Football | 9/15/2015 4:31:00 PM

GUNNISON, Colo. - Western State Colorado University will head to Pueblo, Colorado on Saturday to face defending Co-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and NCAA Division II National Champions Colorado State University - Pueblo. Western will be facing a ranked opponent for the second consecutive week as CSU-Pueblo is currently ranked 13th in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Poll.

Both Western (0-2, 0-0 RMAC) and CSU-Pueblo (1-1, 0-0 RMAC) enter the conference opener coming off losses. The Mountaineers fell to now ranked No. 8 Angelo State University 48-20 in Mountaineer Bowl, while the ThunderWolves lost 31-30 to West Texas A&M on the road in Canyon, Texas.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl. Ticket prices vary from $13 - $25. For more information on tickets, click here. Fans getting to Pueblo early are invited to tailgate in the parking lot on the west side of the stadium. Just look for the Mountaineer tent. There will be limited reserved parking in that section for Mountaineer fans, but parking at the ThunderBowl is $5 per vehicle. 

For those in the Gunnison Valley, Harv Rees will have the game live on KEJJ 98.3 FM. Gene Hill and Steve Williams will have the call live from the ThunderBowl.

Fans unable to make the night game can still follow all the action. A free live video stream can be accessed by clicking here. Live stats are also offered on GoThunderWolves.com or by clicking here. Fans can also receive live updates by following the Twitter accounts of Mountaineer Athletics (@WSCUMountaineers) and Mountaineer Football (@MountaineerFB).

GAME NOTES

RMAC OPENERS
The Mountaineers have struggled winning the conference opener recently. Over the past 10 seasons, Western has a 1-9 record in their Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference openers. The lone victory came against New Mexico Highlands University in 2006 on the road, with the Mountaineers winning 14-9.  On the road since 2005, Western has a record of 1-4 in RMAC openers.
 
Against CSU-Pueblo in RMAC openers, Western is 1-1. The Mountaineers lost last season's RMAC opener against the ThunderWolves 23-26 in Gunnison. The only other meeting between the two schools in the conference opener came in 1976 when the Mountaineers travelled to Pueblo and won 17-6.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Western and CSU-Pueblo have faced each other 22 times. The ThunderWolves hold the series record with 13 wins and nine losses. CSU-Pueblo has won the last seven meetings since the program was reestablished in 2008. The last Mountaineer victory came in 1984 (46-10).
 
In Pueblo, the Mountaineers have a record of 4-7. The last win for Western in the Steel City came in 1981 (21-7).
 
TOUGH OUT THE GATE
Western's 2015 schedule is loaded with tough matchups and the front end. The Mountaineers began the season against NCAA Division I FCS opponent Northern Colorado. Western then faced No. 12 ranked Angelo State University in the home opener. The Rams are now ranked eighth after defeating the Mountaineers 48-20 in Gunnison.
 
The Mountaineers will now face defending National Champions Colorado State University - Pueblo. The ThunderWolves opened the season ranked second in Division II but moved down to 13th after losing to West Texas A&M 31-30 last weekend.
 
VERY SPECIAL TEAMS
Western's special teams were on display last Saturday. The Mountaineers blocked two extra points, and returned one for two points but was eventually called back because of illegal batting. The Mountaineers also forced and recovered a fumble on kickoff coverage.
 
Senior Dakota Swinehart recorded 334 yards on seven punts, averaging 47.7 yards per punt. Kicking three punts over 50 yards, his longest of 69 yards ranks fifth all-time in Western's history. Swinehart pinned the Rams within their own 20-yard line three times.

STREAKING
Western has been streaking over the past two games. Here is where their streaks currently stand.
 
AFTER ANGELO STATE
QB - Brett Arrivey
Arrivey threw for 309 yards, recording his eighth straight game passing for 200 or more yards, which started on Oct. 11, 2014. Arrivey also passed for over 300 yards in his second consecutive games.
 
