FORT COLLINS, COLO. >> Ben Clarke was on the hunt this week. The University of Hawaii left tackle from Littleton, Colo., needed tickets for 30 friends and relatives as the Rainbow Warriors visit the Colorado State Rams here at Hughes Stadium on Saturday evening.

"Yes, family of course," he said. "And I’ve got a ton of friends who go to CSU."

You’d think there would’ve been a chance Clarke ended up a Ram himself — except for one problem: Colorado State didn’t recruit him very hard, if at all. Clarke said the only other school besides Hawaii to offer him a chance to play Division I football tuition-free was Air Force.

Now he’s arguably UH’s best player, and considered an NFL prospect … maybe not at left tackle but at center, where the 6-foot-2 285-pounder started as a freshman and sophomore.

Clarke is one of those guys who deserves better, a good player stuck on a bad team. But even he didn’t perform very well as UH was knocked around thoroughly by Utah State last week. Clarke allowed his first sack of the season and was called for a false start — the first time anyone can remember that.

Unfortunately for UH, it was a common occurrence for just about everyone on the offensive line.

There was some talk that Utah State defenders were bending and breaking the rules by simulating UH’s offensive signals, and that caused the Rainbow Warriors to jump the gun.

But Clarke is a no-excuses guy, and he knows when other teams see the tape and find out why the offensive line was flagged eight times for 60 yards they might try the same thing.

"We have to change up our counts so they can’t get them," Clarke said. "And just be more focused, too."

While Utah State dominated from the second quarter on, Hawaii’s recent history against some others — especially CSU — suggests winnable games but squandered opportunities.

Last year, the Rainbow Warriors had the ball in the red zone twice in the first quarter, only to have the Rams not only stop them, but take the ball away and score. Hawaii had a chance at the end of the 35-28 homecoming loss, but Taylor Graham’s Hail Mary bomb fell incomplete.

The last time here, in 2012, the rookie year for both Hawaii’s Norm Chow and Colorado State’s Jim McElwain as FBS head coaches, the Rams prevailed 42-27 — but only after UH failed to take full advantage of three CSU turnovers in the third quarter. Hawaii managed just one field goal when it should have taken control of the game.

Those losses were as frustrating as last week’s against Utah State, but following a 35-14 defeat hope is in short supply — especially when you’ve dropped three in a row and the next opponent has seven consecutive victories.

Since last year, nine of UH’s 18 losses have been by one score or less. But even with running back Joey Iosefa back, keeping it close in this one will be a tall order … on the road, at altitude, against the conference’s best.

But Ben Clarke keeps the faith. He has no choice.

"We felt like we could’ve, should’ve won (against Utah State)," he said. "We know we’re a better team than we’ve shown."

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.