CSU starting QB 2024: Who will start for Jay Norvell's team in Week 3?
Jay Norvell's Colorado State Rams are set to host the Rocky Mountain Showdown as they take on the Deion Sanders-led Colorado Buffaloes on Saturday in Fort Collins. Last year, the Centennial Cup was won by Colorado.
Both teams will come to this game with a 1-1 record. While the Buffaloes suffered a humiliating loss against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Rams registered their first win of the season as they defeated their FCS matchup: the Northern Colorado Bears.
For Norvell, Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi — who started the last two games — will once again be the starting quarterback for the team. In two games, Fowler-Nicolosi has thrown for 239 passing yards on 27 of 44 attempts, which include one interception and one touchdown.
“Brayden played pretty good tonight. I was proud of him. We didn’t throw for 400 yards, but his goal is to spread the ball around and win. His goal is not to get stats. I thought he played well. He didn’t turn the ball over," Norvell said of Brayden's gameplay after the win against the Bears.
"If he would have threw for 350 and had four turnovers, you guys would be upset, so I thought he played well tonight. I think Brayden’s growing and I think he’s going to continue to improve and get better.”
Fowler-Nicolosi joined Colorado State in 2022 as a three-star recruit out of Aledo High School. In his first year, he served as a backup to Clay Millen, who left the season midway due to injury, leaving Fowler-Nicolosi to start in the Week 5 game against Nevada. He finished his true freshman season with 194 yards (17 of 37 pass attempts), including two touchdowns and an interception.
The following season, in 2023, Millen was named the starting quarterback; but his weak performance led Norvell to name Fowler-Nicolosi as QB1 in Week 3. He led the program to a 5-6 record, with 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions on the field.
Colorado State Rams quarterback depth chart
Jackson Brousseau, a three-star recruit who redshirted his freshman year last season, will be Fowler-Nicolosi's backup.
Brousseau handled a few snaps for the Rams this season, achieving 3-of-6 pass attempts for 15 yards — which also included one interception.
The Rams don't have any QB3 or QB4 listed on its roster.