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POSTGAME NOTES

• P Pete Kontodiakos had a 54-yard punt today, registering a punt of 50 yards or more for the second week in a row. His season average is now 46.82 after two games, on pace for the highest season gross punting average in school history. He is targeting the current record held by Mike Deutsch , of 46.1, in 1976.
• LB Max Morgan forced a third-quarter fumble that was recovered by DE Lanston Tanyi, giving the Rams a takeaway by fumble recovery for the fifth consecutive game, dating back to last season. CSU has now recorded a takeaway in each of the past 11 games.
• LB Shaquil Barrett led the Rams with a career-high 15 tackles, including a sack for a loss of 6 yards. His previous high of 14 came vs. San Diego State on 11/12/11 and at Utah State on 9/24/11.
• RS-Fr. RB Donnell Alexander made his first career start tonight and rushed for  59 yards on 12 carries (4.9), including a 28-yard scamper in the second quarter. He also caught two passes for 19 yards.
• The CSU defense held an opponent under 200 yards passing for the third game in a row, dating back to last year.
• The Rams managed just 11 first downs and converted 1-of-10 third-down attempts. The last time CSU had just 11 first downs was 10/15/11 vs. Boise State. In the same game the Rams were 1-of-12 on third down.
• North Dakota State converted 12-of-21 third-down attempts, keeping the CSU offense off the field for chunks of time. That allowed the Bison to run 81 offensive plays, to the Rams’ 48. That was the fewest plays run in a game by CSU since the 47 run in the 2009 home opener vs. Weber State (9/12/09).
• Garrett Grayson connected with TE Crockett Gilmore for a 69-yard touchdown pass just 1:30 into the game to give CSU a 7-0 lead.
• It was the longest completion of Grayson’s career, topping his 66-yard completion to Ray Carter at TCU 11/19/11, in his first career start.
• The play was the longest passing TD for CSU since Oct. 16, 2010, when Pete Thomas found Lou Greenwood for a 73-yard touchdown.
• The Rams were stopped for a safety on a Tommey Morris rushing attempt from inside the 1 in the first quarter. The last safety scored by a CSU opponent came in the final home game of 2011, Dec. 3, Wyoming.
• North Dakota State blocked a 51-yard CSU field goal attempt in the second quarter.
• The block was the first of a CSU field-goal attempt since 10/29/11 at UNLV.
• The 51-yard field-goal attempt was the longest by a Ram since 9/25/10 vs. Idaho (51, no good, Ben DeLine).
• The last CSU attempt of a greater distance came 10/18/08 at Utah (52, good, Jason Smith). The last attempt of greater length at home was 11/25/06 vs. TCU (56, no good, Jason Smith).
• CSU’s game captains today: WR Marquise Law, TE Austin Gillmore, CB Marcus Shaw & P Pete Kontodiakos.
• The Rams won the toss and elected to receive. NDSU chose to defend the south goal.