RamNation Radio

KFKA sports talk host Brady Hull joins Joel and Mike for a wide-ranging discussion about CSU athletics and the future of the Pac-12. With the Rams sitting at 2-3 following three straight losses, the guys assess Jim Mora's first five games, the historically bad defense, and whether new defensive play-caller Kenny McClendon can turn things around. They also preview Thursday's challenging road matchup at Texas State and debate what it will take for CSU to get back on track. Plus, is the new Pac-12 living up to its promise of becoming the nation's fifth-best conference? The trio examines the league's expansion strategy, television deal, competitive standing and long-term outlook before wrapping up with Brady's insights from a recent CSU men's basketball fundraiser and expectations for the upcoming season.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

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What should have been a celebration turned into another nightmare for CSU football. A record 41,000 fans packed Canvas Stadium for Homecoming and the Rams’ first Pac-12 conference game, only to watch Oregon State roll up 650 yards without punting once in a 56-26 rout. Joel and Mike break down another historically bad defensive performance before diving into the biggest story of the weekend: Jim Mora stripping defensive coordinator Tyson Summers of play-calling duties mid-game, Summers leaving the sideline, and his subsequent dismissal from the program. Was the change overdue? And, why did Mora allow the defense to reach this point in the first place? The guys examine Summers’ surprising retention from the previous staff, Mora’s own responsibility for CSU’s three-game collapse, and whether new play-caller Kenny McClendon can use the bye week to finally make this defense remotely competent.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

CSU scored 45 points and piled up 500 yards at UTSA — and somehow lost by two touchdowns. Joel and Mike break down the Rams’ wild 59-45 loss, including an impressive first start from K’saan Farrar, an offense that repeatedly fought its way back, and a defense that has now surrendered 100 points and more than 1,100 yards in the last two games. They dig into Jim Mora’s visible frustration with the defense and its staff, the troubling run defense and explosive plays, and what changes could be on the table. Then it’s on to Homecoming and CSU’s first-ever Pac-12 conference game, as Oregon State returns to Canvas Stadium with an explosive passing attack that presents another major test for the struggling Rams defense.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After the reality check against BYU, CSU faces a very different—and potentially more revealing—test in its first road game of the Jim Mora era. Joel and Mike preview Saturday’s matchup at UTSA, where the Roadrunners have built one of the strongest home-field advantages outside the Power Four. With Hauss Hejny’s status uncertain and CSU entering as a surprising double-digit underdog, the guys examine the quarterback situation, a struggling Rams run defense, UTSA’s massive penalty problems and the matchups CSU must exploit to have a chance in San Antonio. At 2-1 and exactly where many hoped they’d be through three games, this may be the game that tells us much more about where Mora’s rebuilding project really stands. The guys break it down.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

CSU got its first look at an elite opponent, and No. 11 BYU provided a sobering measuring stick in a 41-23 win at Canvas Stadium. Joel and Mike break down what went wrong, from BYU’s domination in the trenches and CSU’s continued problems stopping explosive plays to the first-quarter hamstring injury that knocked Hauss Hejny out of the game. They also discuss K’saan Farrar and Darius Curry stepping in at quarterback, CSU’s continued knack for creating turnovers, and Jim Mora’s refusal to use the talent disparity as an excuse. Plus, the guys take a deeper look at the game-day atmosphere, CSU’s aggressive ticket-pricing strategy, the large BYU presence inside Canvas and whether record student turnout has masked a bigger challenge in building the Rams’ broader fan base.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

CSU is 2-0, scoring points in bunches and suddenly giving Rams fans plenty of reasons to believe. But now comes the real test. Joel and Mike recap a 58-24 rout of Southern Utah that featured 678 yards of offense, another five-touchdown performance from Hauss Hejny and four more takeaways from an increasingly opportunistic defense. They discuss CSU’s explosive new offense, Mel Brown’s huge night, the team-first culture taking shape under Jim Mora and some defensive concerns that need to be fixed quickly. Then it’s on to the biggest test yet: No. 11 BYU comes to a packed Canvas Stadium for a nationally televised showdown on CBS. The guys break down the matchup, what CSU must do to pull the upset, and what a signature win could mean for the trajectory of the Mora era. Why not the Rams?!

