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Rams' hobbled secondary a crutch in the clutch

By Jim Benton, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 21, 2008 at 3:01 p.m.

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If Colorado State gains bowl eligibility today in the 100th edition of the Border War against Wyoming, the Rams' wounded secondary deserves some credit.

Klint Kubiak and Mike Pagnotta, CSU's two starting safeties, were lost for the season because of knee and shoulder injuries, respectively.

Jake Galusha, who replaced Kubiak in the starting lineup, has been nursing a variety of ailments. Starting cornerbacks Nick Oppenneer and Gerard

Thomas have played despite nagging injuries.

"Those guys back there have been amazing," defensive coordinator Larry Kerr said.

In addition to the starting cornerbacks playing with injuries the past five weeks, Brandon Owens has come back after an early-season ankle injury.

At safety, redshirt freshman Elijah- Blu Smith stepped up to fill the void after Pagnotta went down.

"The safety position has been kind of a revolving door, with all the injuries," Kerr said. "Jake Galusha, God love him for hanging together. I don't know how he is hanging together, but he's hanging together. Those guys are doing a great job."

They'll need to do a good job again today if the Rams want to retain the Bronze Boot that goes to the winning school, improve their record to 6-6 and become bowl eligible.

The players know what is at stake in the Mountain West Conference finale today (noon, the mtn.), although Steve Fairchild and his coaches directed most of their comments this week toward focusing on Wyoming rather than talking about the possibility of becoming bowl eligible.

"Wyoming is a big rival, a tough football team, and this game means a lot to the guys in our program," Kerr said. "Of course, we're still playing for something, and that's important to us.

"We don't know what that something is yet, if there is a something, but for us, it's getting to the place to finish the season with a couple wins, a .500 season, and maybe that something is out there."

Even if CSU (5-6, 3-4) does win, the Rams likely would need a Utah win against Brigham Young and possibly a Nevada-Las Vegas loss to secure one of the MWC's four guaranteed bowl berths.

Meanwhile, Wyoming (4-7, 1-6) is playing for pride as coach Joe Glenn faces an uncertain future.

"What we have left is our big game of the year, at home, against Colorado State," Glenn said. "It's a great rivalry, and we are talking about the Bronze Boot. It's nothing more than a boot on a piece of wood and then bronzed. But what it stands for, what it signifies and what it represents . . . it's huge to both teams.

"CSU has it right now and the 'Pokes want it back. It would be a great way to finish the season."

Fairchild said he expects the Cowboys to play their best game for Glenn.

"I know Joe Glenn is a tremendous coach," Fairchild said. "He's won everywhere he's been, and not just won, but won big. I know him as a coach, I know him as a personal friend, and you're not going to find a better guy or a better coach than Joe Glenn. I know those players know that as well.

"I think, too, that they'd like nothing better than to spoil our outlook on things right now. There's no question that they're going to play their best game (today)."

Happy 100th

Wyoming and Colorado State will meet for the 100th time in football today at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie.

* The Border War series has been played in three centuries, dating to Nov. 30, 1899, when CSU won the first meeting 12-0 in Fort Collins.

* Since the end of World War II, CSU and Wyoming have played for 63 consecutive seasons, starting in 1946.

* CSU leads the series 54-40-5.

* Beginning with the 1968 season, Wyoming and CSU have battled for a traveling trophy called the Bronze Boot. Since the Bronze Boot was established, the series is tied 20-20.

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