By Jake Levin
In this week’s featured game in the Centennial State, the top two teams in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and a pair of top 10 ranked schools meet in Gunnison on Saturday when No. 8 Western Colorado hosts No. 10 CSU Pueblo. The kickoff is at 1 p.m., and the game will be streamed on the RMAC Network.
CSU Pueblo leads the series between the two schools 18-12, with 12 of those victories coming when the school relaunched its football program in 2008. The Mountaineers have won the last three games, highlighted by a 30-14 win at Pueblo last September when both squads were nationally ranked.
With both schools atop the league standings with 6-0 records, the contest features the top two offenses in the RMAC and the third- and fourth-ranked defenses in the 10-team conference, where four of the squads are listed among the nation’s elite NCAA Division II program.
CSU Pueblo tops the RMAC in scoring (43.6 points per game) and total offense (484.8 yards a contest). The Pack is also fourth in scoring (18.8 points a game) and total defense (313.1 yards per game). Western Colorado is second in scoring (38.4) and total offense (454.8). On defense, the Mountaineers are third in scoring (16.9) and total defense (268.4).
With eight straight wins this season, Western Colorado is led by quarterback Drew Nash. A 6-2, 215-pounder from Torrance, Calif., Nash ranks third in RMAC total offense with 255.0 yards per game, including 211.1 yards passing with 14 touchdowns. He has also rushed for five scores.
Braeden Hogan compliments Nash by rushing for 73.9 yards per game with five TDs. Josiah Ayon (29 receptions, 357 yards, and six touchdowns) and Daniel Parsek (27, 329, 2) are Nash’s top receivers. Adam Tasei is the RMAC’s top kicker with 65 points and making nine-of-13 field goal tries.
CSU Pueblo’s Howard Russell V is the RMAC top rusher, who averages 110.8 yards per game and has 10 touchdowns. He has rushed for over 100 yards in six of the Pack’s eight games this season. He has also caught nine passes for 54 yards and one score this season.
Devin Larsen and Roman Fuller have been sharing the quarterback duties in the last four games. Larsen has passed for 1,705 yards and 16 touchdowns, helping CSU Pueblo to a 7-1 overall mark this season. Fuller has passed for 572 yards and eight touchdowns in the last four games, with Larsen totaling 452 yards and five passing TDs in those contests.
Reggie Retzlaff and Taylor Tosches are two of the RMAC’s top four receivers. Retzlaff has 45 catches for 833 yards and seven scores, with Toscher catching 31 passes for 505 yards and six scoring receptions.
Although the offenses for both schools are highlighted, the two teams have defensive standouts in Ricky Freymond of Western Colorado and Daniel Bone III for CSUP. Freymond leads the RMAC in tackles for losses (14.5, -72 yards) and sacks (8.5, -51). Bone is third in total tackles with 56 (31 solos).
After Saturday’s games, both schools have two remaining contests. Western Colorado hosts 3-5 Chadron State on November 9 and plays at 5-1 Colorado Mesa the following week. CSU Pueblo hosts 6-2 Colorado Mines on November 9, concluding the season at Chadron State.
Air Force at Army, 10 a.m. (CBS) – In its second game for the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy, the Air Force travels to West Point to face the 21st-ranked Army. The Black Knights are 7-0 and lead the American Athletic Conference. Mirred in a six-game losing streak, the Falcons are struggling offensively this season. After being second nationally in rushing last season (281.5 yards per game), Air Force averages 194.7 rushing yards per game. Army leads the nation in rushing this season with 359.1 yards per game. Army quarterback Bryson Daly leads the nation in rushing touchdowns (19) and is tenth in total rushing yards (909).
Colorado Mines at New Mexico Highlands, 12 p.m. (RMAC Net) – Coming off a loss to Western Colorado, Colorado Mines is no longer at the top of the RMAC like last year. Evan Foster is still the RMAC’s leading passer despite the loss. He has thrown for 21 touchdowns and 290.0 yards per game. They also have two of the top three receivers in the RMAC. Flynn Schiele has 53 receptions for 958 yards and nine touchdowns, and Max McLeod has 59 receptions for 874 yards and nine touchdowns.
Black Hills State at Colorado Mesa, 1 p.m. (RMAC Net) – Colorado Mesa is now in third place in the RMAC after a 49-0 win over Fort Lewis last week. Last week, quarterback Liu Aumavae completed almost 90 percent of his passes. He was 16 for 18 for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Brandon Belgrave rushed for 87 yards on 14 carries last week. Belgrave is the leading rusher for Colorado Mesa. Colorado Mesa leads the series 8-4.
Fort Lewis at Adams State, 1 p.m. (RMAC Net) – These two teams want to avoid the RMAC basement and get their first win in the league. While 1-7 Fort Lewis has a win this season, 0-8 Adams State will be seeking its first 2024 victory and snapping a 13-game losing streak. The Griz’ last victories were back-to-back wins the previous season over Fort Lewis and New Mexico Highlands. In RMAC play, Fort Lewis lost 38 straight games since posting a 28-9 victory at home in Durango against Adams State on October 5, 2019. Adams State leads the series 42-18-1.
Northern Colorado at UC Davis, 2 p.m. (ESPN+) – Since snapping an 18-game losing streak by beating Weber State, the 1-7 Bears lost 24-0 to Montana. UC Davis leads the series 9-3. Northern Colorado scores 12.3 points per game (third-lowest in the Football Championship Subdivision) and has the sixth-lowest passing average (129.8 yards per game) among 123 schools in the FCS. Fourth-ranked UC Davis is averaging 32.75 points per game and is putting up 432.9 yards per game.
Colorado State at Nevada, 6 p.m. (CBS-SN) – Colorado State looks to extend its winning streak and become bowl-eligible as it travels to Reno. Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi averages 181.8 passing yards per game for the Rams. He has seven touchdown passes on the season. This season, the Rams are putting up 182.0 rushing yards per game, which is the top 45 in the country. Colorado State leads the series 14-5.
