FORT COLLINS — If Colorado State’s game against UNLV today were a summer blockbuster movie, it would get a very trendy moniker such as: MW2.
Must win, Part II.
The first must-win game didn’t work out.
That one went up in flames, a 31-17 loss at Texas-El Paso last Saturday, after a week of players and coaches talking up the importance of winning that contest.
“You know, I used ‘must-win’ last week,” CSU coach Steve Fairchild said. “This week is a must-win. We need to get a win.”
On the surface, everything is set up just right for the Rams to snap a three-game losing streak. UNLV is in direct competition with New Mexico to be the worst team in the Mountain West.
The young Rebels (1-5, 0-1) are struggling so much that oddsmakers installed CSU, which has lost its last three games by a combined score of 132-61, as a 2 1/2-point favorite.
These are the stakes for the Rams: Win, and get to 4-4 overall, 2-1 in the MWC and receive a jolt of energy going into the rest of the season. Lose, drop two games under .500 and face the very real proposition of the season following a similar script to last year, when CSU finished 3-9.
“The only team that’s on our mind right now is UNLV,” linebacker Mike Orakpo said. “We’re definitely not going in there like we’re better than them guys. They beat a good Hawaii team. We’re definitely trying to get focused and come out with a W.”
The Rams drilled UNLV 43-19 last season. Still, quarterback Pete Thomas says there is little to draw on from what transpired a year ago.
“This is a whole different season,” Thomas said. “We’re a whole different team and they are a different team. But this is a must-win game for us. We’ve got our backs against the wall and got to get out to Vegas and get a win.”
UNLV’s only victory this season was an eye-opener — 40-20 over Hawaii, two weeks after the Warriors had dismantled CU. The Rebels also handled Colorado State 35-16 in the Rams’ last trip to Vegas in 2009. So nothing is guaranteed.
All reports from CSU players and coaches out of practices this week are that optimism remained high.
“I think the mentality on the team is good,” Thomas said. “We know that we have to get to 4-4 going into the bye week and that’s our number one goal right now.”
Said offensive lineman Ty Sambrailo: “We’ve been talking about it all offseason, and now it’s evident — adversity. A good team reacts well to adversity and responds, and we’re obviously in a tough situation in a three-game losing streak. We need to break out, come back with a win, go into the bye and then focus on the rest of the season and get it done.”
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
