FORT COLLINS — Colorado State’s 2013 signing class arrived in Fort Collins on the heels of a forgettable era of Rams football with no bowl appearances in six out of the previous seven years. So a group of youngsters were sold on a vision for a brighter future, and at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, those who remain will be recognized as program builders.
The Rams (6-5, 4-3 Mountain West) host San Jose State (1-10, 0-6) for Senior Day and nine redshirted players from that 2013 class — quarterback , linebacker , offensive lineman , offensive lineman , safety , linebacker , safety , offensive lineman Zach Golditch and linebacker — will be honored among 23 total seniors for a rare feat: five straight bowl games.
That matches a program record for the longest consecutive postseason streak set by legendary former head coach Sonny Lubick (1999-2003). And in 2017, the Rams are powered by senior leadership on both sides of the ball with 16 starters combined between offense and defense.
“These guys wanted to compete,” CSU coach said. “They didn’t think it was their birth right that they were going to be a starter because they were a senior or a veteran player coming back. They battled every day and had some success at CSU.”
But CSU’s upperclassmen strength is bittersweet considering what might have been this season if not for back-to-back-to-back losses entering the Saturday home finale. The Rams will be playing for pride rather than a Mountain West division championship as 33-point favorites against San Jose State.
“Itap not the season they envisioned at the start of the year,” Bobo said, “but if they’re who I think they are and what (I think) they’re made of, they’re going to finish.”
Senior send-off
A collection of 23 Colorado State football seniors will be honored before their final game at Sonny Lubick Field on Saturday
OL Jake Bennett
DL Jakob Buys
WR Detrich Clark
LB Deonte Clyburn
LB Evan Colorito
RB Dalyn Dawkins
LB Patrick Elsenbast
TE Dalton Fackrell
S Jordan Fogal
WR Michael Gallup
K Tavis Guerra
OL Zack Golditch
LB Houston Haynes
CB Shun Johnson
OL Trae Moxley
CB Kevin Nutt
S Levi Osborn
LB Kiel Robinson
S Jake Schlager
LS Trent Sieg
QB Nick Stevens
S Justin Sweet
DL Darnell Thompson