Colorado State vs San Jose State: Rams Keys, Odds, Predicition
The Rams look to stay in the mix for a MW Championship berth
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Can the Rams play spoiler?
WEEK 9: Colorado State Rams (2-6, 2-2 MW) vs. San Jose State Spartans (5-2, 3-1 MW)
WHEN: Saturday, November 5th — 8:30 p.m. MST / 7:30 p.m. PST
WHERE: CEFCU Stadium; San Jose, CA (30,456)
WEATHER: Partly Cloudy, high of 64 degrees
TV: NBC Sports Bay Area
STREAMING: MW Network
RADIO: K99-FM 99.1 / ESPN 1600 AM (Colorado)
SERIES RECORD: This will be the 12th matchup between these two schools. Colorado State leads 7-4 in the series.
LAST MEETING: Colorado State won 32-14 last season in Fort Collins
WEBSITES: CSURams.com, the official Colorado State athletics website | SJSUSpartans.com, the official San Jose State athletics website
GAME NOTES (PDF): Colorado State | San Jose State
ODDS: San Jose State -24
OVER/UNDER: 44.5
SP+ PROJECTION: San Jose State by 20.7
FEI PROJECTION: San Jose State by 18
PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: San Jose State 95.17% win probability (32.80-9.87)
Colorado State fell to Boise State again last week, 49-10. The Rams got on the board early with a field goal, but could only muster one more score before being shutout in the second half. That score however, showed what this offense can do. As Clay Millen connected with Justus Ross-Simmons on a 76 yard bomb.
This week, the Rams leave the state of Colorado for the last time this year as they head to San Jose to face the west divison leading Spartans. The Spartans are led by Brent Brennan, who is in his 6th season in charge and has led San Jose State to a 25-39 record and a Mountain West title in 2020.
The Spartans are on another run to a title after taking a step back last year. They brought in a number of transfers including former Hawai’i QB Chevan Cordeiro and former Nevada WR Elijah Cooks. Those two have combined to lead this team along with Kyle Harmon and Viliami Fehoko on the defensive side.
Freshman center to…
Freshman quarterback to…
Freshman receiver 💥More big plays on the way‼️#Stalwart x #RamGrit 🐏 pic.twitter.com/bwGMjMfSXx
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) November 2, 2022
Now onto some keys to victory for the Rams.
Three Keys to a colorado state victory
1. Show Offensive Improvement
The Rams haven’t had the continutity this season to show what this offense can actually do. They’ve started six different offensive line combinations and had four different quarterbacks under center at one point. Now is the time to show that that won’t hold them back.
Clay Millen has shown some improvement. The receivers have gotten better. Avery Morrow has stepped up to be the man at running back. Now the offensive line needs to step up as well. This Rams team knows what they want to be. Now they need to show what this team can be.
2. Defensive Intensity
The defensive side of the ball has been the better one for the Rams this year. CJ Onyechi and Mohamed Komara have been stout up front. Dequan Jackson has been stalwart in the middle. And the Rams have found their safeties of the future in Jack Howell, Henry Blackburn, and Ayden Hector.
Now it needs to come full circle. Chevan Cordeiro can hurt you through the air and on the ground, so Onyechi and Komara will need to play contain. Jackson or other LBs will need to spy. And the defensive backs will need to be prepared to come up and stop the run.
All we got is all we need.
𝟮𝟰 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀!#Stalwart x #RamGrit 🐏 pic.twitter.com/gvT9rrdF7u
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) November 5, 2022
3. Finish Strong
The Rams have struggled to finish the year the past couple of seasons. Jay Norvell seperates the year into quarters of four games each. Colorado State has a chance to finish strong on both fronts and it starts with this game. Win this one and you start the last quarter on the right foot.
Rams fans have shown out, even when the product on the field hasn’t matched that effort. Now the players need to show what they can do and give these fans a reason to believe. You give these fans a reason to believe in this team and they will show out in force.
what will happen
Colorado State heads into the final third of the year looking for something positive. They may get a chance to turn the offense around today, but they won’t walk out with the win. The Spartans have been a strong team the past couple of years and want to win another MW Championship.
Final Score: San Jose State 31, Colorado State 24
