As the Colorado State football team travels to the Air Force Academy this weekend looking to improve to 2-0 in Mountain West Conference play, special teams have played a pivotal role in the team’s early-season success.

Specifically, the Rams have relied on the legs of kicker Jordan Noyes and punter Paddy Turner, and both have shown the ability to change the outcomes of games.

Noyes, the Rams’ 32-year-old British father of three, showed last year he could come through in the clutch. Against Boise State, after the Rams tied the game on a Hail Mary in the closing seconds, he made a long extra point to give them their first-ever victory over the Broncos.

He had already proven to his coaches and teammates they could trust him, but that trust was elevated even more last week against San Jose State. In the second quarter, he was called on to attempt a 61-yard field goal. Even though the ball went through, the Spartans called a timeout right before it, forcing Noyes to make another attempt. The snap wasn’t perfect and his kick fell short, but he proved he had leg to kick it that far.

So, when the Rams faced a similar dilemma in the second half, Noyes came through again. His 58-yarder that extended CSU’s lead was the longest field goal by a CSU player since 1986 and tied for the fourth-longest in program history. It was also Noyes’ career long.

“We tried the one earlier in the game and we had that bad snap,” CSU head coach Jay Norvell said. “I knew he had the leg. I was prepared to punt it there and Jordan said he could make it, and I said, ‘Well, go make it then.’ But I do have confidence in him.”

For the season, Noyes has made 14-of-14 extra point attempts and 6-of-8 field goals.

His teammates share the confidence his coach has in him, as well. They knew he had the ability to make both those long attempts.

“That 60-yarder, he had made it that first one and then we bobbled the snap a little on the second one, but we were going to punt it (initially),” defensive back Jack Howell said. “They were saying, ‘Punt team alert. Punt team alert,’ and we were going out there and then we go, ‘Nah, Jordan can make this. Send in the field goal unit.’ So that’s what everyone was saying and sure enough, he went out there and I think if we wouldn’t have bobbled it, he would have got that, and then he proved that with that 58-yarder.”

Meanwhile, Turner is in his third season as the Rams’ punter and has gotten better every year. This season, he is averaging 43.3 yards per punt, has seven punts of 50 yards or more, and has placed 14 attempts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.

“Paddy is just such a talented punter,” Norvell said. “He did a great job kicking the ball away from them last week and so we are really fortunate to have two really excellent kickers.”

Turner and Noyes will look to continue their important contributions Saturday when the Rams face the Falcons at 6 p.m. at Falcon Stadium. CSU hasn’t beaten Air Force since 2016.