In 1998, administrators from Colorado State University and four other Western Athletic Conference schools met secretly at Denver International Airport and created a framework for the new Mountain West Conference. Nearly three decades later, the Rams are looking forward to another departure—this time to the reconfigured Pac-12.
Before CSU skips town, though, head football coach Jay Norvell wants to make a lasting point against some longtime foes.
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“Colorado State won the first Mountain West championship,” Norvell said at last month’s Mountain West media day. “We want to have an opportunity to do it again. We’re excited to have the opportunity to play this last year.”
Not that Norvell is sentimental about this final run. For the fourth-year coach, it’s all about strategy and building a program that makes folks in Fort Collins excited about fall Saturdays again. Following six consecutive losing seasons—and a carousel of coaches, coordinators, and quarterbacks—the Rams found a winning formula in 2024. CSU went 8-5, returned to a bowl game for the first time in seven years, and rediscovered some old-school confidence reminiscent of the Sonny Lubick era.
The ascent hasn’t been easy. Norvell went 8-16 during his first two seasons in FoCo, and last season’s Rams got beaten up, lost key players to injuries, dropped close games, and suffered a couple blowouts. (We won’t talk about that Texas-style beatdown.) Norvell returns with a reshaped roster, but thinks this group is built to handle the new season’s challenges.
Of course, there will be doubters. All-Mountain West receiver Tory Horton now is catching passes in the NFL. Fellow wideouts Caleb Goodie and Jamari Person are gone, too, along with three starting offensive linemen. The defense is led by new coordinator Tyson Summers, who inherits a unit that ranked fifth in the conference in scoring defense but returns just end Mukendi Wa-Kalonji as a starter.
Still, a major piece remains in quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, who enters his third season as CSU’s signal caller. His passing numbers dipped in 2024 (664 fewer yards and eight fewer touchdowns), but the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder cut his interceptions from 16 to just nine and offers lead-character energy at the QB spot. If he stays healthy, expect Fowler-Nicolosi to leapfrog CSU all-timer Garrett Grayson as the program’s most prolific passer.
There aren’t any scheduling favors for CSU’s last Mountain West hurrah. The Rams avoided Boise State and UNLV last season, but they get both in 2025. Colorado State was picked fourth in the Mountain West preseason media poll, behind Boise State, UNLV, and San José State.
It’s a tough sendoff, but it’s also the right kind of challenge for a team hoping to leave a statement for its rivals. If this program makes another move up this year, it couldn’t be a more fitting departure for a program that wants to prove to its new conference-mates that this success can travel.
5280 Record Prediction: 6-6
Can’t-Miss Matchup
CSU football players run onto the field
Photo courtesy of CSU
@ Boise State, November 22: The Rams avoided the Broncos in 2024, but they don’t get the same scheduling break for the program’s Mountain West farewell tour. Boise State is the standard-bearer in this conference and visitors are just 3-17 over the past three seasons on the Smurf Turf. CSU has beaten the Broncos only once in 13 meetings since Boise State joined the Mountain West in 2011 and has averaged 26-point losses in its past four matchups. If CSU wants to end its conference run with a statement, and show it belongs in the rebuilt Pac-12, this late-November tilt is the opportunity to turn a solid season into something far greater.
Find the Rams’ schedule here.
3 Players to Watch
Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi
Colorado State University Rams players are led onto the field by quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi before a game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field on September 16, 2023. Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images
Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, quarterback: After an uneven sophomore season, the Texas native enters his third year as a starter with lots to prove. He threw for 2,796 yards and 14 TDs—down from 3,460/22 in 2024—and had middling efficiency among conference passers. Still, he slashed his turnovers and enters this season sixth on CSU’s all-time passing-yards list (6,450). He’s also within reach of school records for completions and touchdowns. With improved protection and a new group of weapons, Fowler-Nicolosi could leave Fort Collins both as the program’s most decorated passer and as the face of CSU’s resurgence.
Kojo Antwi, wide receiver: A former four-star recruit from powerhouse Ohio State, Antwi brings potential to the Rams’ remade receiving group. The 24-year-old had only one catch during his three-year tenure with the Buckeyes, but it’s a tough task to break into a rotation that included Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Jeremiah Smith. In other words, the lack of production isn’t a dealbreaker for a player who ranked 115th nationally in his 2022 high school class. Now healthy after recovering from a ruptured Achilles, Antwi has an opportunity to become the go-to for Fowler-Nicolosi. If Antwi vibes with his new QB early, CSU’s offense could be even more dangerous than in 2024, when it averaged nearly 400 yards per game.
JaQues Evans, outside linebacker: The 270-pound Evans reunites with new defensive coordinator Tyson Summers after stops at Western Kentucky and Baylor. It’s not an understatement to say this outside linebacker could become the Rams’ most dynamic defender. A former All-Conference USA selection at WKU while playing under Summers’ scheme, Evans notched 107 tackles and nine sacks before an injury wiped out the rest of his 2023 season. Linebacker is arguably Colorado State’s deepest position, but Evans could be the standout. He spent last season in Waco, Texas, and saw action only in three games. Still, he’s a talented, veteran presence who’s had major success in small-conference play.
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Craig Meyer