CSU Rams star Tory Horton likely to miss vs. UTEP, coach Jay Norvell says

FORT COLLINS — The CSU Rams football coach said Monday he would be “surprised” if star receiver Tory Horton plays in this weekend’s game against UTEP.

“I don’t think Tory will play,” Norvell said at his weekly news conference, “and (he) probably shouldn’t have played last week.”

Horton, a 6-foot-2 senior and one of the best wideouts in Mountain West history, played in the Rocky Mountain Showdown against CU — a 28-9 loss by the Rams — while clearly hampered by a groin injury he suffered in a win over UNC the previous weekend.

Norvell had said Monday that he expected Horton to play against the Buffs, especially given the stakes of the rivalry and the fact that it would be the first CU-CSU game in Fort Collins since 1996.

The California native caught just two balls for 24 yards, his lowest yardage total in a game since a loss at Utah State (20 yards) on Oct. 7.

“It wasn’t his night to play,” Norvell said.

CSU’s (1-2) resting Horton against the Miners (0-3) could give the Rams stalwart two weeks of rest, as Norvell’s team has a bye weekend next.

Horton started the season with eight receptions for 96 yards in the Rams’ first two games — a 52-0 loss at Texas and a 38-17 win over Northern Colorado at Canvas Stadium. The 6-foot-3 receiver also returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown against UNC, but left that game in the third quarter after suffering a groin injury.

The injury appears to have occurred after he caught a ball near the sideline, tried to fool a defender and ended up limping. He limped a few steps before collapsing in pain on the CSU sideline.

Horton is coming off back-to-back seasons with 1,000-plus receiving yards with the Rams. He followed Norvell to Fort Collins after playing his first two seasons under him at Nevada.