FORT COLLINS — Colorado State quarterback Pete Thomas completed 28-of-43 passes for 387 yards and three touchdowns Saturday. Those numbers made it one of his best days in a CSU uniform. The yards were three short of his career-high 390. But . . .
Two interceptions, a few other missed throws and a loss curbed any enthusiasm. In fact, after the game no one was harder on Thomas than himself.
“I need to make more plays,” the sophomore said. “I’m not just saying that because we lost and I’m the quarterback trying to take the blame. I really do need to make more plays.”
Thomas spelled out the plays that haunted him most. They were a missed connection on a screen pass with running back Chris Nwoke in the second half and another in the second quarter intended for tight end Crockett Gillmore.
“The sucker wants to win,” CSU passing game coordinator Dan Hammerschmidt said. “He’s hard on himself; he’s going to work double hard. He’s a leader and he’s got all that stuff you need.”
DeLine talks about miss.
Place-kicker Ben DeLine missed a 48-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter that would have given CSU a 34-31 lead and matched his career best. Instead, it floated wide left.
“It was a great snap, great hold. I take every ounce of that miss onto my own shoulders,” DeLine said. “It was my fault for missing that.”
Footnotes.
Defensive end Nordly Capi picked up a fourth-quarter sack to keep alive his streak of at least one sack in every game. He’s got eight this season. He also forced a fumble. . . . Defensive tackle John Froland sprained an ankle in the second quarter and did not return. His status is unknown. “We’ll know more later,” coach Steve Fairchild said.
