This match recap is presented by MAA Corporate Partner The Paper Clip
DURANGO, Colo. - With 2:49 remaining in the game Saturday, Western State Colorado University football had the ball on their own 31, down by five points. With the game on the line, Western marched down the field and scored the game winning touchdown with 1:19 remaining. The Mountaineers defeated Fort Lewis College 27-26 after being down as many as 16 points.
Western (4-5, 3-4 RMAC) picked up a much need Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory on Saturday after losing the past two. The Mountaineers are now in a three-way tie for fifth place in the conference with New Mexico Highlands University and Western New Mexico University.
It's the first time since 2003 a Western football team has reached four wins. It's also the first time in at least 14 seasons the Mountaineers have defeated a team when a game begins at noon.
The Mountaineer offense struggled early to get into a
rhythm. On Western's first six possessions, the Mountaineers ended drives with three punts, two interceptions and one fumble. Midway through the second quarter, Western found themselves in a 16-0 hole.
Western's
Austin Ekeler (So., Eaton, Colorado) helped the Mountaineers get on the scoreboard with 5:35 minutes to go before halftime. Ekeler broke free for an 82-yard touchdown run, the sixth longest run in Western history. Ekeler recorded 114 yards rushing on Saturday for his seventh 100-yard rushing game of the season and fourth in a row.
At the break, Western trailed FLC (3-6, 2-5 RMAC) 16-7.
On the first play of the second half, Western quarterback
Brett Arrivey (So., Woodinville, Washington) threw the ball 20 yards to receiver
Kendall Worth (Sr., Burlington, North Carolina) who jumped up and grabbed the ball off the back of the FLC defender and ran 78 yards into the end zone. The Mountaineers were back in the game, down two, 14-16.
Arrivey threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday.
After forcing a Skyhawk punt on the following possession, Western was backed up on their own 10-yard line. It took 14 plays and 90 yards but the Mountaineers finally got into the end zone on a one yard Arrivey run. The drive took 5:33 and Western took their first lead of the game, 21-16 with 6:28 left in the third quarter.
The Skyhawks answered back with a touchdown of their own at the 12:28 mark in the fourth quarter. FLC took a 23-21 lead.
The Mountaineers were forced to punt on the following possession, giving FLC the ball with 10:34 remaining in the game.
With the lead, FLC milked the clock, using as much of the play clock as possible on every snap. The Skyhawks used 7:38 to go 69 yards and setup a 34-yard field goal attempt. FLC made the field goal and went up five, giving the Skyhawks some cushion at 26-21.
With 2:48 left, the Mountaineers drove 69 yards down the field in 1:30, and was capped off by an Arrivey 31-yard touchdown pass to
Kyle Adkins (So., Woodinville, Washington). The Mountaineers had a 27-26 lead with 1:19 remaining.
Western held the Skyhawks, forcing a turnover on downs. All that was left to do was run out the clock and get back to Gunnison.
Defensively, Western's
Jaden Terry (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colorado) led all players in tackles with 10. Terry has recorded 10 or more tackles in the past six straight games.
Next week, the Mountaineers will host Colorado School of Mines in the final home game of the season for Western. The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in Mountaineer Bowl.
