Colorado State (1-3) vs. Illinois State (2-0)
Saturday, 1 p.m.; Canvas Stadium
Broadcast — TV: AT&T Sportsnet; Radio: 102.9 FM
Series — First meeting between the teams
About Illinois State — The Redbirds are ranked in the top 25 in FCS, sitting 15th or 16th, depending on the poll. Coach Brock Speth’s team missed the playoffs last year, ending a three-year run. They have experience beating FBS teams, topping Northwestern in 2016.
About CSU — The Rams are more than happy to step out of Power 5 portion of the season, going 1-2 the past three games. The defense has played better, but the running game still hasn’t found its footing and the special teams were not good at Florida.
Outlook — Colorado State not only needs a win, but to clean up some key areas before moving into Mountain West play. The Rams should, but it won’t be easy. Prediction: CSU 38, ISU 21.
FORT COLLINS — This is the week for the cautionary tale.
For Colorado State, it shouldn’t be that hard to find true meaning, either.
Saturday, the Rams become the big school for the first time in three weeks, hosting FCS team Illinois State at Canvas Stadium (1 p.m; AT&TSN). It’s a good feeling — most of the time. It’s dangerous all the time when playing a game people don’t think you can lose, because the feeling is there is nothing to gain outside of the win.
That’s so not true for this Colorado State team, a 1-3 squad with plenty still to prove and having to do it against a team that is really, really good at its level, as the Redbirds are ranked 15th in this week’s FCS Coaches Poll.
The Rams just aren’t good enough right now to expect they stroll out of the stadium and into a bye week with a victory.
“Whether it’s Alabama or a D-III college from North Dakota, we have to treat every team the same,” senior running back Izzy Matthews said. “That’s the mindset for this week. It’s been a hard, physical week of practice. Illinois State is a really good football team. It doesn’t matter where they’re from. We kinda have to prepare for that. You have to prepare for seeing different kinds of looks, different flow of the game. It’s just another challenge this week.”
The Rams have plenty of those. A running game averaging 82.2 yards per game, just 2.6 yards per rush. Last week, Florida should have blocked two punts, and the punt team allowed an 85-yard touchdown return. The defense is still giving up too many big plays, many of them going for touchdowns.
The opponent doesn’t matter, because if the issues don’t get cleared up, it’s going to be a long season.
“It doesn’t matter if we play SEC, Big 10, Pac-12, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing. FCS. Whoever we’re playing, it’s another day to get better,” linebacker Josh Watson said. “It’s an opportunity to showcase what we’ve been practicing off from our last mistakes and fixing those things. Being able to really take time out and focus on what we have in front of us and not worry about the clutter.”
Illinois State is a team with few issues right now. It is fresh coming off a bye week, and it is 2-0 after dismantling Saint Xavier (an NAIA school) and Eastern Illinois. Led by Memphis transfer Brady Davis, the Redbirds are averaging 47 points per game. He’s completed nearly 70 percent of his passes for 440 yards and five touchdowns without an interception. The offense is averaging 475 yards a game with a balance the Rams are hoping to attain.
Defensively, they have allowed just 10 points on the season and have created five turnovers.
“Sometimes when you say it, it goes on deaf ears, even to you guys,” CSU coach Mike Bobo said. “You think we’re here and this team is here, but at the end of the day, I think it’s two football teams that want to play, and all you have to do is look at the tape of this football team. They’re a very good football team that is going to contend for their conference championship, I think they’re going to make the playoffs, they’re that kind of football team.”
Right now, Colorado State does not look like one of those teams, which is the real point of the week.
To get there, the Rams have to get better. The focus has to be internal, on getting better, on not taking any more steps back. Momentum heading into a bye would be crucial, but looking impressive is the next big step.
“The thing we have to focus on is right now, this team, getting ready to play our best football game of the year, offense, defense and special teams,” Bobo said.
Mike Brohard: 970-635-3633, mbrohard@reporter-herald.com and twitter.com/mbrohard