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This game preview is presented by MAA Corporate Partner J & W Catering and 5 B's BBQ
GUNNISON, Colo. - Saturday will mark the 20th Mountaineer Sports Hall of Fame football game. The Western State Colorado University Mountaineers will host Black Hills State University in this year's rendition. It will be the third meeting between the two schools and kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Mountaineer Bowl.
Western (2-3, 1-2 RMAC) is coming off a tough 40-7 loss at Chadron State College. The Mountaineers are looking to rebound at home and earn their third win of the season. Western will also be looking to defeat BHSU (2-3, 1-2 RMAC) for the first time in program history. The Yellow Jackets won the previous two games.
Last year's game in Spearfish, South Dakota was intended on being played in October but was pushed to the final game of the season after Winter Storm Atlas. Western and BHSU played to three overtimes before a winner was decided. The Mountaineers were unable to hold BHSU from scoring on the two point conversion and fell 50-48.
The Yellow Jackets enter Saturday's game having lost to Colorado Mesa University 48-31 a week before. BSHU and Western are tied for sixth place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings with Western New Mexico University.
Game Six Notes:
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 BHSU it will be the first time the Mountaineers begin a season 3-3 since 2009.
Hall of Fame Game...Saturday's game will be the 20th Mountaineer Sports Hall of Fame game in Western's history.
In the past six MSHOF games, Western is 3-3.
The Mountaineers won last year's MSHOF game 33-27 over New Mexico Highlands University.
During halftime, Western State will honor MSHOF inductees Ken Clay, Kurt Clay, Hamish Smith, Aubrey Tate, Duane Vandenbusche, Alisha Williams and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Marv Allen.
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 eighth place all-time in career passing attempts at Western with 587. He needs 13 more attempts to pull even with Tim Thenell who attempted 600 passes from 1991-94 and 24 more to pull even with Mike Busby who attempted 611 passes from 1980-82.
While Arrivey has attempted many passes, most have been completions. Currently fourth on Western's career list for completions, Arrivey has 348 in his time for the Mountaineers.
Arrivey needs just four completions to pull even with Cameron Merrill in third who threw 352 completions from 2007-08, and 14 to pull even with Dan Brethauer in second who threw 362 from 2005-06.
Tackling to the Top...Linebacker
Jaden Terry moved into the Western career record books after the week four matchup against Adams State University, and continues to move up the list.
Terry is currently ninth in career tackles with 287. To move into eighth place, Terry will need 38 more tackles to pass Steve Gaber's 324 tackles from 1983-85.
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 55 rushing yards shy of tying Ryan Beckman for the 10th most career rushing yards in Western history. Ekeler has 1,822 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 .8 pass interceptions per game this season for the Mountaineers.
With four interceptions on the season, Coleman is tied for the eighth 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.
Coleman also ranks tied for the 13th most passes defended per game in Division II with 1.8.
National Leaders...Below are Western players and where they rank at the Division II level after the fifth week of play:
Austin Ekeler - 154.6 rushing yards per game - 5th
Austin Ekeler - 773 total rushing yards - 5th
Austin Ekeler - 192.2 all-purpose yards per game - 5th
Gerald Coleman - 4 interceptions - T-8th
Gerald Coleman - 1.8 passes defended per game - T-13th
Thomas Chavira - 5.0 sacks - T-14th
Ryan Winke - 1.6 field goals per game - T-12th
Ryan Winke - .889 field goal percentage - 7th
Dakota Swinehart - 42.9 average yards per punt - 14th
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 was handed a 40-7 loss on the road against Chadron State College. The Eagles scored the first 20 points of the game before the Mountaineers got on the board early in the third quarter.
Mark Jones recorded his second interception of the season, which also happened to be his second consecutive interception of the season.
Austin Ekeler scored the only touchdown of the day for Western on a 1-yard run. Ekeler ran for 63 yards, his lowest rushing output of the season.
Punter
Dakota Swinehart recorded the sixth most punting yards in a game with 443 against Chadron. His 12 punts also ties for second most in a game for a Western student-athlete.
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 Honors...After a convincing win and tremendous individual efforts, linebacker
Jaden Terry and running back
Austin Ekeler were named RMAC Athletes of the Week.
Ekeler ran for 247 yards on 31 carries, averaging 8.0 yards per carry. Ekeler also reached the end zone twice, one of which was a 48-yard scamper.
Terry, also named the NFFCC Player of the Week, recorded one interception and one fumble recovery, both of which were returned for touchdowns. Terry also tied for a team high eight tackles, three of which were for a loss, including one sack.
Week 1 Record Breaking Performances...The Mountaineers charged to victory and also into the record books after the week-one victory.
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.
