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Four Rams Trading Cap And Gown For New Orleans Bowl Trip
Colorado State continues preparation for New Orleans Bowl.
Dec. 13, 2001
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - When Colorado State University's football team loads up buses Friday morning with the travel party for the Rams' Dec. 18 New Orleans Bowl game with North Texas, four players will pass up the caps and gowns of commencement exercises for the helmets and shoulder pads of a third consecutive bowl appearance. The Rams, who finished second in the Mountain West Conference, face Sun Belt Conference champion North Texas in the first bowl game of the season in the Louisiana Superdome Tuesday night (7 p.m. CT/6 p.m. MT-ESPN2). It will be a historical journey for the Rams, making a third consecutive bowl trip for the first time in school history, and a sixth both game in coach Sonny Lubick's nine seasons. Four seniors have earned their undergraduate degrees with the conclusion of the fall term, but won't join other graduates for commencement exercises this week on the Colorado State campus. Starting wide receivers Dallas Davis and Pete Rebstock, special teams stalwart Brad Svoboda, and kicker Kent Naughton will all graduate. They are four of now six Rams playing in the Dec. 18 who have already earned degrees. Starting defensive tackle Lucas Smith is enrolled in a graduate degree program and plans to become a teacher after earning a bachelor's degree last spring in Wildlife Biology. Teammate Ameer Lowe, likewise, earned his undergraduate degree and is pursuing two more degrees at Colorado State. "I could not be prouder of these guys," said Lubick. "They really do in every way reflect what a true student-athlete should be. We stress academics in our program, and leadership. These guys take it to the next level. They are just a pleasure to be around." Lubick and his staff will put the final touches on preparations in Fort Collins with a one-hour workout Thursday afternoon that begins at 3:30 p.m. The team will dress in sweatsuits for its final practice before moving workouts to New Orleans. Once the team arrives in New Orleans Friday afternoon, they'll partake in an orientation and photo session at the Superdome, then practice both Saturday and Sunday from 12:30-2:30 p.m. at nearby Tulane University. Monday, the team will stage a walk-through at the Superdome, then face the Mean Green Tuesday night. The game marks the first time since a 1972 loss to the University of Houston in the Astrodome that a Rams' team has played in an indoor stadium. And, the game will be the first time this season that Colorado State will have played a game on artificial turf. Colorado State is 7-9 in 16 games on artificial surfaces in Lubick's tenure with the Rams. Bowl Site Practices
Friday, Dec. 14, 4 p.m., New Orleans Bowl orientation, Louisiana
Superdome
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