National projections for 2025 Colorado State football team and way-too-early bowl picks

[ASFN Admin]

College football is here, although there's still a small wait for most fans.

The extended Week 1 begins Aug. 23, with most teams not playing until the weekend of Aug. 30.

Colorado State is among those with an Aug. 30 kick (9 p.m. Mountain at Washington).

How are the Rams viewed in the college football world?

Here's a spin around some national rankings and projections as the season gets ready to kick off:

USA TODAY​

Writers Paul Myerberg and Jim Sergent projected records for all 136 FBS teams in USA TODAY. They penned CSU for a 7-5 record and 5-3 mark in Mountain West play.

Here's how they projected the Mountain West to finish:

• Boise State: 10-2
• UNLV: 9-3
• Air Force: 7-5
• San Jose State: 7-5
• CSU: 7-5
• Wyoming: 6-6
• Fresno State: 6-6
• Hawaii: 5-7
• Utah State: 5-7
• San Diego State: 5-7
• New Mexico: 3-9
• Nevada: 3-9

The Athletic​

Chris Vannini dropped his preseason ranking of all 136 FBS teams in The Athletic. Vannini has the Rams No. 89 after finishing 2024 at No. 87.

"Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi is one of the Mountain West’s best quarterbacks, but the defense has new pieces and the schedule is tougher," Vannini writes.

Here's how Vannini ranked Mountain West teams:

• 23. Boise State
• 48. UNLV
• 62. San Jose State
• 78. Fresno State
• 89. CSU
• 99. Air Force
• 100. San Diego State
• 109. Hawaii
• 117. Wyoming
• 120. Utah State
• 121. New Mexico
• 122. Nevada

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ESPN​

ESPN places the Rams No. 90 overall in FBS (out of 136) and has a win-loss projection of 6.5 wins and 5.6 losses. Basically, that means ESPN's model projects between six and seven regular-season wins for CSU, leaning toward seven.

Is it too early for bowl projections? Yes! Are they still fun to share? Yes!

Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach have dropped their way-too-early bowl projections and both have the Rams bowling.

Bonagura has CSU back in Tucson on a revenge tour with a second Arizona Bowl appearance in a row, this time against Bowling Green. Schlabach has the Rams back in Albuquerque for a New Mexico Bowl appearance against future Pac-12 foe Texas State.

On3 Sports​

Wait, did you say you want more bowl projections? Perfect! Brett McMurphy of On3 Sports has Colorado State slated for the Idaho Potato Bowl against Toledo.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: National projections, bowl picks for Colorado State football

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