Defense
Western's defense has had a player record 14 or more tackles in two consecutive games. (Lopez at UNC 14; Coleman vs. Angelo 14; Bernhard vs. Angelo 16)
 
AFTER UNC
RB - AUSTIN EKELER
Ekeler ran for 226 yards for his seventh consecutive game of 100 or more rushing yards, which started on Oct. 11, 2014.
 
QB - Brett Arrivey
Arrivey threw for 302 yards, recording his seventh straight game passing for 200 or more yards, which started on Oct. 11, 2014.

RECORD WATCH
These Mountaineers are climbing the Western all-time lists.
 
After week two, Arrivey moved into third place all-time for career passing yards and moved into a tie for the fourth most passing touchdowns.
 
After week one, Ekeler moved into third place for all-time career rushing attempts, tied for sixth most career rushing touchdowns, tied for fifth place in career scoring; Arrivey became Western's all-time leader in pass attempts, moved into fourth for career passing yards; Haney moved into seventh for career receptions
 
CAREER RUSHING YARDS
2. Nate Campbell 1999-02 3,619
3. Chaumont Bouknight 2001-04 3,253
4. Austin Ekeler 2013- 2,951
 
CAREER RUSHING ATTEMPTS
1. Nate Campbell  1999-02 806
2. Germaine Daniels 2009-12 733
3. Austin Ekeler 2013- 722
 
CAREER PASSING ATTEMPTS
1. Brett Arrivey 2013- 911
2. Jason Davis 1993-96 827
 
CAREER PASSING YARDS
1. Jason Davis       1993-96  5,837
2. Jayson Merrill   1990-91  5,830
3. Brett Arrivey    2013-     5,142
 
CAREER PASSING COMPLETIONS
1. Brett Arrivey 2013- 540
2. Jason Davis 1993-96 418
 
CAREER RECEPTIONS
5. Jeremy Craighead            2000-03  136
6. Joe Wuebben    1995-98  132
7. Travis Haney   2012-     115
 
CAREER RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
5. Chaumont Bouknight 2001-04 26
6. Ryan Beckman 1997-98 23
     Sam Seale 1980-83 23
     Austin Ekeler 2013- 23
 
CAREER PASSING TOUCHDOWNS
3. Eric Hannah 1997-98 46
4. Charlie Thompson 1977-79 35
     Tim Thenel 1991-94 35
     Brett Arrivey 2013- 35
 
CAREER SCORING
4. Sam Seale          1980-83  184
5. Ryan Beckman 1997-98  156
     Austin Ekeler  2013-     156
 
RECORD BREAKING GAMES
Here are the Western game records broken by week.
 
WEEK TWO
 
GAME PASSING ATTEMPTS
1.         Brett Arrivey vs. Angelo State
            9/12/15      59
 
GAME COMPLETIONS
2.         Brett Arrivey vs. Angelo State
            9/12/15      31
 
LONG PUNT
5.         Dakota Swinehart vs. Angelo State
            9/12/15      69
 
WEEK ONE
 
GAME RUSHING YARDS
8.         Austin Ekeler at Northern Colorado
            9/5/15        226
 
GAME RUSHING ATTEMPTS
T-10.   Austin Ekeler at Northern Colorado
            9/5/15        32
 
GAME COMPLETIONS
T-6.     Brett Arrivey at Northern Colorado
            9/5/15        28

MOUNTAINEERS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
This is where individual Mountaineers rank in the top 25 of NCAA Division II stats.
 
RB - AUSTIN EKELER
                Rushing Yards - 23rd (226)
 
QB - BRETT ARRIVEY
                Completions Per Game - T-4th (59)
                Average Completions Per Game - 5th (29.5)
                Passing Yards - 22nd (611)
                Passing Yards Per Game - T-25th (305.5)
 
K - RYAN WINKE
                Field Goals Per Game - T-7th (2.00)
 
S - JACOB WEISS
                Passes Defended Per Game - T-17th (2)
 
P - DAKOTA SWINEHART
                Average Punting Yards Per Game - 1st (47.1)