LARAMIE — As he went through postgame interviews Saturday afternoon in a War Memorial Field House weight room, Colorado State quarterback Nick Stevens had his hands full.
“Yeah, it’s pretty heavy,” he said. “It’s a big ol’ boot.”
Yes, Stevens was holding the Bronze Boot, the traveling trophy reward for the Rams’ surprisingly easy — easier than the score would hint — 26-7 win over Wyoming in the Border War at War Memorial Stadium.
“Somebody just put it in my hands,” Stevens said, shrugging. “Someone’ll want it!”
A few minutes later, he handed it to a CSU Army ROTC cadet, and it was destined to be back in Fort Collins about an hour later.
The Rams (4-5, 1-3 Mountain West) were so dominant in winning the rivalry game for the third consecutive season that Stevens didn’t have to do all that much in the passing game. Against the struggling Cowboys (1-9, 1-4), Stevens was only 11-for-15 for 120 yards, and the offensive story was the ground game, with running backs Dalyn Dawkins (140 yards on 25 carries) and Izzy Matthews (55 yards in 16 carries) benefitting from the work of the banged-up CSU offensive line up front.
On defense, the Rams limited Wyoming’s Brian Hill, who came in averaging 6.2 yards per carry, to 65 yards on 21 carries.
“The defense played outstanding,” said CSU coach Mike Bobo. “They did a great job of setting the edges and gang-tackling Mr. Hill.”
The Rams scored on their first four possessions, on Matthews runs of 2 and 9 yards, a 33-yard Wyatt Bryan field goal and a 1-yard Stevens sneak, taking a 23-0 lead midway through the second quarter. The Rams added Bryan’s 31-yarder with 26 seconds left in the third and then, with CSU’s second defense in, Wyoming avoided the shutout on Hill’s 4-yard run with 2:25 remaining. It would have been CSU’s first shutout since 1997.
“It’s always great when you’re able to get the running game going, because if you do need to come out and throw it, you can,” said Stevens. “We still threw a little bit and did OK in the passing game, but I think we’re all satisfied with the running game.”
CSU’s leading ground gainer, injured senior Jasen Oden Jr., didn’t suit up and watched from the sideline against the Cowboys, and Matthews, a true freshman from Redding, Calif., and Dawkins, a sophomore transfer from Purdue, shared the running back duties.
“Jasen had an injury from the last game (a 41-17 loss to San Diego State) and we tried to get him ready,” Bobo said. “I’m not going to talk specifics of the injury. He practiced a little bit Thursday, but he was just a no-go from the trainers.
“I’ve been saying it all year, Dalyn Dawkins is the toughest football player on this team. He runs like it. This is probably the first time he’s been healthy since … Colorado, when he had a little hamstring.” Bobo added, “He’s got his confidence back, and he’s one tough individual. I told him yesterday, ‘Be ready for 30 carries.’ How many did he up with, 25 carries, and he responded and did a nice job.”
Said Dawkins: “Just about every play, there was at least one crease I could hit, and that’s all I ask for. Credit to the O-line.”
Dawkins, the nephew of former Broncos safety Brain Dawkins, conceded, “The hamstring kind of held me back throughout the year.”
He also has lost a couple of fumbles this season, tempering Bobo’s enthusiasm for the work of the diminutive runner. Dawkins held on to the ball Saturday, and CSU’s only turnover was Andrew Wingard’s end zone interception of Stevens late in the first half.
“All my life, that’s never been a real big issue with me,” Dawkins said. “I think that stuff happened because I got hurt. That was just some added stress.”
Center Jake Bennett said of the offensive line play: “I think it was just scheme, we had a good scheme going that got us in the right spots and we were able to get some pretty good creases out there. … This is definitely a good momentum swing. We’ve been grinding and haven’t been getting results, so this is definitely a good feeling.”
Linebacker Kevin Davis, the junior and former high school hockey star from Fountain, was the Rams’ leading tackler with eight total, six solo and two unassisted.
“It was awesome to beat Wyoming at Wyoming and be able to keep the boot another year,” Davis said. “We played downhill and aggressive, we played assignment football and we played as a family on defense. That’s what we’ve been harping on all week.”
CSU now needs to win two of its last three — against UNLV, New Mexico and Fresno State — to become bowl-eligible in Bobo’s first season.
The Rams’ win came in what had to be among the most ideal football weather conditions ever in November in Laramie. The skies were cloudless, winds negligible and temperatures in the 40s. Other than that, it was another ugly day for the Cowboys, who have beaten only Nevada in their second season under former North Dakota State coach Craig Bohl.
Terry Frei: tfrei@denverpost.com or @TFrei
Game balls
Dalyn Dawkins, RB, CSU:
Rushed for 140 yards on 25 carries.
Jake Bennett, C, CSU:
As the anchor, represents the Rams line that dominated up front.
Trent Matthews, S, CSU:
Had two fumble recoveries and an interception.
