Keys to bowling: What Colorado State football must do to beat Hawaii, become bowl eligible
HONOLULU — It's a battle of familiarity with a lot on the line.
Colorado State is 60 minutes of winning football from its first bowl game since 2017.
Standing in the way of Jay Norvell and the Rams is a Hawaii football team led by Norvell's close friend and former assistant (very briefly at CSU, even), Timmy Chang.
The Rams have crossed the Pacific Ocean to reach the islands and play Hawaii at 9 p.m. MT Saturday night in what is the last game of the regular season.
CSU (5-6, 3-4 Mountain West) needs to win to reach bowl eligibility.
Here is a look at the keys to victory for the Rams.
Start fast, don't fade
It's always talked about, but with good reason. The at Hawaii trip is one of the most difficult road games in all of college football.
It's a brutally long flight (about 8 hours for CSU from Denver International Airport) and a difference of three time zones.
The Rams travelled Thursday instead of the normal Friday for a road game to try and help adjust to the time change. With no classes in session due to Thanksgiving break, CSU held practices and meetings later in the days leading up to the trip to help prepare.
Center Jacob Gardner played at Hawaii while at Nevada and said the second-half fatigue in these late games is real. Halftime of Saturday's game will come at roughly 11 p.m. Mountain time.
It is a real challenge, but one that players also must not let become an overwhelming mental hurdle.
Getting a first-half lead would be a great boost. Then the Rams must be sharp in the second half to avoid costly mistakes.
Hawaii (4-8, 2-5 MW) is playing for pride, CSU is playing for a bowl.
Stars need to dominate
In a big game the best players need to lead.
Tory Horton is 50 yards away from 1,000 on the season. It's hard to imagine the Rams winning without him at least getting there.
Mohamed Kamara is three sacks from tying Clark Haggans for the all-time program record. Hawaii has allowed the most sacks in the Mountain West and has the second-most turnovers (ahead of only CSU) in the league. Kamara's final regular season game as a Ram could be historic.
Jack Howell and Chase Wilson are both over 100 tackles on the season and helping a defense going through a mini resurgence.
Norvell frequently talks about "competitive stamina" and one of the points within that message is the ability for players to use every ounce of effort and ability in a game.
These leaders need to be the guide Saturday night.
Empty the play sheet
CSU has mixed in some intriguing trick plays this season, including touchdown passes to Dallin Holker from both receiver Tory Horton and reserve QB Giles Pooler on a fake field goal.
There have been some other wrinkles and ideas mixed in that didn't come to fruition, but there's a deep trick play bag.
This isn't to say they'll all be called, but there's no "wait for next week" now. Expect aggression.
It doesn't mean just trick plays, but the plan itself should call for CSU to demand to dictate terms. It's the Rams' requirement to take control.
Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi will need to be smart with the ball. At times that can mean protected play-calling from Norvell, but this is an attack week.
Hawaii is built with a strong defense and an offense with big playmakers, but susceptible to setbacks via sacks and turnovers. The Rams must destabilize that Hawaii defense early against a head coach who will know the schemes.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Keys to bowling: What Colorado State football must do to beat Hawaii, become bowl eligible
