The Gophers women’s cross country team won the University of Minnesota’s 2024 Roy Griak Invitational at Les Bolstad Golf Course Friday morning, while the men’s team finished in third place.

Junior Ali Weimer crossed the finish line first with a time of 21:08.5 in the women’s 6K race while a crowd of spectators chanted her name. Behind her was teammate Emma Atkinson who finished at 21:13.7.

Five Gophers finished among the top 20 in the women’s race while four finished in the top 25 in the men’s race. Both the women’s and men’s teams improved from last year’s finishes when the women’s team placed seventh and the men’s ninth.

Before winning the Griak, the women’s team had not won any meet with more than three teams competing since the NCAA Midwest Regionals in 2021. Weimer said their win at the Griak is what the team needed to take the next step toward success.

Weimer said the win as a dream come true, and she was honored to follow in the footsteps of historic women’s cross-country runners. 

Crowds from Minnesota and other states showed their support for the 38th annual Griak race. Weimer praised the Gophers fans for their support at the Griak. 

“Honestly, this is the best fan base that we could ask for,” Weimer said. “The Gopher fans are the craziest fans in the best way possible.”

At last year’s Griak, Weimer finished 42nd, six spots behind the Gophers’ top finisher, senior Erin Reidy. Weimer said the program’s improvement comes from spending the last two years building toward success after experiencing disappointment.

“It’s been a lot of heartbreak,” Weimer said. “Quite honestly, the past two years have not been everything that we’ve wanted.”

Head coach for the Gophers cross country teams Sarah Hopkins said the older core of the women’s team puts the team in a prime position to win. Sophomore Izzy Roemer was the only underclassman of the women’s team’s top five finishers as graduate Brianne Brewster finished in 11th while Reidy finished 14th place. 

Hopkins said she was glad to see the men’s team developing as most of their top finishers were sophomores and juniors. She added winning the Griak helps the team pinpoint success and build confidence. 

“I think this group, of all the groups I’ve coached in a long time, really needed this day to trust and to believe that what we’ve been telling them about how good they are is real,” Hopkins said.

Emmet Anderson was the top finisher for the Gophers in the men’s 8K race by placing 11th, 25 spots higher than what he placed last year. 

Anderson said seeing his teammates run in packs during the Griak race reassured him that the team can perform well. Three of the five men’s top finishers, sophomore Shane Griepentrog, freshman Aidan Jones and graduate Lucas Florsheim finished between 21st and 25th place.

“That builds a lot of faith,” Anderson said. “Not only coming out here and knowing that I got guys that are gonna run with me but also at practice, knowing that we got packs that can train together.”

Finishing in 12th behind Anderson was his high school teammate and North Dakota State senior Hunter Klimek. Anderson and Klimek both ran cross country for Staples-Motley High School in Staples.

Anderson said the Staples-Motley cross country team usually had fewer than 20 runners and his graduating class was around 70 students. He said the two ran together for a large portion of the race, which helped him feel comfortable.

“I think a critical part of the success I had today was having a buddy out there that I’m pretty comfortable with,” Anderson said. “It gives you a little more motivation to hunt him down and put in that little more work.”

Every year, the University of Oregon sets an enrollment goal in order to determine how many offers of admission are necessary for that year.

According to the College Board, the not-for-profit association that administers the SAT, the UO’s current acceptance rate for incoming students is 86%. This means that for every 100 students who apply to the university, UO offers 86 of them acceptance.

According to Erin Hays, the director of admissions at UO, universities typically start with an enrollment goal before application season. The university works from an admissions “funnel” to determine how many acceptance offers it will send.

This funnel, from the top to bottom, describes the decision-making process that UO uses and goes as follows: prospects, inquiries, applicants, admits, deposits and enrolls. 

When considering prospects, the funnel may be referring to what states UO has listed as “top recruitment areas.” 

These areas include Oregon, Washington and California, but also states across the country such as Pennsylvania, North Carolina and New Jersey, according to Hays. Inquiries likely refer to prospective students that fill out the Request for Information form either before or during the application process.

Deposits refers to the yield rate, or the number of admitted students that choose to actually enroll, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling. As it is the last step before “enrollment” on the funnel, deposit is likely referring to students who have confirmed their acceptance to UO with a tuition deposit.

Hays said that for schools to get the “right number” of enrolling students, UO will work off its historical data to “know how many offers of admission are necessary.”

