Colorado State Vs. Colorado - Rocky Mountain Showdown Previewing the Showdown
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15 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS | 3 MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS | 13 BOWL APPEARANCES | 42 WEEKS IN THE POLLS SINCE ‘94 Colorado State Football Media Contacts Paul Kirk, Director of Media Relations O: (970) 491-4672 | [email protected] | @PaulKirk_CSU Stuart Buchanan, Media Relations Assistant O: (970) 491-0472 | [email protected] 311 McGraw Athletic Center | Fort Collins, CO 80523 241 FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS | 22 ALL-AMERICANS | 3 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME SELECTIONS | 1 JIM THORPE AWARD WINNER 2014 SCHEDULE Colorado State (0-0, 0-0 MW) Rocky Mountain Showdown Colorado (0-0, 0-0 Pac 12) Date Opponent Time/Result TV At A Glance 8/29 vs. Colorado* 7 p.m. Fox Sports 1 RAMS BUFFALOES 9/6 at Boise State 8:15 p.m. ESPN2 Date ........................Fri., Aug. 29 9/13 UC DAVIS 1 p.m. CSURams 9/27 at Boston College TBA TBA Time ..........................7 p.m. MT 10/4 TULSA 1 p.m. MWN 10/11 at Nevada 8:30 p.m. CBS Sports Location ................Denver, Colo. 10/18 UTAH STATE 5 p.m. CBS Sports Venue ..............Sports Authority 10/25 WYOMING 5 p.m. ROOT Sports 11/1 at San José State 5 p.m. CBS Sports Field at Mile High 11/8 HAWAI’I TBA ESPN Networks 11/22 NEW MEXICO 11:30 a.m. ROOT Sports Surface .............................Grass 11/28 at Air Force 1:30 p.m. CBS Sports Capacity ..........................76,125 * Sports Authority Field at Mile High (Denver, Colo.) Series ........................... 21-62-2 All times Mountain, home games in ALL CAPS PLAYING FOR... NEED 2 KNOW The Rams and Buffaloes have met 85 times, starting in 1893, and every season since 1995. It is more than Number of wins the Rams would own all-time in the series vs. Colorado with a win Friday, just pride and bragging rights on the line when the two the 8th-most by CSU against all opponents. teams meet. Colorado State and Colorado are playing 22 for the Centennial Cup (pictured below). The trophy was A win on Friday night would give the Rams their 60th season-opening victory in their introduced to the in-state rivalry game in 1986, with 116-season history. the Rams etching their names as winners on it fi rst. In 60 that fi rst contest with the Centennial Cup on the line, the Friday will represent the 86th time these two in-state rivals have faced off on the gridiron. Rams defeated the Buffaloes 23-7. Since the trophy was introduced, Colorado holds a 15-7 series lead. 86 Combined starts among Colorado State’s starting offensive line. Senior tackle Ty Sambrailo 31 accounts for all 31 starts. Colorado State and Colorado will meet for the 20th consecutive season, a streak dating back 20 to 1995. The Rams have nine players on preseason watch lists for national awards, including QB 9 Garrett Grayson who is on four lists. Junior linebacker Cory James needs just 1.5 sacks to enter Colorado State’s top 10. James 1.5 has racked up 15.5 sacks in 26 games. There are six games on national television on Friday evening. By halftime of the Rocky 3 Mountain Showdown, the Rams-Buffs should be one of only three games still playing. CSU is looking for its sixth victory over CU in Denver. The Rams were victorius twice at the old Mile High Stadium (1999, 2000), and won three times at Invesco/Sports Authority Field 6 at Mile High. Friday, Aug. 29 will mark the 16-year anniversary of Colorado State’s road victory over No. 16 23 Michigan State (23-16), the Rams’ last road victory over a ranked opponent. The number of months Colorado State has gone without a change at center, after Weston Richburg, who started a school record 50 consecutive games, graduated and was selected 48 in the second round by the New York Giants. COLORADO STATE VS. COLORADO - ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHOWDOWN PREVIEWING THE SHOWDOWN FOLLOW TONIGHT’S GAME THE TEAMS AT A GLANCE Television (Fox Sports 1) COLORADO STATE COLORADO Craig Bolerjack ............................................play-by-play Rams Buffaloes Ryan Nece ...........................................................analyst In two short years at the helm, Colorado looks to continue to McElwain has completely transformed improve in Mike MacIntyre’s second Radio (Colorado State Sports Network) the mindset within the CSU football season in Boulder. The Buffaloes are Flagship: ESPN 102.3/105.5 program, and elevated expectations. coming off a 4-8 season, including Gary Miller .................................................. play-by-play This is a new team that has spent the one victory in the Pac-12, arguably Brian Roth ..................................................color analyst offseason and spring ball training diligently in preparation for the toughest conference in the country. This was a