GUNNISON, Colo. - Western State Colorado University football will hit the road for the first meeting with Dixie State University on Saturday. The Mountaineers will be looking to win their fourth straight game in this Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference matchup at 1 p.m. in St. George, Utah.

Western (3-1, 3-1 RMAC) enter the game tied for second in the RMAC. DSU (1-2, 1-3 RMAC) sits seventh in the conference standings.

The Mountaineers are coming off a 45-31 Homecoming victory over No. 23 Colorado School of Mines. Following last week's win, the Mountaineers are receiving votes in the latest AFCA Coaches' Poll. Fans can watch a replay of the game against CSM on Western Athletics' YouTube channel (link to the first half, link to the second half).

The Trailblazers have lost their last three games after defeating New Mexico Highlands University 21-14 in the season opener.

Fans unable to make Saturday's homecoming game will be able to follow all the action live over the internet (live stats, live video) and social media (@WSCUMountaineer, @MountaineerFB).

Game Notes

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's game will be the first meeting between Dixie State University and Western.
 
DSU became a member of the NCAA in 2006 and joined the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as an affiliate member for football on July 1, 2016.
 
The Trailblazers had previously played in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC), recording an all-time GNAC record of 16-46.
 
WIN STREAK
Defeating then ranked No. 23 Colorado School of Mines last week, 45-31, gave the Mountaineers three straight wins. The last time Western earned three consecutive wins was in 2009.
 
The win also propelled Western to a 3-1 record. The last time Western started a season with three wins in four games was in 1997. That year the Mountaineers won an RMAC title and started the season 5-1.
 
Since 1997, Western has won three straight in five other seasons (1998, 2000, 2001, 2004, and 2009).
 
The last time Western won four consecutive games was in 1998.
 
STARTING AND ENDING WITH A BANG
Through the first four weeks of the season, Western has outscored opponents 59-17 in the first quarter. The only team to score in the first quarter of play this season was Colorado Mesa and Colorado School of Mines. The Mavericks and Mountaineers were tied 7-7 at the end of the first quarter, while score was 14-10 against Mines.
 
In the last three games, Western has outscored opponents 52-10 in the first quarter.
 
To finish the game, Western has outscored opponents 38-19 in the fourth quarter. Against Mines last week, the Mountaineers outscored the Orediggers 24-0 in the final 15 minutes.
 
BEST CAREER IN THE NATION
Heading into week five, Western running back Austin Ekeler leads all active NCAA athletes in career rushing yards with 5,194 yards. San Diego State University's Donnel Pumphrey is second with 4,871.
 
Ekeler is also ranked second in rushing yards per game (152.8), all-purpose yards (6,266), and all-purpose yards per game (184.29).
 
AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
After defeating then ranked No. 23 Colorado School of Mines 45-31 in week four, Western has won the past two games against ranked opponents. The Mountaineers defeated No. 21 Mines in week 10 last season.
 
Colorado Mesa University, now ranked 17/23, was unranked when the Mountaineers played the Mavericks in week one of the 2016 season.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
After upsetting No. 23 Colorado School of Mines last week, the Mountaineer offense and defense were rewarded with a pair of player of the week honors.
 
On offense, Austin Ekeler rushed for 316 yards and recorded five touchdowns in Western State's 45-31 upset of Mines. He rushed for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a career long run of 88-yards while scoring touchdowns on both of his receptions in the game. Already the school all-time leader in rushing yards, he became the leader in rushing attempts and career scoring on Saturday.
 
On defense, Carter Wasser tied a game-high 10 tackles, all of which were solo. He also had two sacks and three tackles for loss in the win. He is currently tied for third in the conference for sacks (3), as well as in tackles for loss (5).
 
It is the second week in-a-row Ekeler has been named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Week. Ekeler was also named the NFFCC Player of the Week in week three.
 
HARLON HILL CALLING
After being a candidate for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the Heisman Trophy for Division II, last season, Austin Ekeler is once again putting up some of the top numbers in Division II.
 
Ekeler leads D-II in rushing yards (832), rushing yards per game (208), points per game (16.5), touchdowns (11), all-purpose yards (925), and all-purpose yards per game (231.25).
 