Last fall, UO welcomed its class of 2027, consisting of 5,057 students. This makes the class of 2027 the second-largest class in the university’s history. 

Based on the “formula” of offering admissions to 86% of students, there could have been around 5,880 applications to the university. This number of accepted students is based on day-one enrollment and may be different once the fourth-week census report is available.

The report includes students that started in the summer and will continue in the fall.

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Reggie Bush sues NCAA, Pac-12, USC

The Heisman Trophy winner and former Trojan running back is seeking compensation for the use of his name, image and likeness without permission.

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By LEILA MACKENZIE

September 23, 2024

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Reggie Bush will seek compensation from the NCAA, Pac-12 Conference and USC for the use of his name, image and likeness without permission. (Bryce Dechert / Daily Trojan file photo)

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Heisman Trophy winner and former Trojan running back Reggie Bush has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, Pac-12 Conference and USC. He is seeking compensation for the use of his name, image and likeness without permission.

The revenue streams identified as being tied to Bush’s USC career include television contracts, merchandise sales and media rights.

Earlier this year, Bush had his Heisman Trophy reinstated after it had been stripped from him in 2010 due to disputes about the NCAA’s rules against players receiving gifts from their school.

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Minneapolis City Council voted to give a $1.5 million grant to homeless advocacy group Agate Housing Thursday to save it from closing permanently. 

Agate Housing, a nonprofit organization providing shelter, housing and street outreach, will use the $1.5 million grant to repair the Agate Housing facility in Minneapolis.  

Sheila Delaney, a consultant for homelessness response and innovation, said Agate Housing is a unique housing service because it has a low barrier for entrance compared to other housing services.

“When you apply for housing, most of the time, almost all of the time, you need to show that you can pay for the housing,” Delaney said. “You need to show that you can pass a background check, if you are a formerly incarcerated person, and you are being discharged from corrections, getting back on your feet, you know, creating that foundation takes time.” 

City Council Member Jason Chavez (Ward 9), one of the bill’s co-authors, said the closure of Agate would negatively affect the Minneapolis homeless population who rely on Agate. 

“The permanent closure of this would impact not only the residents across Minneapolis but many of our unhoused residents and neighbors that need these critical services,” Chavez said. 

The Hennepin County shelters reported over 3,000 people stayed in shelters or transitional housing, with nearly 500 people experiencing homelessness.  

Agate funding spurring larger debate on homelessness in City Council

While the Minneapolis City Council approved the funding 10-3, there was heated debate about the cost-effectiveness of saving Agate and a larger discussion about homelessness. 

Council Member Robin Wonsley (Ward 2) said this type of legislation is needed, criticizing Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s current policy on encampments.

“Actions like these are absolutely necessary when we have the Frey administration that has this continuing whack-a-mole approach to encampments,” Wonsley said in the meeting. “This approach has not only shown to be ineffective but treats those most poorest and vulnerable residents with the utmost cruel and disdainful way.”

Council Members Michael Rainville (Ward 3), LaTrisha Vetaw (Ward 4) and Linea Palmisano (Ward 13) voted against the bill.

Rainville said the bill should wait until they have enough data on the city’s upcoming budget and how the lack of the $1.5 million will affect other government departments. 

“I want to be able to support this bill,” Rainville said in the meeting. “Good governance is not rushed and this bill was very rushed.”

Even with the bill passed, Agate Housing and City Council members say more work needs to be done.

Council Member Jamal Osman (Ward 6) said the state and federal governments need to do more to help the city address homelessness. 

“The City of Minneapolis is not equipped to deal with all this,” Osman said. “I want the mayor and the city leaders to understand the reality that the City of Minneapolis cannot handle this by themselves. The state must step in, the county must step in and the federal government must step in.” 

Executive Director of Agate Kyle Hanson said in a statement that he is grateful for the city council’s support, but Agate’s work is not done. 

“We don’t have all the answers yet and cannot say with certainty that the building will reopen, but we’re much closer to that happy result,” Hanson said in the statement.

The Boston University men’s soccer team visited Loyola University Maryland Saturday afternoon for a 2-2 draw, riding on a positive start to conference play and sharing points with a tough side.

