2020 Colorado State Rams football team

The 2020 Colorado State Rams football team represented Colorado State University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Originally, there was a cancellation of the 2020 season for the Mountain West Conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[2] but this was reversed when the conference agreed to play a conference-only, eight game season. The Rams were to play their opening game at Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins, Colorado against New Mexico, but the game was canceled due to virus restrictions. The Rams were led by first-year head coach Steve Addazio.

2020 Colorado State Rams football
ConferenceMountain West Conference
Record1–3 (1–3 MW)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJoey Lynch (1st season)
Offensive schemePro spread
Defensive coordinatorChuck Heater (3rd season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumCanvas Stadium
Uniform
Seasons
← 2019
2021 →
2020 Mountain West Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 24 San Jose State y$   7 0     7 1  
Boise State y   5 0     5 2  
Nevada   6 2     7 2  
San Diego State   4 2     4 4  
Hawaii   4 4     5 4  
Fresno State   3 3     3 3  
Air Force   2 2     3 3  
Wyoming   2 4     2 4  
New Mexico   2 5     2 5  
Colorado State   1 3     1 3  
Utah State   1 5     1 5  
UNLV   0 6     0 6  
Championship: San Jose State 34, Boise State 20
  • $ – Conference champion
  • y – Championship game participant
  • Note: Due to COVID-19, the Mountain West suspended the season, but later decided to begin play on October 24.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll

Preseason

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Colorado State announced its 2020 football schedule on February 27, 2020.[3] The 2020 schedule consisted of 6 home and 6 away games in the regular season. On August 10, 2020, the Mountain West Conference announced the suspension of the football season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2][4] On September 25, the Mountain West announced the 2020 season would return with a revised 8-game, conference only season beginning October 24.[5]

In August 2020, the university temporarily suspended the football program and initiated investigations into accusations of racism and verbal abuse of players by the coaching staff.[6] However, the subsequent investigation found that the majority of athletes and staff disputed these accusations, and in October 2020, the investigation concluded and the team was cleared.[7]

Wide receiver Warren Jackson was unanimously selected to the Mountain West Conference Preseason All-Conference Team, though he later opted out of the modified season to train for the NFL Draft.[8] Tight end Trey McBride, linebacker Dequan Jackson, and punter Ryan Stonehouse were also named to the 2020 Preseason All-Conference Team.

Staff

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Name Position Consecutive season at Colorado
State in current position
Steve Addazio Head coach 1st
Joey Lynch Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach 1st
Chuck Heater Defensive coordinator/safeties coach 1st
Antoine Smith Assistant head coach/defensive line coach 1st
Louie Addazio Offensive line coach 1st
Brian White Running backs coach 1st
Cody Booth Tight ends coach 1st
Kenny Guiton Wide receivers coach 1st
Sean Cronin Linebackers coach 1st
Kap Dede Outside Linebackers/nickelbacks coach 1st
Anthony Perkins Cornerbacks coach 2nd
Scott McLafferty Head strength and conditioning coach 1st

Roster

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2020 Colorado State Rams Football Roster

Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

 

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Placekickers

 

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Long snappers

Punters

  = Redshirted for the 2020 season. | Rs. = Redshirted in a previous season.
2020 Colorado State Football Roster

Pipeline states
States with five or more recruits on the 2020 roster:

Schedule

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The modified schedule included a game vs. New Mexico on October 24 that was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.[9] The November 21 game vs. UNLV was also canceled due to COVID-19 cases related to contact tracing within the UNLV program.[10] The November 26 game at Air Force was also canceled due to COVID-19 cases related to contact tracing within the Colorado State program.[11] The December 12 game vs. Utah State was canceled by Utah State University as a result of a Utah State player boycott in protest of comments made by their university president that they perceived as discriminatory.[12]

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
October 247:00 p.m.New MexicoFS2N/A 0–0
October 298:00 p.m.at Fresno StateCBSSNL 17–380 (Behind closed doors)
November 57:00 p.m.WyomingCBSSNW 34–240 (Behind closed doors)
November 126:00 p.m.at Boise StateFS1L 21–521,100
November 213:30 p.m.UNLVFS2N/A 0–0
November 2612:00 p.m.Air ForceCBSSNN/A 0–0
December 58:30 p.m.at San Diego StateCBSSNL 17–290 (Behind closed doors)
December 127:30 p.m.Utah StateCBSSNN/A 0–0