three-win Kevin McGlue ......................................................sideline the 2014 season. Many familiar faces return and new leaders improvement from the year before. Furthermore, in 2013 the emerge, but this team has to be built from the ground up. Buffaloes improved in 29 major statistical categories, as well as FOLLOW THE RAMS in a few minor ones. Offense Twitter Senior quarterback Garrett Grayson secured the starting spot Offense @CSUFootball @CSURamsGameday after a strong junior campaign, throwing for a single-season Colorado’s offense is led by sophomore signal-caller Sefo Liufau, @CoachMcElwain @CSUAthletics school record 3,696 yards and 23 touchdowns. He will have who led the Buffs with 1,779 passing yards and 12 touchdowns Instagram his choice of pass-catchers in 2014. The Rams return their in 2013. Also returning is the teams leading rusher from last @InsideRamFootball @CSUAthletics fi ve most-used wide receivers from 2013, only one of whom season in Christian Powell. Powell carried the ball 147 times (Charles Lovett) is a senior. They enter 2014 with 2,839 career for 562 yards and three touchdowns. Michael Adkins II was receiving yards among Rashard Higgins, Lovett, Joe Hansley, arguably the Buffs best running back last season. As a true TEAM COMPARISON Robert Ruiz and Jordon Vaden. Additionally, the Rams’ freshman, Adkins II ran the ball 103 times for 535 yards and six FINAL 2013 STATS fourth-leading pass-catcher from 2013, John Mackey Award touchdowns. Against Charleston Southern Adkins II rushed for CSU CU candidate Kivon Cartwright (27-462, 6 TDs), enters his senior 137 yards and a Colorado freshman single-game record four Rushing Offense ......................... 204.4 ................120.8 year with 56 receptions for 835 yards and nine touchdowns. touchdowns. The Buffs took a signifi cant hit to their wide receiver Passing Offense .......................... 266.4 ................249.1 Even with the loss of 2013 Walter Camp All-American Kapri corps as Paul Richardson declared for the 2014 NFL Draft after Total Offense ...............................470.8 ................369.9 Bibbs, CSU’s backfi eld remains loaded with talent. The Rams his junior season. Scoring Offense ............................ 36.2 ..................25.4 brought in Alabama graduate Dee Hart and junior college Rushing Defense .........................140.6 ................208.5 transfer Treyous Jarrells to compete with returnees Jasen Defense Pass Effi ciency Defense ............ 146.98 ..............135.83 Oden Jr. and Bryce Peters. On defense, senior cornerback Greg Henderson is coming off Total Defense .............................. 416.3 ................468.0 a breakout season (four interceptions), while appearing in a team- Scoring Defense ............................29.8 ..................38.3 Defense high 897 plays, and junior tackle Josh Tupou is primed for one, Net Punting ...................................35.0 ..................36.0 Though a new starting defensive front will need to take shape, especially if one values the opinion of CU’s seniors: he was the Punt Returns .................................11.4 ....................5.0 the Rams return nearly intact at linebacker and in the second- fi rst player chosen in the player draft for the spring game. There’s Kickoff Returns ............................. 23.8 ..................22.6 ary. Senior captain Max Morgan, the team’s leading tackler in more youth on the defensive side of the ball, but veterans Ken Turnover Margin............................... +2 ......................-3 2013, returns along with Butkus Award watch list candidate Crawley (junior cornerback) and Woodson Greer (senior outside Pass Defense .............................. 275.5 ................259.5 senior Aaron Davis and junior playmaker Cory James. Four linebacker) should all fi gure prominently into things come the Passing Effi ciency .....................139.28 ..............127.83 players with starting experience return in the secondary. season opener. The Buffs linebacker unit is paced by sophomore Sacks .............................................. 2.3 ....................1.5 Senior Bernard Blake and junior DeAndre Elliott started nine linebacker and captain Addison Gillam, who led the team with Tackles For Loss ............................. 5.9 ....................5.8 and 10 games, respectively, at cornerback and each posted 119 tackles (78 solo) in 2013. Last season, the Buffs defense Sacks Allowed .................................1.6 ....................1.7 double fi gures in pass breakups to lead the team. Junior Trent allowed 38.3 points per game, which ranked No. 112 nationally. Matthews returns as a third-year starter at strong safety after Additionally, they averaged nearly as many tackles for loss (5.8/ NCAA RANK COMPARISON leading the Rams in interceptions with four in 2013. game) as the Rams