Houston junior wide receiver Mekhi Mews runs the ball against UNLV during the second half of an NCAA football game, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar

Houston football will open Big 12 play as they face off against Cincinnati in their 30th all-time matchup. Houston’s 33-7 route of the Rice Owls that saw them dominate every statistical category is in the rearview mirror. Now, the focus must shift towards a 2-1 Cincinnati team that has their sights set on a second consecutive victory of their own.

What history has shown

Historically, Houston holds the upper hand with a 15-14 lifetime record over Cincinnati. Their first matchup came in 1957, a low-scoring, 7-0 win that sparked a six-game winning streak over the Bearcats that spanned seven years.

Recent history has not been as kind to the Cougars, as they have dropped their last four games to the Bearcats. Additionally, Houston has surrendered nearly 34 points on average across these previous four encounters, with the margin of victory being ten or more points in all four Bearcat wins.

The reason for optimism

From the outside looking in, one may believe those numbers do not bode well for Houston this upcoming Saturday. This is a much improved defensive unit under a new regime that held the then No. 15 ranked Oklahoma to sixteen points, their fewest in nearly three years.

The following week, they improved upon that performance by shutting Rice out through three quarters before surrendering their lone touchdown of the game in the fourth.

Though the season is young, Houston’s defense ranks third amongst the Big 12 teams in terms of the fewest total yards allowed per game at 238.7 and passing yards at 123.7.

They were second-to-last in both of these categories last year. The three starting quarterbacks who have faced Houston thus far have failed to complete 60 % or more of their passes.

An opportunity for the offense awaits

Scoring a season-best 33 points against Rice is a step in the right direction for the Cougars offense, and Houston has a shot to keep the ball rolling against a porous

Cincinnati’s defense has had its doldrums to begin the year. They have allowed a jarring 300.7 passing yards per game and 438.7 total yards of offense overall. Only eighteen teams have been worse nationally across all conferences.

While Houston has not shown a formidable air attack thus far, this may be the golden ticket they need to elevate their passing game. One thing Houston dominated the run game this past Saturday.

Numerous explosive plays occurred on the ground such as junior runningback Stacey Sneed’s 65-yard rushing touchdown and senior quarterback Donovan Smith’s 37-yard keeper that saw him escape Rice’s defense untouched for six points of his own. It would also end up being the longest rush of his collegiate career.

Cincinnati shut down the Miami Redhawk’s running game, only allowing 24 yards on the ground. Still, they did let Pittsburgh and Towson run for 196 and 194 respectively.

Preparing for Cincinnati

What still makes the Bearcats a very dangerous opponent primarily comes from the offensive side of the football.

The Bearcat’s leader redshirt sophomore quarterback Brendan Sorsbyhas completed 63.1% of his passes this season, with six passing touchdowns. He is surrounded by several talented weapons on offense including senior wide receiver. Xzavier Henderson is averaging nearly 100 receiving yards per game. Senior running back Corey Kiner ranks fourth in the Big 12 Conference with 326 rushing yards.

When asked about this upcoming week, Houston’s head football coach Willie Fritz reiterated the challenges that Cincinnati presents as the Cougars enter a nine-game stretch of Big 12 opponents.

“Cincinnati’s outstanding, they’ll have a great crowd, they just came off a big win, so it’s going to be a heck of a challenge for us,” Fritz said.

Fritz also touched on some of Houston’s defensive players who have made impact plays, which will be key on Saturday. Sophomore linebacker Jalen Garner recorded his first interception of the season last week.

“He’s getting better, and he’s earned the right to be in the rotation with the linebackers.”

Takeaways against a team that has yet to allow any through the air would be key to halting the trio of Sorsby, Henderson, and Kiner, 66 years after the Houston Cougars first set foot in Cincinnati.

Nippert Memorial Stadium will make way for a raucous environment, with over 40,000 fans and students looking to make their presence felt.  Houston’s defense made waves the last time on the road against Oklahoma, but it will have to be a total team effort for Houston to get their first win against the Bearcats since Sept. 15, 2016.

Houston will kick off against the Bearcats on Sept. 21 at 11:00 a.m.

sports@thedailycougar.com

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“Week four preview: Cougars look to build off momentum in 30th matchup with Cincinnati” was originally posted on The Cougar

Sunday’s rivalry match between No. 12 Oregon (8-1) and Oregon State (2-8) began with 3,207 fans watching intently, hoping for another home victory at Matthew Knight Arena. 

