FORT COLLINS — Rashard Higgins, not one to shy away from the spotlight, enjoyed what he was seeing — and hearing — during and after Colorado State’s 42-17 romp over Tulsa on Saturday at Hughes Stadium.
“To see everyone wearing orange,” Colorado State’s wide receiver said. “Aggie Day! I heard fans calling ‘Hollywood!’ and stuff!”
He added that he had thanked the fans for coming out and also told them, “I put on a show for you all.”
That he did.
The sophomore from Mesquite, Texas, set a CSU record, catching four touchdown passes — three from Garrett Grayson and one from backup Nick Stevens — as the orange-clad Rams ran their record to 4-1 in front of 25,806 largely orange-clad fans at the annual Ag Day that honors the school’s A&M/Aggie roots and traditions.
CSU coach Jim McElwain, who teases and even rides Higgins at times, noted, “Rashard Higgins showed some explosive playmaking ability that we knew he had in him.”
Higgins, with “Hollywood” tattooed across his back and a gold streak dyed in his hair, is an intriguing mix of politeness, mischievousness and diva-receiver confidence.
All three of his touchdown hookups with Grayson, who played after sufficiently recovering from a bruised shoulder suffered at Boston College the previous Saturday, came in the first half as the Rams jumped to a 28-7 halftime lead against the struggling Golden Hurricane (1-4). The touchdown passes covered 28, 31 and 73 yards, and the 36-yarder from Stevens came with 5:02 remaining in the game.
“I give credit to my team, my line, for giving Garrett enough time to throw the ball and find me wide open,” said Higgins, who turns 20 on Tuesday.
Higgins ended up with six receptions for 178 yards, and his fourth catch — actually, a 3-yard loss — gave him 100 in his CSU career. He reached that career benchmark faster than any other receiver in school history. Higgins has played 19 games. The previous fastest to 100 was Rashaun Greer, who took 24 games from 2008-09.
If the meeting with Tulsa seemed potentially a “trap” game for the heavily favored Rams, they avoided it. Grayson was 12-of-18 passing for 236 yards before giving way to Stevens at the start of the fourth quarter.
Also, Dee Hart ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. His usual relief in the one-two punch, Treyous Jarrells, was held out of the game with a sore knee, so Jasen Oden Jr. got more work and had 90 yards on 12 carries.
The blowout gained a bit of revenge for what was the low point in McElwain’s tenure as the Rams’ coach, a 30-27 loss at Tulsa a year ago.
“That was a really satisfying win, one that’s kind of been sticking in our craw for a year now, based on what happened a year ago against these guys,” McElwain said. “We’re getting better as a football team and we’re starting to create an identity for ourselves, and I think that’s important as we establish this program.”
Terry Frei: tfrei@denverpost.com or
Game balls
Joe Kawulok, CSU, DL: Recorded 3½ sacks for the Rams, who had six as a team.
Rashard Higgins, CSU, WR: Became the eighth player in Mountain West history to record four touchdown receptions.
Dee Hart, CSU, RB: Rushed for a career-high 143 yards and two touchdowns on only 11 carries.
Terry Frei, The Denver Post
