FORT COLLINS, Colo. » Pick a poison.

Colorado State concocted a cocktail of ways to overpower Hawaii for a 49-22 football victory before 25,236 at Hughes Stadium on Saturday night.

While praising the Rams’ game plan, personnel and execution, UH defensive coordinator Kevin Clune groused: "There’s no reason a team should put up 49 on us."

The Rams rolled up 580 yards, including 293 on rushes, to improve to 9-1 overall and 5-1 in the Mountain West. They are tied for the national lead in victories.

In falling to 2-8 and 1-4, the Warriors extended losing streaks to 17 on the road and 20 on national television.

"It sucks," UH center Kody Afusia said. "But what else can you do but keep on fighting?"

The Rams entered unranked but not unloved.

"I vote every week in the coaches’ poll," UH coach Norm Chow said, "and I rank ’em every week. (CSU coach) Jim McElwaine is a good friend (and) an excellent football coach. And you can just tell by the way his team plays."

And on this night the Rams were not even whole. Wideout Rashard Higgins, who entered as the national leader in receiving (142.2 yards per game) and touchdown catches (13), did not play because of a bruised shoulder. He went through pregame drills before he was declared out, a decision reinforced when the coaches took away his helmet.

Quarterback Garrett Grayson also was iffy because of a groin injury and shoulder ailment. But Grayson bit his mouthpiece, then threw for 278 yards and four touchdowns. He was not sacked, and was infrequently pressured.

Grayson opened the scoring with an 8-yard strike to Elroy Masters Jr., who took over Higgins’ spot in the rotation. It was Masters’ first NCAA touchdown.

The Warriors closed to 7-5 when a handoff exchange malfunctioned in the CSU end zone for a safety and Tyler Hadden made a 40-yard field goal.

But then Grayson connected on two scoring passes — 52 yards to Charles Lovett and 30 to Steven Walker — to widen the Rams’ lead to 21-5 with 14:55 left in the first half. The Warriors have relinquished 11 scoring passes of 30-plus yards this season, including five in the past two games.

Lovett’s touchdown materialized on Grayson’s play-action deception. Lovett was by his lonesome when Grayson launched the pass. Lovett said the play is called "Dino."

"They called it," Lovett said, "and we scored on it."

Grayson said: "It’s our dinosaur play, I guess. We ran it in last year’s bowl game."

The Warriors had called a coverage in which a defender was assigned to track Lovett.

"There’s a guy who’s supposed to be there," Clune said, "and he wasn’t there."

The Rams had all the right answers with their multiple-choice offense. Dee Hart, who transferred after earning a bachelor’s degree in three years at Alabama, rushed 11 times for 115 yards and a touchdown.

Treyous Jarrells, a speedy perimeter-turning runner, contributed 69 yards and two touchdowns.

"Where the heck did they get that guy from?" Chow said of Jarrells, who transferred from Grossmont College this year. "He’s an awfully good player. And they took advantage of something we need to get corrected."

The Warriors had difficulty stopping the run, then did not apply enough pressure on Grayson. The Rams fumbled seven times, but lost only one, when Scott Harding’s skipping punt ricocheted off a returner.

And they missed tackles. In the third quarter, Lovett caught a pass along the left sideline, slipped a tackle and raced another 25 yards for a 71-yard gain. On the next play, Hart scored from 7 yards.

"We have to stop the run game," Clune said. "We have to play gap sound up front. We have to tackle better. And big plays in the (secondary) really hurt us. There are a couple of key things that have to get fixed. It starts with me."

On offense, the Warriors had difficulty cobbling together plays. Running back Joey Iosefa’s somersault scoring run in the third quarter ended a drought of 18 consecutive full drives without a touchdown.

UH quarterback Ikaika Woolsey finished 16-for-47 for 192 yards after going 6-for-22 for 56 yards in the first half.

Two UH drives deep into CSU territory resulted in two field goals.

"We can’t come away with a field goal," Chow said. "We have to score points when we have the ball like we did."