It concluded with the entire crowd on their feet, a Sophie Gregoire kill and a Ducks win.

The match began with an 8-0 Oregon run. The Beavers had no answers for the Ducks’ front row — which had three early blocks.

“I thought [our blockers] were putting pressure consistently on them. I thought we were making great reads,” head coach Matt Ulmer said. “When your block is set up because of the serve all of a sudden, our floor defense, we know exactly where to go and we know the gaps we need to fill. It just all works together.” 

Onye Ofoegbu was efficient and dominant in the first set. She recorded three kills on four total attacks to go along with her four blocks.

“We work on blocking a lot — a lot,” Ofoegbu said. “I feel like that helped a lot for tonight, but it’s a lot of work and a lot of practice.”

Both sides came into the match off wins at Portland State earlier in the week. Oregon hadn’t been home since its two-match homestand to open the season.

The return to Matthew Knight Arena resulted in the Ducks entering conference play continuing their eight-match win streak.

“I gotta think that for a non-conference match at home, this is probably our biggest crowd since I’ve been here,” Ulmer said. “I think that really provides us what we need, some experience with the big crowd before we get into Big Ten play.”

Oregon got off to a slower start in the second set. It had six attack errors in the set, which followed a first set with only one. The Ducks still controlled the second with multiple scoring runs to emerge 25-15.

The service line was the only thing that gave the Ducks any trouble in the match. Oregon had eight service errors but still recorded six aces.

The Ducks had the edge in just about every other statistic. They out-blocked the Beavers 14 to two and tallied 42 kills to 24.

“I thought it was our most complete match of the year. I thought we were very consistent throughout. I thought we controlled the ball better,” Ulmer said. “Our block is pretty dynamic and can really mess with a lot of people.”

Oregon State entirely ran out of steam by the time the third set came around. Between the collection of attack and service errors and emphatic kills from Ofoegbu and Mimi Colyer, any chance of a Beavers’ comeback came crashing down.

It was a complete performance from Oregon down the roster. Ofoegbu and Noemie Glover combined for 15 kills and 18 blocks, while Colyer finished with 10 kills and 11 digs.

“I think everything for us is consistency. I think we did a really good job in all areas. We’re really well-rounded,” Glover said. “We’ve been working on a lot of practice, kind of just like feeling ourselves in the court and knowing that we can do these things. So I think that we did a really good job executing.”

Oregon’s only loss this season was against the No. 1 team in the country — a University of Pittsburgh squad that hasn’t lost a single set all season.

“I think it’s important to try to maintain focus on our side because we’re going to play a lot of big teams, a lot of big names,” Ofoegbu said. “But at the end of the day, we have to play work in volleyball and focus on our side.” 

Next week the Ducks start Big Ten play. They’ll begin their conference slate at Matthew Knight Arena next weekend against the University of Illinois (8-2) and Indiana University (7-3).

Old Dominion men’s soccer team delivered a commendable defensive performance in front of an impressive crowd of 1,767 against #5 ranked West Virginia before succumbing to a narrow 1-0 defeat.

“Disappointed not to get something in the game this evening. I thought the boys played very well in the first half, but not quite up to scratch in the second. Proud of the guy’s work rate tonight, just disappointed in the result,” Head Coach Tenant McVea commented postgame.

In the second minute of the Sun Belt opener, a WVU player received a yellow card for fouling Tim Ennin. This led to a free kick for Graduate Student Andrew Bennett, who had already scored a goal similarly earlier in the season. He kicked the ball over the Mountaineer wall and hit the crossbar.

ODU’s defensive effort during the first 45 minutes was impressive. The upfront pressure and strong man-to-man defense prevented the Mountaineers from scoring in the first half.

In the game, Junior goalkeeper Michael Statham delivered an outstanding performance by making numerous high-quality defensive plays to keep a clean sheet for the evening. In the 43rd minute, a ball was played to WVU’s top scorer, Sergio Ors Navarro, who sprinted into the box for what seemed to be a great opportunity to score before halftime. However, Statham outplayed Ors Navarro in the box and successfully blocked the ball with his body, preventing a goal for the Mountaineers.

At halftime, the Monarchs had the game in their favor as they led 4-1 in shots and they did not give way to a WVU corner for the entire first half.

To open the second half, the Mountaineers gained some momentum as they put defensive pressure on the ODU backline and midfield ultimately resulting in a sloppy pass that yielded a Mountaineer goal in the 54th minute.

