Fresno State vs. Colorado State Prediction and Game Preview

Fresno State vs. Colorado State Keys to Victory

1. Momentum for E.J. Warner
In Warner’s first three games of the season he threw five interceptions and zero touchdowns. In the three since, he’s tossed seven scores and just one pick, upping his yardage and efficiency as well. The son of Hall of Famer Kurt Warner spreads the ball around well, as he’s had five different leading receivers in six games. Colorado State’s defense has held up fine enough against the pass, but it’s still a plus matchup for Warner on the road. The Rams gave up 256 yards on just 16 attempts (16 yards per attempt) last time out to San Diego State quarterback Jayden Denegal. More good news for Warner: CSU only has three interceptions this season.

2. Tough test for Jackson Brosseau
The Rams benched Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi a few games ago in favor of sophomore Jackson Brosseau. The offense was struggling with Fowler-Nicolosi under center and has not necessarily been lighting it up since the move to Brosseau. Colorado State was held to a field goal at home against Washington State but scored a season-high 24 points last week against the Aztecs. Fresno State allows less than 200 passing yards per game, and its opportunistic secondary already has nine interceptions, including three in each of its last two games. Brosseau, who’s yet to throw a pick, has also taken seven sacks across two starts, and his accuracy is trending in the wrong direction.

3. Can the Rams stop the run?
Even though the Bulldogs have a highly efficient passing offense with Warner, they’re still a run-first offense with Bryson Donelson and Rayshon Luke leading the way. Colorado State has been gashed on the ground this season, and Donelson ran for 140 yards on just 12 carries when these teams met last November. In particular, the Rams have struggled to stop the run in the red zone, where opponents have scored on all 15 trips inside the 20 against them. That poor metric includes nine rushing touchdowns. Conversely, Fresno State has done much of its damage on offense down near the end zone on the ground.

Score Prediction: Fresno State 27, Colorado State 20

The Rams appear to be in a state of disarray as they're off to their worst start since 2022. Brosseau deserves time to find his footing, but a visit from a surging Bulldogs team might not be the game he and the offense put it all together. Warner should have no issue moving Fresno State downfield, where he can rely on his running backs to finish off drives.

ATS: Fresno State -6.5
O/U: Over 46.5