Colorado State (1-3, 0-0 Mountain West) at San Diego State (3-1, 0-0 Mountain West)
When/where: 8:30 p.m. Friday/Snapdragon Stadium
TV/Radio: CBS Sports Network/Rams Radio Network
BetMGM Line: CSU +6, 40.5 over/under
Weather: 61 degrees, partly cloudy
Series History: San Diego State leads, 22-15, and has won 7 of last 9
Three storylines
CSU offense looking for a spark: Jay Norvell is handing over play-calling duties to associate head coach Matt Mumme after the Rams sputtered and failed to find the end zone in a 20-3 loss to Washington State. Mumme is the son of Hal Mumme, who is considered the founder of the Air Raid offense. It will be up to Mumme to find some sort of identity for a CSU offense that’s lacked one so far. Making the challenge tougher, guard Tanner Morley is out for the season due to injury. Morley is one of the pillars up front for CSU.
Jay Norvell on the hot seat: Amid the disappointing start to the season — which featured the Rams squeaking by FCS Northern Colorado, a failed two-point conversion in the waning seconds of a loss to UTSA, and then a no-show against Wazzu — calls for Norvell’s dismissal have picked up. Norvell’s contract runs through 2026, and AD John Weber said before the season that CSU is “confident that we are going to get to a deal” on an extension. But the way the Rams are playing, the odds of that deal getting done dissipate with each passing week.
SDSU defensive heater: The Aztecs’ D is on fire coming into the Mountain West opener. That’s bad news for CSU, which has the second-worst scoring offense in the conference at 12.25 points per game. SDSU has allowed just three points over its last two games, including a shutout of Cal, and leads the Mountain West in yards per play (3.62, 2nd in FBS) and pass efficiency (92.71, 3rd in FBS). The Aztecs also pace the conference in passing yards allowed (146) and yards per rush allowed (2.62), presenting a challenge for inexperienced Rams QB Jackson Brousseau.
Predictions
Kyle Newman, sportswriter: San Diego State 23, CSU 10
The Jay Norvell Era in Fort Collins is spiraling, and QB Jackson Brousseau is probably not the man to save it. CSU turns in another ugly offensive performance, lacking punch in the run game and precision through the air, while all that preseason talk by Rams players about this team being capable of chasing a Mountain West title turns sour. The start of a long October for CSU.
Sean Keeler, sports columnist: San Diego State 19, CSU 6
If we’d have told you about this matchup and its coaches two years ago, you’d have expected an old-fashioned, 48-41 track meet. Ha! Jay Norvell’s Rams are ninth among Mountain West schools in third-down conversion rate (37.04%) and dead last in red-zone visits (10). Sean Lewis’ Aztecs rank first in fewest red-zone appearances given up and second in opponent third-down conversion rate (26.15%). Hide your eyes.
Matt Schubert, sports editor: San Diego State 15, CSU 10
The Aztecs are back to playing lights-out defense and winning ugly — Rocky Long style. That’s a bad combination for a Rams offense that has yet to regain the explosiveness it displayed at Washington in Week 1. A play-calling shift is never a good sign for a college head coaching regime. And it’s doubtful it will produce the sort of performance that will quell calls for Jay Norvell’s job.
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