Following the mistake, the Monarchs did not let the single goal margin discourage them as they continued to fight throughout the entire 90 minutes. The Mountaineers dominated possession in the second half but were unable to capitalize, as the ODU defensive shape held strong.

The last 15 minutes of the match were hard-fought as the Monarchs searched for an equalizer. Graduate forward Timothy Ennin had a chance in the 75th minute but his shot went wide right. In the 88th minute, freshman forward Adrian Buri had an opportunity but also missed the target.

The Monarchs did not give up, and with under a minute remaining, they gained a free kick. Graudate midfielder Andrew Bennett took the kick and the ball was cleared by a Mountaineer, leading to protests from the ODU side due to a suspected handball in the penalty area.

Ultimately, the Monarchs fell 1-0 to the #5 Mountaineers, but they have shown that they can compete with the best in men’s college soccer, giving them something to look forward to in future matches.

With the loss, the Monarchs now boast a 4-3-1 record and look ahead to another crucial Sun Belt matchup. They’ll travel to Charleston, W Va. next weekend with a date against No. 10 Marshall. Kick-off is scheduled for next Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

Iowa Hawkeye Kaleb Johnson ran away with the Floyd of Rosedale as Iowa rushed to a 31-14 win at Huntington Bank Stadium over the Gophers.

The Hawkeyes lead tailback ran for over 206 yards and three touchdowns on 9.8 yards per carry. Gophers’ head coach P.J. Fleck said it was “a tale of two halves.” Minnesota thrived in the first half, faltered in the third quarter and broke down in the fourth.

“It’s a 60-minute game, I told our team. I said we played for 30 minutes,” Fleck said. “The job of the head football coach is to get his team to play hard for 60 minutes, and I failed to do that.”

Late in the second quarter, Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer led his team down the field with time running low in the first half. Darius Taylor bounced a run outside for a 17-yard gain into the red zone.

Brosmer on third-and-goal found Elijah Spencer in the flat. Spencer jumped into the air and bounced off a tackle before diving across the goal line for a touchdown.

The Gophers rode a touchdown lead into halftime on the back of Brosmer’s 165 passing yards and two touchdowns. His interception led to Iowa’s only touchdown of the half.

Minnesota outgained Iowa by 105 yards on offense, passing on 72% of plays. Fifth-year wide receiver Daniel Jackson led both teams with 93 receiving yards on seven receptions and surpassed 2,000 career receiving yards in the first quarter.

“I didn’t really get much press coverage,” Jackson said. “Just timing, running our offense. I don’t want to say anything special, just doing what we do good and executing it.”

For a moment, it looked like Floyd of Rosedale would be returning to Minneapolis with the Gophers up 14-7 at halftime.

Then the second half happened.

Iowa worked the ball into Minnesota territory with consecutive 15-plus yard gains into the red zone. Three plays later, Johnson bounced a counter run to the outside for a 15-yard touchdown to tie the game.

After Minnesota punted, a heavy dosage of Johnson led the Hawkeyes down the field. Johnson broke off a 40-yard touchdown run evading numerous Gophers tacklers and giving Iowa the lead.

Iowa continued to pound the rock down the field, wearing down the Gophers’ defense. Instead of a touchdown, the maroon and gold forced a 46-yard field goal putting the Hawkeyes up 24-14.

In the third quarter, the Hawkeyes outscored the Gophers 17-0 and outgained Minnesota by 145 yards.

Any chance of winning dwindled away for the Gophers when Johnson dashed outside again for 33 yards, eclipsing 200 yards on the night.

Iowa ran it on all six plays of the drive punching it in on a quarterback sneak with backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan.

Gophers redshirt senior linebacker Cody Lindenberg said Minnesota got Iowa’s offense in situations they liked and were able to execute in the first half.

“After that, (we) didn’t play a full game,” Lindenberg said. “Going into that second half, whatever it might have been, getting off blocks, making tackles, using tackling system … We’re gonna learn, watch the film and then get a lot better.”

At that point, fans called it a game, pouring out of the stadium.

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The Hawkeyes made sure the Gophers did not get a chance to smell the endzone as Brosmer threw a pass into coverage intended for Frank Bierman that was intercepted off a deflection.

While the Hawkeyes did not control the entire game, they did have the upper hand to start.