The Rams played man coverages, attacking the backfield while daring the Warriors to throw. The Warriors had seven drops.

"Any time you get man, it’s a one-on-one battle," UH receivers coach Luke Matthews said. "Give Colorado State credit. They did a good job, and our guys didn’t win enough of those. We have to get back to work."

Harding said: "It’s a tough one to swallow again. It’s on the road. They’re a good team. They beat us. I don’t have the answer. All I know what to do is to keep working."

TEAM STATISTICS

DEFENSIVE STATISTICS

HAWAII

COLORADO STATE

TACKLES FOR LOSS-YARDS — Hawaii, none. Colorado State, Kevin Pierre-Louis 1-6, Cory James 1-6, Justin Hansen 1-2, Max Morgan 1-1, Preston Hodges 1-1, Aaron Davis 0.5-1, Josh Lovingood 0.5-0.
SACKS-YARDS — Hawaii, none. Colorado State, Kevin Pierre-Louis 1-6, Cory James 1-6.
INTERCEPTIONS — Hawaii, none. Colorado State, Tyree Simmons 1-8, Martavi Foster 1-0.
KICKS BLOCKED — Hawaii, none. Colorado State, none.
QUARTERBACK HURRIES — Hawaii, Tevita Lataimua, Beau Yap, Daniel Lewis, Dee Maggitt. Colorado State, Max Morgan, Cory James, Joe Kawulok, Nick Januska.

FIRST PERIOD

COLORADO STATE
» Score: Elroy Masters Jr. 8 pass from Garrett Grayson. Jared Roberts kick.
» Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 3:00 elapsed time.
» Time: 12:00. Score: Colorado State 7, Hawaii 0.

HAWAII
» Score: Team safety.
» Time: 8:19. Score: Colorado State 7, Hawaii 2.

HAWAII
» Score: Tyler Hadden 40-yard FG.
» Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 1:26 elapsed time.
» Time: 3:58. Score: Colorado State 7, Hawaii 5.

COLORADO STATE
» Score: Charles Lovett 52 pass from Grayson. Roberts kick.
» Drive: 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:25 elapsed time.
» Time: 2:31. Score: Colorado State 14, Hawaii 5.

SECOND PERIOD

COLORADO STATE
» Score: Steven Walker 30 pass from Grayson. Roberts kick.
» Drive: 4 plays, 74 yards, 1:18 elapsed time.
» Time: 14:55. Score: Colorado State 21, Hawaii 5.

HAWAII
» Score: Tyler Hadden 36-yard FG.
» 9 x plays, 27 yards, 2:58 elapsed time.
» Time: 10:11. Score: Colorado State 21, Hawaii 8.

COLORADO STATE
» Score: Treyous Jarrells 9 run. Roberts kick.
» Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 3:23 elapsed time.
» Time: 4:28. Score: Colorado State 28, Hawaii 8.

THIRD PERIOD

COLORADO STATE
» Score: Xavier Williams 16 pass from Grayson. Roberts kick.
» Drive: 2 plays, 22 yards, 0:43 elapsed time.
» Time: 14:01. Score: Colorado State 35, Hawaii 8.

HAWAII
» Score: Joey Iosefa 2 run. Hadden kick.
» Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:05 elapsed time.
» Time: 8:56. Score: Colorado State 35, Hawaii 15.

COLORADO STATE
» Score: Dee Hart 7 run. Roberts kick.
» Drive: 6 plays, 94 yards, 2:17 elapsed time.
» Time: 6:39. Score: Colorado State 42, Hawaii 15.

HAWAII
» Score: Scott Harding 17 pass from Ikaika Woolsey. Hadden kick.
» Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 2:38 elapsed time.
» Time: 4:01. Score: Colorado State 42, Hawaii 22.

FOURTH PERIOD

COLORADO STATE
» Score: Jarrells 1 run. Roberts kick.
» Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:05 elapsed time.
» Time: 14:56. Score: Colorado State 49, Hawaii 22.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

HAWAII

COLORADO STATE