It was only fitting that Colorado State senior tight end Trey McBride would don the state flag on his uniform for his final collegiate game.

McBride saved his best for last in a 52-10 loss to Nevada this past Saturday. The Fort Morgan native caught six passes for 113 yards, his sixth 100-yard game this season. For his last play, he a took a direct snap on a fake punt for a 69-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

“I love CSU, I love Fort Collins; there’s a lot of good people here. It made it an easy decision to come back,” McBride said after the game. “My teammates, I can’t thank them enough. My coaches, Coach Bobo, Coach Addazio. I can’t thank them enough, for what they’ve done for me. My teammates, running routes to get me open. It’s a bond that will never be broken, and the friendships I’ve built here at CSU are special and something I’ll cherish for a lifetime.”

McBride finished his final season with 90 receptions, which is the seventh highest in the nation, and 1,121 yards. The John Mackey Award winner, presented annually to the nation’s top tight end, is virtually his to lose. Should he win, he will be the second major award winner in Rams history, 27 years after Greg Myers won the Jim Thorpe Award in 1994.

This season was made available to McBride by the extra year of eligibility afforded to all players who played or sat out last year during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Leaving CSU for the NFL Draft was also an option, as his run blocking ability would’ve landed him in the league.

Playing this year resulted in him finishing his career with 164 receptions and 2,100 yards, putting him in the top 10 among all CSU receivers. A career in the NFL is now surely in McBride’s future. ESPN draft expert Todd McShay had him as the top tight end and selected 29th overall in his most recent mock draft.

Best of all, McBride had the opportunity to finish his college career alongside his older brother, defensive lineman Toby McBride.

“Playing with Toby, that’s special, and something not many people can say they’ve done,” McBride said. Just a million things going through my mind. It’s just bittersweet that my time here is done. I wish I could play here forever, but now it’s time to leave.”