The battle for Floyd started pass-heavy as the teams combined to throw it seven times to just two runs, both defenses forcing punts.

After a 17-yard completion to Jackson up the seam, Brosmer threw an interception to linebacker Jay Higgins.

Iowa went up first when the nation’s leading rusher, Johnson, broke multiple tackles bouncing it outside to the one-yard line. Johnson then powered it in for the game’s first touchdown.

Late in the second quarter, the Gophers marched down the field on offense.

Le’Meke Brockington was left in man coverage with Deshaun Lee on the sideline and a pass from Brosmer led to a 28-yard gain making it first and goal. Brosmer found Jameson Geers who narrowly placed both feet in the endzone for the Gophers’ first touchdown of the game.

The first half was only part of the story as Minnesota lost 31-14 and Fleck dropped to 1-7 in his career against the Hawkeyes, the lone win coming last season.

Short-term glory, long-term worry.

Colorado State football defeated UTEP 27-17 in their third-consecutive home game at Canvas Stadium. The Rams came into the matchup sporting a bruise from a lopsided rivalry loss against Colorado in the previous week. After establishing an early lead, the Rams came out on top by just hanging on.

Despite CSU putting up 27 points, the offense lacked aerial prowess. Star wideout Tory Horton missed the entirety of the game despite playing against CU last week. The offense had to function without a top pass-catcher, and a familiar face stepped up in that absence.

Avery Morrow’s journey as a running back for CSU has been turbulent. From facing a jail sentence to not even seeing the field in week one, Morrow overcame all odds and showed out against the Miners. He finished with 21 rush attempts, 156 total yards and two touchdowns while outpacing fellow back Justin Marshall by seven carries.

“I got these guys who motivated me to keep going,” Morrow said. “Man, I’m blessed to be where I’m at today.”

Morrow provided the highlight of the game behind his supportive offensive line on a 73-yard rushing touchdown late in the second quarter. The guys up front provided a massive opening for Morrow’s foot race to the end-zone. Lineman Saveyon Henderson was an anchor at tackle and provided the offense with consistency and stability.

“We’re sticking together as a team, as a unit,” Henderson said. “We trust in the process, and we love each other. Once you love each other, you play easy — it’s playing free.”

CSU’s offensive cohesion was evident in their dominant run-game, but UTEP’s Kenny Odom made sure it was close. Odom finished the game with 128 receiving yards and two touchdowns, which led all pass-catchers on the day. 

The Rams, on the other hand, spread the ball to eight different receivers in what turned out to be an uninspiring air-attack. Armani Winfield and Jamari Person tied for the lead in catches at three, and combined for a mere 44-yards. Coach Jay Norvell said he still believes in quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, though, and is proud of the younger players who have stepped up.

“Very proud of how we bounced back,” Norvell said. “I’m proud of our coaching staff (and) how we handled our kids this week — and they responded. We didn’t play perfect — we had some plays and things we could have done better.”

The Rams saw a commanding start from their defense before tapering off a little bit. So much so that the Miners made a switch at quarterback halfway through the game following a lackluster 92-total yards in the first half. The defensive line and Buom Jock had a consistent presence in the backfield despite only cashing in on three sacks.

Special teams also had a say in the matter. Dane Olson provided a huge boost to the team with a punt block in the third quarter, which was downed at the seven yard line. CSU transformed that spark into their only passing touchdown of the day.

“It’s amazing,” Jock said. “When Dane created a block like that, you look up at the jumbotron — everybody’s going crazy. It’s an amazing feeling, because the offense we have — we’re going to go down and score right there.”

Big plays littered the field, but sustaining drives proved difficult for the Rams. The first drive of the game went 75 yards in 12 plays and featured a little bit of everything. Aside from that, CSU only converted on 21.4% of their third-down attempts against UTEP. This is made even worse when compared to the 58.33% successful fourth-down conversion rate on the season.

Gutsy decisions have paid off so far, CSU just hasn’t figured out a way to maintain offensive drives. The air raid hasn’t been present as expected — and it’s shown on third down. The Rams have an opportunity to figure out their identity in the bye week before facing Oregon State in week six. 

The return of Horton is still up in the air, but at least the running game has been grounded.

“Again, we’re looking at the long game,” Norvell said. “We want to be a better team in October and November than we are in September.”

Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @michaelfhovey.

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