Despite having one of the old Mountain West’s top football budgets and some of its finest facilities, Colorado State has produced just one winning season since 2018 and the Rams are on their fifth head coach since 2012.
Colorado State went 2-10 last fall, and former head coach Jay Norvell was fired seven games into the season.
Jim Mora takes over after leading UConn to nine wins in each of the past two seasons. He brought as many as 14 Huskies with him, while also hitting the transfer portal at several positions of need as Colorado State begins its first season in the rebuilt Pac-12.
Colorado State never played in the Mountain West championship game, but they did beat some of the conference’s best teams, including with a Hail Mary against Boise State in 2023. Can the Rams shock the college football world and compete for a title in Year 1 of the new Pac-12?
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Colorado State Football Season Preview
Colorado State has holes to fill all over the depth chart, including at starting quarterback and running back, and at every level of the defense.
Who Will Start At Quarterback?
Mora’s first and probably most consequential decision to make is which quarterback will pilot the offense. It’s a three-way race heading into fall camp between returning part-time starter Darius Curry, UConn transfer K’Saan Farrar and Oklahoma State transfer Hauss Hejny.
Curry threw five touchdown passes and seven interceptions in five appearances last season. He tossed a pair of touchdowns in starts at Boise State and at New Mexico, but he also threw three interceptions in each of those games.
Hejny has the most impressive credentials of the bunch. The former four-star recruit appeared in four games at TCU in 2024 and started Oklahoma State’s 2025 season opener before suffering a season-ending injury. He posted nearly 2,800 passing yards and 27 touchdowns and added 1,041 yards and 13 scores on the ground as a senior at Aledo High in Texas.
Farrar, a redshirt freshman, doesn’t have nearly as much experience, having appeared in just two games at UConn last year. But he’s explosive. He racked up 3,086 yards and 36 touchdowns through the air and added seven scores on the ground as a senior at Green Run High in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The Rest Of The Offense
A trio of former UConn running backs look like they’ll lead a rebuilt backfield in Fort Collins.
Mel Brown is the favorite to be the featured back after he put up 935 yards and four touchdowns in two seasons at UConn. Oliver Lundberg also saw some carries at UConn last season, while Durell Robinson posted 731 rushing yards for UConn in 2024 before spending last season at Auburn.
The passing attack should be led by transfer receivers Terrence Smith Jr. (UConn), RJ Vick (Wake Forest) and Jordan Mosley (Mississippi State). They’re joined by returners Lavon Brown and Tommy Maher, who was No. 2 on the team with 32 catches last season.
Center Phillip Ocon is back to anchor the offensive line, but the rest of the starters will probably be transfers. Quinton Harris (TCU) and Payton Stewart (Michigan State) are the favorites at the tackle spots, while Diego Rodriquez is an experienced guard from UConn.
Can The Defense Stop Anyone?
CSU’s defense wasn’t great last year when the Rams gave up 426 yards and more than 30 points a game. But there’s hope that the unit will be better thanks to – you guessed it – a bunch of transfers.
In the secondary, cornerback Caleb Presley came over from San Jose State and should step into a starting role. Safety Elijah Mc-Cantos should also make an immediate impact playing beside Jace Bellah, who led the team with four interceptions last fall.
Leading tackler Owen Long hit the portal, but linebacker Oumar Diomande should fill his shoes after totaling 116 tackles for UConn last season. He’ll be joined by Antarron Turner (Wisconsin), and Mark Pretto is a talented pass rusher from Northern Illinois.
Defensive ends Stephon Wright (UConn), Khamani Potts (Grand Valley State) and Brandon Kelley (UConn) will be tasked with improving the team’s dreadful sack total from a year ago. On the interior of the D-line, Robby Harrison (Western Kentucky) and Alton Taber IV add plenty of bulk.
Colorado State’s Breakout Candidate
TE Juice Vereen – Vereen looks like a potential star and very well could be one of the top tight ends in the Pac-12. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound junior was limited to just three games at UConn last season by injuries. He began his college career at North Carolina State, where he appeared in 10 games as a freshman, including a four-catch effort against then-No. 10 Notre Dame.
Colorado State’s Pac-12 Championship Betting Odds
Colorado State’s college football betting odds to win the Pac-12 championship are +4000, according to BetMGM. Boise State is the favorite at +135.
Colorado State’s Betting Odds & Win Total Over/Under
- Colorado State’s Over/Under win total is 3.5 games
- The Over is at -150
- The Under is at +115
2026 Colorado State Schedule
Sept. 5 vs. Wyoming
Sept. 12 vs. Southern Utah
Sept. 19 vs. BYU
Sept. 26 at UTSA
Oct. 3 vs. Oregon State
Oct. 15 at Texas State
Oct. 24 vs. San Diego State
Oct. 31 at Utah State
Nov. 7 vs. Boise State
Nov. 14 at Washington State
Nov. 21 at Fresno State
Nov. 28 Flex game
Bold indicates Pac-12 games
Colorado State Season Prediction
I predict Colorado State will not win the Pac-12 championship, but I do predict the Rams will win more than 3.5 games.
Mora is a proven winner, and he has the resources at his disposal to win in Fort Collins. Whether that happens this season is yet to be seen, but an improved defense and more consistency from the running game could make the Rams dangerous.
Colorado State may not win a title, but the Rams could shock one of the conference’s top teams, especially with Boise State, San Diego State and Oregon State all scheduled to play in Fort Collins.
