Tory Horton has played his final game for the Colorado State football program.
The senior wide receiver will undergo season-ending surgery for an injury suffered during the Rams’ 31-24 victory over San Jose State last Saturday at Canvas Stadium, head coach Jay Norvell announced on Monday night.
Norvell did not specify what the operation was in the announcement, but Horton had gone down with a knee injury in the first half against SJSU. It was the latest in a string of setbacks that sidelined Horton this season, starting with the Rams’ home opener against Northern Colorado.
Both Norvell and Horton released statements as part of the announcement.
“My season and college career are unfortunately over, but this is not the end,” Horton said in his statement. “I will continue to be the ultimate teammate and captain for this team and will do whatever I can to help make this a memorable season.”
Horton’s college career ends with him within shouting distance of multiple career benchmarks at CSU and in the Mountain West Conference. Among those, the Fresno, Calif., native will fall 35 yards short of the conference’s career receiving yards record.
Despite missing parts of multiple games, Horton leads the Rams in receptions (26) and receiving yards (353) this season. Armani Winfield stepped up in his absence Saturday with six catches for 108 yards and a touchdown.
Horton briefly returned to the game in the second half but was noticeably limping. He was eventually removed and Norvell said after the game that Horton would have an MRI done on his knee.
“His injury is season-ending, but he will fully recover and have his chance at the next level with the National Football League,” Norvell said in his statement. “I am appreciative of Tory’s loyalty to the staff and for his sacrifice and leadership to CSU.”
The two-time captain led the Mountain West in receiving yards (1,131) as a junior in 2022 and receptions (96) as a senior in 2023.
Originally recruited by Norvell to Nevada, Horton appeared in 21 games with the Wolf Pack between 2020 and ’21, catching 72 passes for 995 yards and 17 touchdowns. He followed his head coach to Fort Collins after Norvell took the CSU job in December 2021 and played in 29 games over three seasons, accumulating 193 receptions for 2,620 yards and 17 touchdowns.
His final career numbers over 50 games and five seasons: 265 receptions for 3,615 yards and 27 touchdowns.
“I will forever cherish my time playing at Colorado State and wearing the Green and Gold. Thank you to my teammates, coaches and fans for all the love and support,” Horton said. “A goal of mine has always been to play on Sundays, and I will make that happen.”
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