FORT COLLINS — Two-thirds of Colorado’s most popular kicking family had smiles as wide as goalposts Saturday, shortly after Ben DeLine’s clutch field goals carried Colorado State to a nail-biting 23-20 victory over Sacramento State.
Proud father Steve DeLine, who was the Rams’ kicker from 1984-86, had just witnessed his son, a freshman, go 3-for-3 and account for CSU’s final nine points.
Ben was carried off the field by teammates after kicking a 36-yarder to tie the game with 1:34 to play, and splitting the uprights on a 20-yarder as time expired.
“Very proud of him,” Steve said of his son while waiting to congratulate him. “I didn’t doubt him, I just hoped he didn’t get too excited. I know he wants to kick, and he’s never afraid of kicking. I was the one with the nerves.”
The missing member of the DeLine kicking family was Dave DeLine, who played at Colorado. The former Mullen High School graduate undoubtedly will regret missing his nephew and godson steer CSU from what would have been a humiliating upset.
“David was probably down there (in Boulder),” Steve DeLine said of his brother. “He should have been up here watching his godson kick to tie it and then to win it. We should razz him a little bit for that.”
At this rate, Ben DeLine could become the best kicker in his all-Colorado family. He is 4-for-4 on the season. His father made 42 field goals, second on CSU’s career list.
“My dad was a great kicker and I aspire to be as good as he is,” Deline said. “And I want to be the best in the family.”
DeLine said he never thought about missing either of his last-minute attempts.
“You can’t let your head get into it, and just stay focused,” he said. “It’s more of wanting to get on the field and kicking it, instead of being nervous about going out there. Missing the ones today were never in the back of my mind. I knew I would split the uprights.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
