As Colorado State hits the practice field this week, desperately trying to put the Rocky Mountain Showdown in the rearview mirror, players and coaches will do well to latch on to two key items.
• They are still 2-1.
• There are still nine games left in the season.
One game does not make a season, but it can break one if a team lets it. Emotions of losing to in-state rival Colorado run deep, and CSU’s frustrations are a Grand Canyon-sized gulf after dropping a 28-14 decision to the Buffs on Saturday.
But now Utah State is next up.
“We’re all disappointed,” CSU coach Steve Fairchild said. “You don’t get these opportunities much in your life, as a player in particular. Even as a coach. We’re all very disappointed we didn’t win the game, however, it’s that 24-hour rule. We’ve got to get back to work because we’ve got another opponent on Saturday.”
And in the first week, that opponent nearly beat Auburn, at Auburn, in what still is one of this year’s more stunning performances by a team on nearly no one’s radar prior to the season. The Rams will have to quickly shake off the residue of their only loss this season to focus in on the Aggies.
“We’ve got to come out and practice harder and faster than we did in the last few weeks to get ready for Utah State,” tight end Crockett Gillmore said.
Added defensive end Nordly Capi: “We’re going to regroup and get this ‘W.'”
There was a positive that Fairchild said he took from Saturday’s loss — the effort level of his team.
“I thought we played hard, we played physical,” Fairchild said. “I like the way we’re playing. I don’t we’re always executing as well as we need to do, but if we’ll go out and play hard and play physical like that, we’ll win some games this year. We’ll be fine.”
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
