I have a hard time ranking 2019 games because the season sucked and most of us had given up hope by that point. This game was a terrible loss, but it didn’t hit as hard as losses in previous years.

Before we get into the game, I want to highlight my favorite play of 2019:

I think this is when Barry Wesley became my favorite player on the team. Watch him for the entire play; he starts off with a cut block that springs Dante Wright for about 10 yards, then he gets up, sprints over to Wright and carries him for 5 more. This is the most impressive individual effort of any Ram in the 2019 season.

“That’s a play that doesn’t show up in the box score,” a generic color commentator would say. And he would be right:

Come on, give Wesley some credit!

The Rams started out the game pretty well. The game was delayed by lightning for about 30 minutes and it looked like Utah State came out flat. Manny Jones forced a fumble on the Aggie’s first drive:

Unfortunately, the CSU offense wouldn’t take advantage, getting stuffed on a 4th and 1.

Next Aggie drive was three-and-out, and then this happened:

Troy Golden! Blocked Punt! Our first blocked punt in five years! FIVE YEARS!

Last Ram to do it was Jakob Buys back in 2014 against Nevada. Almost a mirror image:

Golden’s block led to the Wesley play above which led to a Jaylen Thomas touchdown. Rams up 7-0! It felt like watching a Sonny Lubick team from the good ‘ol days, with the defense creating turnovers and the special teams making plays.

Unfortunately, a boner in the kicking game snapped us back to reality as Utah State ran the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown.

Warren Jackson sat this one out with a shoulder injury, but Nate Craig-Myers was able to pick up the slack with his best game as a Ram. He’d finish with 3 catches for 97 yards, including this big gainer:

The play would lead to a Marvin Kinsey touchdown, but you know NCM got grief in the film room for stumbling and getting caught from behind.

Back and forth game with a bunch of turnovers but the game really turned towards the end of the 3rd quarter. Game tied 24-24, Patrick O’Brien completes a 35-yarder to EJ Scott, who fumbles. Aggies get three points from that, 24-27.

Two drives later, the Rams have great field position to take the lead or tie, but Marvin Kinsey gets in on the action with a fumble of his own. Rams defense holds, but then this happens:

Two plays on offense, two Kinsey fumbles. Aggies go up 34-24 and that’s your ball game!

A game that started out as a throwback Sonny Lubick game ended up being just another classic Bobo loss with too many turnovers, boners in the kicking game, and soul crushing Marvin Kinsey fumbles.

The full replay is here and it’s actually fun to watch because the defense made so many plays. Just stop watching midway through the fourth: