CSU Rams shut down New Mexico, keep Mountain West title hopes alive

FORT COLLINS — Those expecting a plethora of points Saturday afternoon at Canvas Stadium were no doubt surprised, if not disappointed.

But Colorado State did what it needed to do, made the key plays, and beat New Mexico 17-6 to keep its Mountain West Conference title hopes alive.

The Rams beat the Lobos for the 13th consecutive time, improved to 3-0 in the Mountain West and 5-3 overall. On a perfect autumn afternoon, the Rams won in front of an announced sellout crowd of 36,980.

Three big plays — a long touchdown reception by Caleb Goode, an 82-yard punt return TD by Kobe Johnson and a fumble recovery by Henry Blackburn — keyed the Rams’ third straight victory.

Coming into Saturday, New Mexico had scored 50-plus points in three consecutive games. Although they outgained the Rams 453-334 in total yardage, New Mexico never got into the end zone.

CSU’s 17-3 halftime lead was courtesy of two key plays.

Early in the second quarter, trailing the Lobos 3-0, quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi spied Goode behind the secondary and hit the sophomore receiver in stride for a 46-yard TD pass and 7-3 lead.

With star wide receiver Tory Horton out for the season with a knee injury, Goode has become Fowler-Nicolosi’s big-play target. Goode made a sensational, one-handed catch and turned it into an 85-yard TD against Air Force last Saturday.

Johnson’s electrifying punt return put CSU ahead 14-3 with 12:41 left in the half. Johnson caught the ball at the 18-yard line, pinballed through traffic, cut across the field, found daylight, and ended up with an 82-yard TD.

The Rams’ Jordan Noyes booted a 47-yard field goal with 25 seconds for the 17-3 lead.

New Mexico botched a chance to get back in the game on the first drive of the second half. The Lobos drove 74 yards to the CSU 1-yard line, but a false start penalty put them in a third-and-six predicament. Devon Dampier, who utilized the quarterback draw/keeper frequently, got tied up in traffic and defensive tackle Cam Bariteau forced a fumble. Blackburn recovered for CSU, ending the Lobos’ best TD bid.

CSU was shut out in the second half but its defense shut down a Lobos offense that entered the game averaging 37.4 points per game. CSU ended two New Mexico fourth-quarter drives with interceptions.

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