Colorado State (0-2) vs. Middle Tennessee State (1-2)
When/where: 5 p.m. Saturday/Johnny Floyd Stadium
TV/Radio: ESPN+/1600 AM, 104.3 HD2
: MTSU -3, 51.5 over/under
Weather: 80 degrees, mostly sunny
Five storylines
Avoiding a letdown: The Rams are a week removed from playing their in-state rivals in the most-watched late-night college football game in ESPN history. Obviously, a trip to Murfreesboro is a bit of an emotional step down. Can the Rams summon the same intensity that showed up from the very first snap in Boulder? They better, because as Middle Tennessee showed last season, when the Blue Raiders pushed the Rams around in a 34-19 win in Fort Collins, this opponent demands it.
Waiting for Kamara: Making matters even more challenging for the Rams? They will have play half the game without their most dominant defensive lineman, Mohamed Kamara. The fifth-year senior was a force of nature against the Buffs last Saturday, collecting two sacks and multiple hits on quarterback Shedeur Sanders. But it’s his last one, a helmet-to-helmet hit that prompted a targeting flag, which will have him on the bench in the first half.
The QB1: After what Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi did against the Buffs last week (34-of-47 passing, 367 yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs), there’s no doubt who’s the guy taking snaps this week. The question is what happens if Middle Tennessee takes away the shallow crossing routes that were the Rams’ bread and butter against CU? Can Fowler-Nicolosi still make hay down the field? There’s plenty of evidence that the answer to that question is yes. With only four sacks allowed this year, the Rams’ rebuilt offensive line appears sturdy enough to protect him.
Hitting the road: Yes, last week’s game was technically a road affair — and probably the most hostile environment the Rams will play in all season. But this week marks the first time the Rams will get on a plane this year, as well as the first time they’ve played in Murfreesboro. The Rams are 6-8 all-time against Conference USA opponents. And this one is no pushover: Middle Tennessee has gone bowling eight of the past 13 seasons and two years in a row.
Penalty problems: An argument could be made that the Rams would be 1-1 right now if not for the avalanche of flags (17 for 182 yards) thrown at their feet last week in Boulder. At 110 penalty yards per game, the Rams are second worst in FBS behind only Boston College. Play a clean game, and things get a lot easier for head coach Jay Norvell’s crew.
Predictions
Kyle Newman, sportswriter: CSU 31, MTSU 21
In the brutal loss to CU last week, the Rams found out they can be dzǻthis year, even if they’re still not quite sure who that is. With another game of improvement from Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, CSU will start to find that out this Saturday with a grind-it-out road win wherein Dallin Holker reels in a TD pass to pull the Rams away late.
Sean Keeler, sports columnist: CSU 30, Middle Tennessee 28
Was Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi — let’s shorten that bad boy to “BFN” — that good? Or is CU’s defense that bad? Probably a little bit of both. The Rams were chirpy, chippy and (at times) dumb, but they also know they let a golden chance to shock the world slip away. The eye test at least says they’ve found a QB who hasn’t gotten PTSD-ed from last season’s offensive line struggles. I worry about the post-Buffs hangover, but the Rammies are 5-0 since 2015 in tilts immediately after a loss in the Rocky Mountain Showdown.
Matt Schubert, sports editor: MTSU 28, CSU 24
This is a big ask against a Blue Raiders team that played Missouri awfully tough (23-19) in Columbia, and is awfully hard to beat in its own place (20-8 since 2017, excluding 2020). If the Rams bring the same energy they had in Boulder to Murfreesboro, this is a winnable game. But that’s a big if.
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