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

In this episode, Joel and Mike break down CSU’s 35-13 Border War win over Wyoming and a Saturday that finally gave Rams fans genuine reason for optimism. From a record crowd and students storming the field with the Bronze Boot to Hauss Hejny’s five-touchdown debut, an opportunistic defense that forced four turnovers and a disciplined team that avoided the costly mistakes of years past, CSU simply looked different under Jim Mora. The guys discuss Pryce Tracy’s promising offense, RJ Vick’s three touchdowns, the new Adidas look and why the biggest takeaway may be that CSU finally looks like a well-coached, competent football team. Plus, they look ahead to Southern Utah and what this encouraging start could mean for the Rams moving forward.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

With kickoff finally here, Joel and Mike look ahead to Jim Mora’s CSU debut and a Border War matchup that could immediately set the tone for a new era of Rams football. They break down an offseason of massive change in Fort Collins, from CSU’s move to the Pac-12 and new Adidas uniforms to a revamped roster and an athletic department that appears more committed than ever to building a winning football program. The guys discuss what they’ll be watching for against Wyoming, including CSU’s still-unannounced starting quarterback, whether 60+ new players can come together quickly, the battle in the trenches, and whether Mora’s emphasis on discipline and attention to detail will finally produce a cleaner, tougher football team. They also make their predictions for the Border War and define what would make Mora’s first season a success. Plus, after last week’s memorable conversation with Jim McElwain, Joel and Mike look back at some of their favorite guests and moments from six years of RamNation Radio.

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This 200th RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

Former Colorado State head coach Jim McElwain joins RamNation Radio for a memorable look back at the era that produced CSU’s last 10-win season and last bowl victory. Coach Mac shares stories from taking over a struggling Rams program, why recruiting Colorado was so important, beating CU twice in three years, the unforgettable 2013 New Mexico Bowl comeback over Washington State, going toe-to-toe with No. 1 Alabama and the 2014 breakthrough that put CSU back on the national map. He also talks Garrett Grayson, Shaq Barrett, Rashard Higgins, the importance of the Border War and why he believed CSU deserved more respect nationally. Now retired, McElwain reflects on his return to Fort Collins and seeing Canvas Stadium for the first time, weighs in on today’s transfer portal and NIL-driven college football, laughs about some of the bizarre moments that followed him later in his career (i.e., Connor Stallions and the infamous shark photo), and explains why he thinks Jim Mora is a great fit to finally get the Rams winning again.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This RamNation Radio episode is brought to you by Pedersen Toyota, your Local Toyota Dealer Serving Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor and Timnath for more than 50 years. It is also made possible by Ginger and Baker — our favorite restaurant(s) in all of Fort Collins, and Ram Zone (powered by the CSU Bookstore) — the best place to get all your Ram gear.

In this episode, CSU Hall of Famer and eight-year NFL veteran Sean Moran joins Joel and Mike to relive some of the greatest moments in Colorado State football history, including his legendary 77-yard fumble return in the 1994 upset of No. 6 Arizona, the Rams’ breakthrough win at BYU and an unforgettable Border War comeback against Wyoming. He touches on three Border War wins, as this year’s version looms just two weeks away. Moran shares what made Sonny Lubick’s teams special, tells stories about former teammates including Joey Porter, and offers his perspective on why the program struggled to sustain that success in the years that followed. He also looks ahead to a new era under Jim Mora, who coached Moran with the San Francisco 49ers, and explains why Mora’s blue-collar approach reminds him of Lubick. Plus, Moran discusses what it means to now watch his son Jack compete on CSU’s defensive line and why he believes the pieces are in place for the Rams to start building something special again.

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