Savannah State Tigers vs Colorado State Rams Match Player Stats On Sep 05, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Sep 5, 2015

Colorado State met little resistance in its season opener Saturday afternoon, scoring 35 seconds into the game and cruising to a 65-13 win over visiting FCS member Savannah State at Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins.

It was the school-record ninth straight home win for the Rams, who overcame five turnovers and notched the program's 500th victory in the coaching debut of former Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.

Redshirt sophomore Nick Stevens, making his first start for CSU in replacing third-round NFL draft pick Garrett Grayson, threw for five touchdowns and 289 yards on 20-of-28 passing.

All-American wide receiver Rashard Higgins caught a game-high seven passes for 84 yards and a touchdown while Jasen Oden Jr. rushed for a team-high 74 yards and added a 4-yard scoring reception.

Richard Williams II rushed for 73 yards, including a 63-yard TD, and John Barron booted a pair of fourth-quarter field goals for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tigers, who finished with 183 yards while suffering their 22nd straight loss.

Savannah State had high shotgun snaps on each of their first two plays, and Rams linebacker Kevin Davis pounced on the second one in the end zone for a CSU touchdown only 35 ticks into the contest.

After a three-and-out on the Tigers' next possession, the Rams marched 65 yards in five plays and 43 seconds, capped by a 9-yard scoring pass from Stevens to tight end Kivon Cartwright.

Wide receivers Deionte Gaines, Xavier Williams, Joe Hansley and Olabisi Johnson and tailback Izzy Matthews also added touchdowns for the Rams, who will host Minnesota on Sept. 12.