Lytle: Finally, Colorado State football is playing an important game Thanksgiving week
Jack Howell glared out from behind the press conference table.
His piercing look said enough itself.
It was a message of “job isn’t done.”
His accompanying words shared the importance of where he and his Colorado State football teammates are.
“Coming into this season I had six total wins at CSU. That’s frustrating. I come from a family that likes to win, I’m really competitive, so that hurts,” Howell said.
“This year, to be able to have five wins and going for our sixth for a bowl game, that’s huge. Being able to do it with this group of guys is really special.”
It’s been ages in college football terms since CSU was playing a game that mattered in late November.
The last time was 2017. Since then, two CSU football coaches have been fired and there have been roughly a million conference realignment shifts in the sport.
From then until now is a long time in this world.
Now, finally, CSU football fans have a Thanksgiving week where their team is playing a game that matters.
A 30-20 win over Nevada on Saturday at Canvas Stadium has CSU one win from bowl eligibility.
If CSU can travel across the Pacific Ocean and navigate the always-tricky road game at Hawaii to return to the mainland with a win, the Rams will go bowling.
There are some who feel bowl season is bloated and the value diluted. There are plenty of improvement points needed with this CSU team. The Rams have hardly beat anyone good.
None of those thoughts or points matter right now. This program was so low.
In 2021 it was the laughingstock of college football as Steve Addazio bumbled through the lone full season of his tenure. The Rams frequently went viral — always for bad reasons.
So, forget the issues or how 6-6 in the longterm can’t be an acceptable goal. This CSU football program and its fans needed a season with some positivity.
This has a chance to be it. Five wins is the most since 2017, the last time the Rams bowled. They actually are winning games at home.
In two years if we’re still talking about a season finale to make a bowl there will be problems. But that’s not what this program is right now.
A bowl, no matter how curious the path to get there, would be significant.
“It’s one to win now,” coach Jay Norvell said.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado State football fans desperate to win bowl eligibility chase
