The Colorado State Rams will host the Toledo Rockets in week four non-conference play Saturday night from Canvas Stadium. The Rockets blanked Murray State by a 45-7 score last week, and the Rams are coming off a 55-34 road loss to Arkansas. This marks the first meeting between these teams since 1973.
Rockets Cruise to First Win of Season
The Toledo Rockets will be aiming for their second straight win in this clash. The Rockets rebounded from their 38-24 week one road loss to Kentucky by notching an easy 34-7 home win over Murray State of the FCS last week in a game that had Toledo pegged as 37 point favorites. QB Mitchell Guadagni was stellar, collecting 228 passing yards with three touchdowns. The senior QB was quiet in week one against Kentucky, and he has tallied 388 passing yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in two games. Peters split time as the #1 QB last year and he posted a 13:3 TD to INT ratio.
The Rockets feature a terrific rushing offense highlighted by Bryant Koback. The sophomore RB was able to rush for 73 yards against Kentucky of the SEC in the season opener, followed by 62 yards last week after leading Toledo with over 900 yards in 2018.
Did something for the first time in almost two decades last night 👀 Check out the highlights from our home opener against Murray State!#LiftOFF | #ONErocket | #EAT pic.twitter.com/QN5scVWFoT
— Toledo Football (@ToledoFB) September 15, 2019
WR Bryce Mitchell has already surpassed last year’s total of 70 receiving yards with 125 receiving yards in two games, and junior Danzel McKinley-Lewis leads the Rockets with 143 receiving yards. The Rockets offense should have no problem scoring points when MAC play rolls around, and it will be intriguing to see how they fare against a Rams defense that has not looked good.
The Toledo defense surrendered 422 total yards against Kentucky in their season opener, and they easily shut down Murray State last week. The Rockets defense was an issue last year, and if they can improve they will be tough to beat this season. Toledo has scored an average of 34.5 points in two games, good for 46th overall, while conceding an average of 19 points, placing them 43rd in the country.
Rams QB Injured in Blowout Loss to Arkansas
The Colorado State Rams head into their non-conference finale eager to get back on the field after they were clobbered 55-34 by Arkansas of the SEC last week in a game that had CSU as 10 point underdogs. Rams’ QB Collin Hill sustained a torn ACL in the defeat and he is out for the season which is a big hit to the Rams offense. Junior QB Patrick O’Brien is expected to get the start as a result. O’Brien attempted 30 passes as a backup with Nebraska in 2017, and he went 8 for 11 for 135 yards and one touchdown last week.
Watch for Marvin Kinsey Jr. who has been a huge threat on the ground through three games. The senior RB accumulated a dazzling 180 yards on 20 carries against Arkansas, and he has accrued 310 rushing yards to go with 163 receiving yards.
An update on our quarterback, Collin Hill… pic.twitter.com/vnRoyTqp1H
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) September 18, 2019
Dante Wright has also been a bright spot in the Rams 1-2 start, recording 277 receiving yards with over 200 yards in his last two games. The Colorado State offense hasn’t been the big issue this season as they have plenty of weapons capable of big damage, but they face a tough task with Hill out for the year.
The Rams defense is scuffling, surrendering over 50 points in two of their three games which included a 52-31 loss to rival Colorado. They conceded 520 total yards to Arkansas last week and while Toledo plays in the MAC, they have offensive talent, so CSU will need to be on their toes. The Rams have averaged 34.3 points in their three games, ranking them 47h overall. They have allowed an average of 40 points, pegging them down at 124th in the FBS.
Team Trends
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The Toledo Rockets are:
- 3-7 ATS in their last 10 non-conference games.
- 2-7 in their last 9 games following a straight-up win.
- 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
The Colorado State Rams are:
- 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games after allowing more than 280 passing yards in their previous game.
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