Features

Colorado State completed a very successful “Ram Fan Fest” open house event to allow fans to tour the new facilities at Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium. According to athletic department officials, around 2,200 fans attended the event. The impressiveness of the Rams Horn club level seating area and new luxury suites sparked interest from fans who swiped up the few remaining Rams Horn seats. There is now a waiting list for the Rams Horn seating.

During a private tour on the roof of the press box at Hughes Stadium Saturday, we heard an interesting, yet somewhat scary tale. During the 1996 season, as television camera crews inhabited the roof area as they still do today, a wind gust came up and blew a light-weight chair over the edge of the structure and into the west stands where thousands of people sat below during a game. The chair struck a Ram fan, who sustained injuries, but not as bad as they could have been. CSU has not allowed anyone to use chairs on the roof since the incident.

CSU has serious special team issues, but at least they don’t have Minnesota’s struggles in the place-kicking department. After having one extra point blocked and two kicked wide vs. CSU, Gophers kicker Jason Giannini shanked two more in a 46-7 win vs. Florida Atlantic Saturday.

DonTrell Moore ran for 120 yards Saturday vs. New Mexico State to become New Mexico's all-time career rushing leader with 3,928 career rushing yards. And to think, he was thisclose to signing with CSU four years ago. The Rams could use him in their rushing game right now, don’t you think?

As if new Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham wasn’t hurting enough when his team’s 18-game winning streak was snapped at TCU Thursday night, he received an additional kick in the gut when he returned home to find that someone had stolen eight of his championship rings -- half that he had earned as an assistant coach at Utah and half as a player for Brigham Young before that. The rings, which are valued at about $500 each, were swiped from a display case in the Dee Glen Smith Athletic Center on the Utah campus. University police said they have no suspects in the burglary.

Now that the MWC is starting to get into some conference games, coaches are already giving their annual predictions that no team will go undefeated through the league play. However, in the MWC’s six seasons, it has happened twice (Utah in 2004 and BYU in 2001). And, only one other time has a team with more than one conference loss won the league (in 1999, when Utah, BYU, and CSU all tied with 5-2 records).

Former CSU defensive stars Joey Porter and Clark Haggans have combined for four sacks (two apiece) in two games so far this season. Porter serves as the right outside linebacker and Haggans plays the left as part of the Steelers’ 3-4 defense, which has yielded just 14 points in two games.

Congratulations to Tom Hilbert who picked up his 400th career win this weekend with Saturday night’s sweep of Florida A&M. His lifetime record is 400-120, good for a .769 winning percentage. Hilbert’s record during his nine seasons at CSU, is 226-48. Hilbert said after the milestone match, “I wish they counted the lives I've touched. I think the wins kind of reflect that, but it has been a wonderful career and I hope I can continue it for a bit.” Hilbert has eight 20-plus win seasons and a 10-8 record in NCAA Tournament matches during his career. The team starts MWC play at San Diego State Thursday looking for the program’s 600th win.

Fans attending Saturday’s football game vs. Nevada will have a chance to donate through the American Red Cross to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina. The athletic department will take collections at the concession stands located throughout Hughes stadium from the time the gates open 90 minutes before kickoff through the end of halftime, as well as in the Ram Zone tent prior to the game. Wives of CSU football coaching staff members and student-athletes from their respective sport programs will assist in collecting the donations. CSU officials also said collections will be available during Ag Day activities in the stadium parking lot prior to the game.

Sonny Lubick will introduce Emmy and Grammy Award winner Art Linkletter Thursday at a special presentation at the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins. Linkletter is expected to share insights from his best-selling books and personal tales over the last 80 years. All proceeds from the event benefit the Larimer County Child Advocacy Center and CSU Athletics. For tickets, call 970-221-6730 or visit fcgov.com/lctix.

The athletic department is looking into scheduling a couple of luncheons this fall with Sonny Lubick, and the first one is set for Thursday, October 13 at Brauns Bar & Grill in downtown Denver (by the Pepsi Center) from 11:30 to 1:00. The cost is $27 per person or $270 for a table of 10. Please RSVP to Karrie Butler (at 970-491-4666) by Wednesday, October 5. RamNation will be getting a table, so if you’re interested in sitting at our table, please email us to reserve a spot.

CSU officials are asking fans to wear green at the game vs. Nevada Saturday for a "Green Out". Most CSU students attending the game will be wearing "For Ever Green" T-shirts provided by the school's student government. The general public can purchase the For Ever Green T-shirts through the CSU Bookstore, or online at CSURAMS.com.

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