Source[13]

Game summaries

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Fresno State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Rams 3 7 0 7 17
Bulldogs 7 17 7 7 38

Wyoming

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1 2 3 4 Total
Wyoming 0 14 3 7 24
Rams 14 10 7 3 34

Boise State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Rams 0 7 14 0 21
Broncos 21 21 10 0 52

San Diego State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Rams 0 17 0 0 17
Aztecs 7 16 0 6 29

Postseason

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Awards

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Mountain West All-Conference Selections[14]

  • Scott Patchan, DE (First team)
  • Ryan Stonehouse, P (First team)
  • Dante Wright, WR (Second team)
  • Trey McBride, TE (Second team)
  • Dequan Jackson, LB (Second team)

Outgoing transfers

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Colorado State lost 12 athletes to the transfer portal, per the Coloradoan.[15]

Position Name Year High School Hometown Seasons at CSU Destination
QB Patrick O'Brien Rd. Senior San Juan Hills San Juan Capistrano, CA 2018, 2019, 2020 Washington
RB Tyreese Jackson Rd. Freshman Westgate Jeanerette, LA 2019, 2020 Louisiana
WR Nate Craig-Myers Rd. Senior Tampa Catholic Dade City, FL 2019, 2020 UCF
WR Jeremiah Pruitte Rd. Freshman Wheeler Marietta, GA 2019, 2020 Florida A&M
WR Jadon Walker Rd. Junior Chapel Hill Lithia Springs, GA 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 N/A
DL Casey Irons Jr. Freshman Gilmer Gilmer, TX 2020 Northern Colorado
DL Livingston Paogofie Senior Bowie Arlington, TX 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 Dixie State
DB Keevan Bailey Sophomore Salem Conyers, GA 2019, 2020 N/A
DB Caleb Blake Rd. Freshman Bishop Moore Winter Haven, FL 2019, 2020 Florida State
DB Christian Cumber Rd. Junior Mullen Denver, CO 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 N/A
DB Xavier Goldsmith Rd. Freshman Cass Technical Detroit, MI 2019, 2020 Idaho State
DB Dajon Owens Senior Gardena Los Angeles, CA 2018, 2019, 2020 Stony Brook

References

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  1. ^ "WE'RE BACK". twitter.com/MountainWest. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Mountain West Conference postpones fall sports, ending football for CSU, Air Force". The Denver Channel. August 10, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  3. ^ "Complete 2020 Football Schedule Announced". Colorado State University. February 27, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  4. ^ "Mountain West postpones football, fall sports". ESPN.com. August 10, 2020. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  5. ^ Wittmann, Mike (September 25, 2020). "The Mountain West announces the return of football". Mountain West Connection. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  6. ^ "With football on pause, Colorado State promises investigation into allegations of racism, verbal abuse". Washington Post/Post Most. August 9, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
  7. ^ Pisani, Hart (October 8, 2020). "CSU completes athletic department investigation, releases findings". Journal-Advocate.
  8. ^ "Colorado State WR Warren Jackson opts out to prepare for NFL draft". ESPN. August 16, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  9. ^ Bonagura, Kyle (October 20, 2020). "Colorado State Rams-New Mexico Lobos football game canceled due to coronavirus". ESPN. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  10. ^ Orts, Jason (November 18, 2020). "UNLV-Colorado State football game off because of coronavirus". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  11. ^ "Colorado State Rams-Air Force Falcons football game canceled". ESPN. November 25, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  12. ^ Fredrickson, Kyle (December 11, 2020). "Utah State at Colorado State football game canceled due to USU player boycott". The Denver Post. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  13. ^ "2020 Colorado State Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  14. ^ "Mountain West Announces 2020 Football All-Conference Teams and Individual Honors". Mountain West Conference. December 15, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  15. ^ "Colorado State football transfer tracker: Roster update of players leaving, joining Rams". Fort Collins Coloradoan. July 22, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.