March 26, 2009

2009 schedule (HTML) | Printable schedule in PDF format | 2009 spring prospectus | Season-ticket payment plan/prices | Spring practice schedule | Future schedules

By Zak Gilbert
Athletic Media Relations

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Three bowl teams, including the defending national champion in many observers' eyes, and three Front Range rivals, will come to Fort Collins in 2009, highlighting the full Colorado State football schedule announced Thursday by the Mountain West Conference.

The Rams will host Nevada (Humanitarian Bowl) on Sept. 19, as well as Air Force (Armed Forces Bowl) on Oct. 31 and an Oct. 10 date with Utah, who finished as the only undefeated team in the Football Bowl Subdivision after dominating Alabama, the nation's No. 1 team for five straight weeks, in the Sugar Bowl. The Associated Press ranked Utah No. 2 in its final polls.

In addition to regional rival Air Force, the Rams also will host Wyoming in the 101st annual Border War, Friday, Nov. 27, bidding for their seventh straight home win over the Cowboys. CSU's other home opponents are conference foe San Diego State (Oct. 24) and its new head coach Brady Hoke, who led Ball State to a No. 12 ranking in the final 2008 regular-season AP poll, as well as an Ag Day home opener against Weber State (Sept. 12).

The Mountain West opts to wait until the spring to announce its full football schedule, including kickoff times, in order to all but guarantee fans that no kickoff time or day of game will change due to television or other circumstances after the schedule's release.

National television
The schedule includes at least eight television games, and possibly as many as 10 after the Rams' two non-conference road opponents make arrangements. Seven of CSU's contests will be carried on the MountainWest Sports Network (The Mtn.), and one - at TCU Oct. 17 - will be produced in high definition on VERSUS.

CSU football games on The Mtn. are carried nationally by DIRECTV (Channel 616) and numerous cable operators representing over 200 municipalities in nine states, including Comcast Digital Cable (Channel 411) in Northern Colorado. VERSUS is available on DIRECTV (Channel 603) and Dish Network (Channel 151).

Kickoff for CSU's 81st clash with bitter in-state rival Colorado, Sept. 6 at Folsom Field in Boulder, will be announced by June 15, per contractual agreement with the Big 12 Conference's television partners.

Special dates such as Homecoming, Family Weekend and others will be announced in the coming days.

3 p.m. kickoffs
For its two non-conference games in September, responding to feedback from fans, Colorado State chose 3 p.m. kickoffs in order to allow families with commitments on Saturday mornings, such as youth or high-school sports, the ability to attend the Rams' home games. CSU's September home dates typically offer great Indian Summer weather.

Payment plan available for season-ticket purchases
The Rams again have not raised home ticket prices, and in an effort to make purchasing season tickets easier for fans in today's economy, for the first time, CSU is offering payment plans, allowing fans to pay for season tickets in equal installments.

Fans are able to spread their payment for season tickets over the spring and summer, depending on date of purchase. To do so, fans need to complete a payment plan authorization form, available here.

Depending on date of purchase, fans can authorize CSU Athletics to charge their MasterCard or Visa in equal monthly installments until the balance is paid. Fans need to have their balance paid in full by Aug. 3, 2009, in order to receive their season tickets.

Fans with any ticket questions, including the family plan or the weekly prize drawing available to fans who renew season tickets online, should call 1/800-491-RAMS.

Second seasons
CSU enters its second season under Head Coach Steve Fairchild. On three occasions in the university's football history, the team has gone to a bowl game and authored a memorable season in the second year of a head coach's tenure.

The program following the 1948 season, then known as the Colorado A&M Aggies, earned a trip to the Raisin Bowl in the team's second year under Bob Davis. CSU punctuated its second year under Earle Bruce (1990) with a trip to the Freedom Bowl, and Sonny Lubick led the Rams on a magical journey to the 1994 Holiday Bowl, a date with Michigan, in his second campaign.

However, the 2008 Rams were the first team in program history to earn a bowl trip in a head coach's inaugural season, authoring CSU's best year-to-year turnaround in the win column since the team also improved four games from 1996 (7-5) to 1997 (11-2).