The senior running back is also tied for the fourth most rushing touchdowns (9), and 16th in rushing yards per carry (7.17).
 
IN THE BEEHIVE STATE
Despite this being the first game against Dixie State, Western has played 74 games against teams from Utah. The Mountaineers have 31-43 record against teams from the Beehive State and a 14-30 record on Utah soil.
 
The last time Western played a team in Utah was during the 2005 season. The Mountaineers fell at Weber State 61-0. The last Western won in Utah was in 1979 against Southern Utah. The Mountaineers won 56-14.
 
HOMECOMING
With a 45-31 win over Colorado School of Mines on week four during Western's Homecoming, the Mountaineers have won 44.4 percent (4-of-9) of homecoming games since 2008. In last season's homecoming game, the Mountaineers lost to No. 12 Angelo State University 48-20. Since 2008, Western has a 4-4 record against RMAC opponents on homecoming.
 
The last Mountaineer homecoming victory before this season came against Adams State University (39-37) in 2014.
 
ENDING THE STREAK
On week three, Western defeated Chadron State 24-15 on the road. It was the first time since 1997 the Mountaineers defeated the Eagles and the first time since 1995 Western won in Chadron.
 
The Mountaineers also won an RMAC title in 1995.
 
RECEIVING VOTES
Heading into week five, Western is receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches' Pool. The Mountaineers received one vote.
 
RMAC OPENERS
The Mountaineers have struggled winning the conference opener recently. Over the past 11 seasons, Western has a 1-11 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.
 
After falling in week one against CMU 34-14, Western is 0-1 against the Mavericks in RMAC openers.
 
HALL OF FAME GAME
Sept. 10 was Western's Hall of Fame Game. The Friday night before, Western Athletics inducted former women's diver Mary Ann Anderson (Zeylmaker), football player James Hawkins, track and field athlete Jerry Hollingshead, distance runner Dennis Leck, and Ed Ali as the Lifetime Athletic Achievement Award Recipient into the Mountaineer Sports Hall of Fame. The class of 2016 is the 22nd class to enter the MSHOF.
 
After defeating Adams State 56-25 in the 70th Colorado Classic, Western is 3-4 in Hall of Fame games since 2010. The Mountaineers have won the three of the past four, defeating New Mexico Highlands University in 2013 by a score of 33-27, Black Hills State University in 2014 by a score of 34-13, and losing 31-24 to
Chadron State College last season.
 
PRESEASON PICKS
After finishing the season in sixth place last season, Western was picked to finish fourth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Mountaineers also landed three players on the 2016 Preseason All-RMAC Team - RB Austin Ekeler, WR Kyle Adkins and K Ryan Winke.
 
Returning All-American, Austin Ekeler, was also named the RMAC Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year, a Division II Preseason All-America First Team selection, a Sporting News and Lindy's Preseason All-American, a HERO Sports Preseason All-America First Team selection, and a D2Football.com Preseason All-American.
 
SEASON OPENERS
Western is 32-59 in season openers. Since 1995, the Mountaineers are 1-21 in season openers. Last season, Western lost a close fought battle to Division I opponent the University of Northern Colorado 34-42 on the road in the season opener. The last opening day win came in 2014 against Wayland Baptist, 38-21, on the road. The last season opening win in Gunnison came against Northern Colorado in 1994, when the Mountaineers won 31-26 and went on to win the RMAC title.
 
CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN
This year's captains on the offensive side are running back Austin Ekeler and quarterback Brett Arrivey. For the defense, linebacker Jordan Woodyard and defensive lineman Austin Yurko are captains. Kicker Ryan Winke is Western's captain on special teams.
 
NEW PERSONNEL
Five new coaches were added to the Western staff before the 2016 season. On the offensive side, Paul An (offensive line), Darrin Higgins (wide receivers) and Jack Harris (tight ends) are all first-time Mountaineers. On the defensive side, the Mountaineers bring in a new defensive coordinator with Todd Auer and a new defensive backs coach in Ryan Forrestal.