team in the MWC after TCU. Then there is last week’s 30-10 loss at home to San Diego State (4-6, 3-4), which hopes to finish at .500 and save coach Tom Craft’s job.
“Our conference is going to be even tougher to win from this point on,” Lubick said. “If you win five games in our conference, it’s an accomplishment. If we win this week, I’ll be a happy camper. If we had won last week, I’d be a lot happier.”
Lubick would not say the Rams lacked for effort in the past two games, but he is not happy with the offense’s lack of consistency.
The game film shed no light on CSU’s offensive woes against the Aztecs.
“One of our demises this year is we’ve had a great ability to give up the big play,” Lubick said of 20- and 29-yard touchdown passes in the first half. “You also have to give San Diego State credit for not letting the adverse conditions (gusting wind) bother them.”
As for still being alive for a bowl (only if TCU gets invited to a bowl outside of the MWC’s three bowls), Lubick said: “I think the players would like it, the coaches would like it. … It would be nice to go. There’s no doubt about that.”
Injury report
CSU offensive tackle Mike Brisiel, who missed most of the San Diego State game with a lower back injury, is doubtful for Saturday. If Brisiel doesn’t start, tackle Clint Oldenburg will be the only offensive lineman to start every game. Redshirt freshman Dane Stratton went in Brisiel’s place.
Lubick said true freshman Wade Landers may draw the start at defensive end if Terrance Carter’s knee doesn’t improve.
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-820-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
