One Loss Does Not Spoil a Special Season for Colorado State

Nov 28, 2014; Colorado Springs, CO, USA; Colorado State Rams wide receiver Rashard Higgins (82) pulls in a reception past Air Force Falcons defensive back Justin DeCoud (13) in the first quarter at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The regular season wasn’t supposed to end this way for the Colorado State Rams; not this season. The season that was filled with so many highs including; blowout wins over Colorado and Wyoming, a last second field goal to beat a good Utah State team and a nine game win streak.

The Rams saw their win streak come to an end when Air Force kicked a 39 yard field goal to win the game 27-24. That’s not the way it was supposed to end; it was supposed to end with another blowout, a late touchdown pass from Garrett Grayson to Rashard Higgins or a Jared Roberts 39 yard field goal to win it.

However, unlike movies, sports does not always provide that storybook ending. There will be no conference championship game at Hughes Stadium next weekend and there will be no New Year’s Day bowl for the Rams. It just wasn’t supposed to end this way.

As difficult as Friday was for the Rams, their fans and their alumni, the ending should not take away from what this team has accomplished. They went 10-2 and re-established a standard at Colorado State that has been missing for more than a decade.

The seniors led by Grayson have laid the foundation of great things to come and there is still a bowl game in their future. A win in that bowl game would result in an 11 win season, something the no one saw coming back in August.

The season saw Grayson break every meaningful passing record for the Rams, the season saw Higgins break on to the national scene as one of the best receivers in the country and the season saw running back Dee Hart run for 1,000 yards and bring an attitude to the Rams.

There is far too much to be proud of in this special season, and it was special, to let one bad day at the office spoil everything. If Head Coach Jim McElwain decides to stay in Fort Collins, there will be more great seasons to come.

It’s important to remember that McElwain has turned this program around using someone else’s players. His first recruiting class is only in their sophomore year and that was a limited class due to his late hiring. McElwain has done a good job recruiting and the success this season will only help.

There are more special things ahead for the Rams but it all started with this group. It was a group of players that saw the lowest of the lows and made a commitment to stay in Fort Collins. These seniors made a commitment to stay when McElwain took over the program, they believed in his program and they got it turned around.

There will be other teams and more great seasons but 2014 will always be special, and one off day can never change that.