The Colorado State football program is preparing to bounce back after an underwhelming 2023-24 season. The Rams finished the year with a 5-7 record, which placed them near the bottom of the Mountain West Conference. Colorado State continues its buzzing rivalry with the rising Colorado football program, and head coach Jay Norvell took what appeared to be a shot at Shedeur Sanders when speaking about Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi.
“I was reading about Colorado's quarterback, and [he's] the all-time leading passer in Colorado history, and he threw for 3200 yards. So that means Brayden's thrown for more than anybody at Colorado Boulder has ever thrown… I'm just saying that for perspective,” Norvell said at a Mountain West Conference press conference on Thursday.
As Jay Norvell mentioned, Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi took an incredible leap with the Colorado State football program during the 2023-24 season. He amassed 3,460 yards and 22 touchdowns to go with a 51.4 QBR. The impressive part is that 2023 was Fowler-Nicoloski's first full year. In 2022, he completed just 17 passes for 194 yards and one TD.
On the other hand, Shedeur Sanders was no joke either. Sanders finished the season with 3,230 yards, 27 TDs, and held a QBR of 63.1. 2023 was Sanders' first year with the Colorado football program. He spent his previous two years with the Jackson State Tigers, where he amassed slightly higher production.
In 2022, Sanders threw for a career-high 3,732 yards and 40 TDs under the leadership of his father and rising second-year Colorado coach Deion Sanders. Shedeur Sanders' 2023 yardage may not have totaled as much as Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi's, but he can certainly give him a run for his money.
It will be interesting to see how the two talented quarterbacks fare during the 2024 season.
Colorado State football believes in Fowler-Nicoloski
Jay Norvell continued to speak highly of Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi when addressing the media on Thursday.
“We believe he's got all of the qualities to be special in this league. He threw for 3,400 yards. I don't think people really understand what that means,” Norvell claimed.
Norvell was impressed that Fowler-Nicoloski was able to be so productive as a true freshman. It will be exciting to see how the talented QB performs during the upcoming season. Despite their preparations, Colorado State has stout competition with their stateside Colorado football rivals.
Like the Rams, the Buffaloes finished with a losing record in 2023. Yet, Deion Sanders' squad is on a mission for improved success. In addition to Shedeur Sanders, Colorado will have many stout contributors.
Sanders' brother Shilo returns as a safety after totaling 54 solo tackles, four forced fumbles, one interception, and three passes defended.
Moreover, two-way star Travis Hunter will be back after missing a significant portion of the season with an injury. Hunter was a five-star recruit who committed to Jackson State but followed Deion Sanders to Colorado in 2023. It is unclear if Hunter will play as a receiver and defensive back like he did his freshman season. Regardless, his presence should help the Buffaloes make strides on both sides of the ball.
All things considered, Colorado's squad will be a great matchup against Colorado State in the Fall ahead of their must-see rivalry game.
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