The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 11/17/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Rachel Dembrun

It's amazing the difference a season can make. A year ago today, the CSU Rams were 2-9 with no hope of a bowl game. Three hundred and sixty five days later, the Rams are 5-6, one win away from bowl eligibility and have a possible road to the post season in their sights.

Linebacker Ricky Brewer, who was a redshirt freshman with the Rams in 2007, said that this season is completely different than last year.

"It's a totally different team," the sophomore said. "Last year we were just trying to round the season out and get it over with. This time around we are trying to get a bowl and that means a lot. We get to go play our rivals next week and we couldn't have it any better."

CSU moved one game closer to their season-long goal of a bowl berth, defeating the New Mexico Lobos (4-8, 2-6 MWC) 20-6 in front of a crowd of 17,000 populating Hughes Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Gartrell Johnson led the Rams offensive attack, rolling for 127 yards and a touchdown while surpassing the 1,000-yard season rushing mark for the first time in his college career.

CSU combined the steady offensive effort with one of their strongest defensive performances of the season. The Rams gave up only two field goals to the Lobos and held UNM running back Rodney Ferguson to only 85 yards on the ground. Ferguson averaged 102 yards per game coming into Saturday's conference showdown.

Brewer said that during the game, CSU took major strides to finally reach the potential he had seen since the start of training camp.

Continued...

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