FORT COLLINS — Colorado State’s quest for a first Mountain West championship in 23 years begins on Saturday.

Jay Norvell believes the Rams have what it takes.

“I think we have championship DNA in our locker room. I really do,” Norvell said. “We have high character, we have courage, we have physicality and we need to build on that. I think the question now is, can we prepare at that level? Can we respond at that level and do the things we need to do day-to-day, week-to-week over the course of this season to have the kind of outputs that we want as a program?”

Moral victories don’t count toward the win-loss record, but CSU’s 38-21 defeat in the season opener at Washington was about as encouraging a loss as Norvell’s team has suffered during his four-year tenure in Fort Collins.

It was no

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