FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Sometimes, the task is to shock the world.
That's the challenge CSU football will face this Saturday when the team travels to face No. 5 Iowa.
The Hawkeyes, 3-0 and every bit of a College Football Playoff contender, are early 23.5-point favorites against the Rams. Still, CSU was more than a two touchdown underdog last week at Toledo and won outright, 22-6. It was the team's first win of the season after losses to South Dakota State and Vanderbilt.
On Monday at his weekly press conference, CSU head coach Steve Addazio said his team is embracing what will be an extremely difficult test.
“I think our team’s excited (and) we’re looking forward to this challenge. We’re not naïve, we know how good this football team is. I mean, it’s pretty evident, they’re the No. 5 team in the country and they should be. But, in the same breath, we’ve got to focus on us. We’ve got to get better again this week," Addazio said.
Iowa beat No. 17 Indiana 34-6 to open its season then followed that up with a road win against No. 9 Iowa State by a score of 27-17. They handled Kent State 30-7 in Week 3.
For CSU to pull the upset, they'll have to play darn near perfect football.
“I think we have to play a clean, consistent game. I’m looking for that. I want to see our physicality against what many would say would be one of the most physical football teams in all of America," Addazio said. "I mean, you’re (ranked) five, you’re four steps from one. They’ve always been a physical team. This is not a new phenomena. I played against them. I know exactly what we’re up against.”
The Rams and Hawkeyes kickoff at 1:30 p.m. MST on Saturday on Fox Sports 1.
>> Video above: CSU head coach Steve Adazzio at his Monday press conference on facing No. 5 Iowa
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