What started with so much promise has turned into a nightmare for CSU football. After opening 2-0, the Rams have dropped four straight, surrendering an astonishing 222 points along the way. Joel and Mike discuss the historically bad defense, Jim Mora's accountability for the ongoing struggles, and whether new defensive coordinator Kenny McClendon can realistically turn things around. But there's still reason for hope. Quarterback Hauss Hejny returns to the lineup Saturday against a San Diego State team that may present CSU's best opportunity in weeks to get back in the win column. The guys break down the matchup, the Aztecs' vulnerabilities, and why Joel is surprisingly optimistic about CSU's chances. Plus, with bowl eligibility slipping away, what will it take to salvage the season and restore some confidence in the direction of the program?

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

KFKA sports talk host Brady Hull joins Joel and Mike for a wide-ranging discussion about CSU athletics and the future of the Pac-12. With the Rams sitting at 2-3 following three straight losses, the guys assess Jim Mora's first five games, the historically bad defense, and whether new defensive play-caller Kenny McClendon can turn things around. They also preview Thursday's challenging road matchup at Texas State and debate what it will take for CSU to get back on track. Plus, is the new Pac-12 living up to its promise of becoming the nation's fifth-best conference? The trio examines the league's expansion strategy, television deal, competitive standing and long-term outlook before wrapping up with Brady's insights from a recent CSU men's basketball fundraiser and expectations for the upcoming season.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What should have been a celebration turned into another nightmare for CSU football. A record 41,000 fans packed Canvas Stadium for Homecoming and the Rams’ first Pac-12 conference game, only to watch Oregon State roll up 650 yards without punting once in a 56-26 rout. Joel and Mike break down another historically bad defensive performance before diving into the biggest story of the weekend: Jim Mora stripping defensive coordinator Tyson Summers of play-calling duties mid-game, Summers leaving the sideline, and his subsequent dismissal from the program. Was the change overdue? And, why did Mora allow the defense to reach this point in the first place? The guys examine Summers’ surprising retention from the previous staff, Mora’s own responsibility for CSU’s three-game collapse, and whether new play-caller Kenny McClendon can use the bye week to finally make this defense remotely competent.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

CSU scored 45 points and piled up 500 yards at UTSA — and somehow lost by two touchdowns. Joel and Mike break down the Rams’ wild 59-45 loss, including an impressive first start from K’saan Farrar, an offense that repeatedly fought its way back, and a defense that has now surrendered 100 points and more than 1,100 yards in the last two games. They dig into Jim Mora’s visible frustration with the defense and its staff, the troubling run defense and explosive plays, and what changes could be on the table. Then it’s on to Homecoming and CSU’s first-ever Pac-12 conference game, as Oregon State returns to Canvas Stadium with an explosive passing attack that presents another major test for the struggling Rams defense.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After the reality check against BYU, CSU faces a very different—and potentially more revealing—test in its first road game of the Jim Mora era. Joel and Mike preview Saturday’s matchup at UTSA, where the Roadrunners have built one of the strongest home-field advantages outside the Power Four. With Hauss Hejny’s status uncertain and CSU entering as a surprising double-digit underdog, the guys examine the quarterback situation, a struggling Rams run defense, UTSA’s massive penalty problems and the matchups CSU must exploit to have a chance in San Antonio. At 2-1 and exactly where many hoped they’d be through three games, this may be the game that tells us much more about where Mora’s rebuilding project really stands. The guys break it down.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

CSU got its first look at an elite opponent, and No. 11 BYU provided a sobering measuring stick in a 41-23 win at Canvas Stadium. Joel and Mike break down what went wrong, from BYU’s domination in the trenches and CSU’s continued problems stopping explosive plays to the first-quarter hamstring injury that knocked Hauss Hejny out of the game. They also discuss K’saan Farrar and Darius Curry stepping in at quarterback, CSU’s continued knack for creating turnovers, and Jim Mora’s refusal to use the talent disparity as an excuse. Plus, the guys take a deeper look at the game-day atmosphere, CSU’s aggressive ticket-pricing strategy, the large BYU presence inside Canvas and whether record student turnout has masked a bigger challenge in building the Rams’ broader fan base.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

CSU is 2-0, scoring points in bunches and suddenly giving Rams fans plenty of reasons to believe. But now comes the real test. Joel and Mike recap a 58-24 rout of Southern Utah that featured 678 yards of offense, another five-touchdown performance from Hauss Hejny and four more takeaways from an increasingly opportunistic defense. They discuss CSU’s explosive new offense, Mel Brown’s huge night, the team-first culture taking shape under Jim Mora and some defensive concerns that need to be fixed quickly. Then it’s on to the biggest test yet: No. 11 BYU comes to a packed Canvas Stadium for a nationally televised showdown on CBS. The guys break down the matchup, what CSU must do to pull the upset, and what a signature win could mean for the trajectory of the Mora era. Why not the Rams?!

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

In this episode, Joel and Mike break down CSU’s 35-13 Border War win over Wyoming and a Saturday that finally gave Rams fans genuine reason for optimism. From a record crowd and students storming the field with the Bronze Boot to Hauss Hejny’s five-touchdown debut, an opportunistic defense that forced four turnovers and a disciplined team that avoided the costly mistakes of years past, CSU simply looked different under Jim Mora. The guys discuss Pryce Tracy’s promising offense, RJ Vick’s three touchdowns, the new Adidas look and why the biggest takeaway may be that CSU finally looks like a well-coached, competent football team. Plus, they look ahead to Southern Utah and what this encouraging start could mean for the Rams moving forward.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.