September 1st 2024.
Fort Air Raid? More like Fort Scared Raid. That's what many fans were saying as they watched the Colorado State University Rams take on the University of Texas Longhorns at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. It was a tense game, with emotions running high on both sides. But it was CSU's head coach, Jay Norvell, who seemed to be the most on edge.
As he paced the sidelines, Norvell was sporting a 10-gallon tin foil hat. And to make matters even more interesting, he had a staffer following him around with a giant orange screen. It was almost comical, as if Norvell was afraid that Texas would try to steal their signs with their massive 38-0 lead.
But it wasn't just Norvell's quirky antics that had fans talking. In the third quarter, with the Rams down 31 points, Norvell made a controversial decision to punt from midfield on fourth-and-2. And to make things even more puzzling, he called a timeout right before making the call.
Now, it's understandable for a team to play it safe when facing a powerhouse like Texas on the road as a 34-point underdog. But it seemed as though CSU was playing not to lose rather than playing to win. Aside from star running back Justin Marshall and a strong defensive front, the Rams seemed hesitant to engage with the Longhorns.
And it wasn't just the final score of 52-0 that left fans feeling disappointed. It was the overall lack of energy and swagger from the Rams. Quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi seemed to struggle, throwing off his back foot and making risky passes into triple coverage. And wide receiver Tory Horton, who is known as one of the best offensive players in the Mountain West, only touched the ball five times throughout the entire game.
It was clear that Texas had the advantage in terms of talent and speed. And it's worth noting that there won't be any other teams on CSU's schedule that can match up to the Longhorns in that regard. So why show all your cards in the first game of the season?
But even more concerning for CSU fans was the lack of confidence and aggression from their team. With the exception of a few rare moments, it seemed as though the Rams were playing not to lose rather than playing to win. And that's not the kind of mentality you want to see from a team going up against such a formidable opponent.
The game was full of missed opportunities and questionable decisions. On a rare fourth-and-5 play in the second quarter, the Rams' punter, Paddy Turner, tried to take off with the ball but ended up losing two yards and giving Texas excellent field position. And while the defense did their best to contain Texas' highly-touted quarterback, Quinn Ewers, they couldn't hold them off forever.
By halftime, Texas had racked up 154 yards while CSU only had 36. And yet, the Rams were only down by a touchdown. It was a miracle they were still in the game at all.
But as the second half got underway, it became clear that Texas was simply on another level. And while there were a few bright spots for CSU, it was ultimately a disappointing performance for the team and their fans. And with two big in-state games coming up, Norvell and the Rams will have to work hard to regain the faith of their supporters.
It's worth mentioning that CSU will receive a nice chunk of change for playing this game, with Texas offering a $1.8 million "guarantee" to the Rams for scheduling this matchup. But at what cost? Is it worth getting embarrassed on national television for a quick payday?
It's clear that there is still a lot of work to be done for CSU to catch up to teams like Texas. But with a critical season ahead and a new athletic director, Norvell and the Rams will have to step up their game if they want to prove that this Week 1 loss was just a fluke and not a sign of things to come.
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