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GUNNISON, Colo. - After winning the homecoming game against Adams State University last week, Western State Colorado University football will try and crash Chadron State College's homecoming party this Saturday. The Mountaineers will face the Eagles in Chadron, Nebraska this Saturday starting at 1 p.m. from Elliot Field at Don Beebe Stadium.
Western (2-2, 1-1 RMAC) will face CSC (2-2, 1-1 RMAC) for the 31st time. Chadron State holds the series record at 19-10-1 and has won the past 16 against the Mountaineers.
Chadron enters the game with an identical record as the Mountaineers at 2-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play. The Eagles are coming off a 24-13 road victory over Colorado Mesa University. CSC gained 235 yards on the ground against the Mavericks, while the Eagles' defense recorded four sacks and forced two turnovers.
The Mountaineers head into Saturday's game after defeating Adams State 39-37 in the Colorado Classic. Western scored on a
Brett Arrivey (So., Woodinville, Washington) pass to
Travis Haney (Jr., Aurora, Colorado) with six seconds remaining in the game, capping off a 14-play, 88-yard drive. Arrivey threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns, while
Austin Ekeler (So., Eaton, Colorado) ran for 232 yards on 44 carries, scoring two rushing touchdowns. Ekeler also added a receiving touchdown, scoring on a 47-yard screen pass. Ekeler's 44 carries is the second most in Western history, while his 232 yards rushing is sixth best in the school record books.
Ryan Winke (So., Aurora, Colorado) kicked his second 51-yard field goal of the season against the Grizzlies, which ties for the 10th longest field goal in Western history.
In the meeting between the two schools last year, CSC defeated Western 35-13. Western's Ekeler ran for 154 yards, notching his third consecutive 100-yard game of the season.
Game 5 Notes:
Breaking Tradition...Western State will attempt to defeat Chadron State for the first time since 1997.
The last time Western won at Chadron was in 1995, when the Mountaineers defeated the Eagles 28-21.
Start of Something Good...The Mountaineers began the season 2-2 for the first time since 2008.
Western's two wins this season tie the season total from 2013.
The last time Western had three wins in a season was 2009.
If Western defeats Chadron it will be the first time the Mountaineers begin a season 3-2 since 2002.
Passing History...In just his second season as Western's play caller, quarterback
Brett Arrivey is moving up Western's career passing records.
Arrivey currently sits in 10th place all-time in career passing attempts at Western with 557. He needs 16 more attempts to pull even with Andy Lowry who attempted 573 passes from 1982-85 and 23 more to pull even with Jayson Merrill who attempted 580 passes from 1990-91.
While Arrivey has attempted many passes, most have been completions. Currently sixth on Western's career list for completions, Arrivey has 330 in his time for the Mountaineers.
Arrivey needs just four completions to pull even with Eric Hannah in fifth who threw 33 completions from 1997-98, and 14 to pull even with Nate Baca in fourth who threw 342 from 2001-04.
Tackling to the Top...Linebacker
Jaden Terry moved into the Western career record books after the week four matchup against Adams State University.
Terry moved into 10th place all-time in career tackles with 277. To move into ninth place, Terry will need seven more tackles to pass Brent Tollar's 283 tackles from 1992-95.
Break On Through...Two Mountaineers are getting close to breaking into the career record books.
In just his sophomore season, running back
Austin Ekeler is 118 rushing yards shy of tying Ryan Beckman for the 10th most career rushing yards in Western history. Ekeler has 1,759 yards on the ground, while Beckman recorded 1,877 from 1997-98.
Defensive back
Gerald Coleman has five career interceptions as a Mountaineer. Colman needs just one more to tie for 10th all-time in Western history with four others who have accomplished the feat.
Coleman Island...Gerald Coleman is averaging one pass interception in every game so far this season for the Mountaineers.
With four interceptions on the season, Coleman is tied for the fifth most interceptions at the Division II level this season.
Coleman needs just one more interception to tie for seventh place on Western's all-time list for most interceptions in a season and tie for 10th in career interceptions with four others.
National Leaders...Below are Western players and where they rank at the Division II level after the second week of play:
Austin Ekeler - 177.5 rushing yards per game - 2nd
Austin Ekeler - 710 total rushing yards - 2nd
Austin Ekeler - 212 all-purpose yards per game - 5th
Gerald Coleman - 4 interceptions - T-5th
Thomas Chavira - 4.0 sacks - T-25th
Ryan Winke - 2.0 field goals per game - T-4th
Ryan Winke - .889 field goal percentage - 12th
Offensive Output...Western's 39 points against Adams State in week four are the most points Western has scored in regulation since a 53-24 victory over Western New Mexico in 2008.
Last year, the Mountaineers scored 48 total points against Black Hills State University in three overtimes. Western scored 28 points in regulation.
Last Time Out...Western State defeated Adams State in the Colorado Classic for the first time in 12 years. The Mountaineers won the game on a last second drive, 39-37.
Western scored with six seconds remaining in the game, capping off a 14-play, 88-yard drive on a
Brett Arrivey pass to
Travis Haney.
Arrivey threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns, while
Austin Ekeler ran for 232 yards on 44 carries, scoring two rushing touchdowns. Ekeler also added a receiving touchdown, scoring on a 47-yard screen pass.
Ekeler's 44 carries is the second most in Western history, while his 232 yards rushing is sixth best in the school record books.
Ryan Winke kicked his second 51-yard field goal of the season against the Grizzlies, which ties for the 10th longest field goal in Western history.
Prelude to Something Larger...Western State began the season with a 1-1 record for the first time since 1998. The Mountaineers went onto win their second straight RMAC Championship under Head Coach Duke Iverson.
For the first time since 1997, Western won the season opener. The 1997 team also went onto win the RMAC title.
The Mountaineers defeated Wayland Baptist 38-21 in the first game of the season and lost to Angelo State University 38-6 in the following week.
Week 1 Record Breaking Performances...The Mountaineers charged to victory and also into the record books after the week-one victory. CONT...
Austin Ekeler recorded the fifth most rushing yards in a game by a Mountaineer with 247 yards. His 31 carries also tied for 10th place all-time at Western.
Thomas Chavira tied a Western record, sacking the Wayland Baptist quarterback four times, three of which came in the first half.
Chavira also recorded five tackles for a loss which is good enough for second all-time by a Mountaineer.
Kicker
Ryan Winke hit a 51-yard field goal, tying Gary Savoren's attempt in 1976 for the 10th longest field goal all-time in Western history.
Gerald Coleman tied for second most all-time interceptions in a single game with two.
Familiar Territory...Western State began their season in the state of Texas for the third time in four years.
For the fourth consecutive season, the Mountaineers faced an opponent from the state of Texas in the season opener.
After beating Wayland Baptist 38-21, Western has gone 1-3 during that span.
Captain Oh Captain...Captains for the 2014 season are quarterback
Brett Arrivey, running back
Austin Ekeler, punter
Dakota Swinehart, and linebackers
Jaden Terry and
Kalvin Winter.
