Air Force (3-8, 2-5 Mountain West) at Colorado State (2-9, 1-6 Mountain West)
When: 1 p.m. Friday
Where: Canvas Stadium
TV: FS1
Radio: 104.3 HD2, 1600 AM
BetMGM Line: CSU +1.5, 45.5 over/under
Weather: 43 degrees, cloudy
Series History: Air Force leads 39-22-1; CSU won 21-13 last year in Colorado Springs
Three storylines
CSU’s revolving QB door: The Rams entered the season seemingly set at quarterback, with Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi entering his third year as the starter. But the key position has been exceedingly volatile for CSU. Fowler-Nicolosi started the first three games before losing his job to Jackson Brousseau; “BFN” then quit the team. Brousseau then started the next seven games before giving way to Darius Curry last week. Now, with Curry suspended for spitting at an opposing player, CSU likely turns to Tahj Bullock this week.
New regime coming to FoCo: News broke on Tuesday that UConn coach Jim Mora will be CSU’s next head coach. The son of a longtime coach of the same name, Mora’s been the head coach of the Huskies for the last four seasons. He also was head coach of the Falcons (2004-06), the Seahawks (2009), and UCLA (2012-17). His imminent arrival in Fort Collins means the tenures of interim coach Tyson Summers and other staffers are likely coming to an end — and that the Rams will see lots of transfers from its roster.
Owen Long’s tackling title: While the Rams need a win to avoid posting the program’s worst non-COVID season since going 1-10 in 1988, CSU sophomore linebacker Owen Long has plenty to play for. The team captain currently leads the nation with 134 tackles, three more than UTEP’s Micah Davey. Long’s tally ranks 10th all-time in program history, as Kevin McLain holds the record with 198 in 1974. Long’s had double-digit tackles in nine of his 11 games, including 12 tackles each of the last two weeks as one of CSU’s silver linings.
Predictions
Kyle Newman, sportswriter: Air Force 20, CSU 19
The Falcons are also without their starting QB after Liam Szarka, a Grandview alum who was having a stellar season, broke his arm in the loss to UConn a couple weeks ago. That means Air Force has two options at QB in juniors Kempher Hodges and Josh Johnson. Even with that, and Air Force’s struggles this season, the triple-option remains tough to stop — even more so for a porous CSU defense that ranks last in the Mountain West with 194.82 yards allowed per game on the ground this season. Air Force wears the Rams down up front, then Hodges’ rushing TD delivers the knockout blow on the game’s final possession.
Sean Keeler, sports columnist: Air Force 22, CSU 17
The Ram-Falcon Trophy, the Jan Brady of college football rivalry prizes, could be getting a long, long rest soon, as the Pac-12/Mountain West split ends a series that had run annually — save for 2020’s COVID strife — since 1978. Both teams’ QB rooms are a mess. Both defenses are soft as mashed potatoes. Although Air Force probably plays keepaway — and converts on third down — better than the Rams at this point. At least CSU faithful can toast some New Belgiums to Jim Mora, all while passing the hat to help pay for the players he’ll want to revamp this roster.
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