GUNNISON, Colo. - Western State Colorado University will begin the season under the bright lights on Thursday night in Grand Junction, Colorado. The Mountaineers will face Western Slope rivals Colorado Mesa University on the road at 7 p.m. in Stocker Stadium.

Western is coming off their best season in recent memory. The Mountaineers recorded a 7-4 overall record and 7-3 record in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Although Western placed fourth in the final conference standings, the Mountaineers were just one game shy of earning a share of the conference title.

CMU was one of the three teams to tie for the RMAC title in 2016 with an 8-2 conference record. The Mavericks enter the season ranked 23rd in the American Football Coaches Association Preseason Poll.

Fans unable to make Thursday night's game will be able to follow all the action live over the internet (live stats, live video) and on social media (@WSCUMountaineer, @MountaineerFB). Colorado Radio Network will also be carrying the game live in the Gunnison Valley on 98.3 FM The Edge.

Game Notes

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's game will be the 44th meeting between Western State and Colorado Mesa University, and the second time these two teams will have met in the season opener. The two teams met in the season opener last year. CMU won last year's game 34-14 in Gunnison, Colorado.

CMU has won the last three meetings and the last 11-of-12 meetings.

In Grand Junction, the Mountaineers are 10-12. The last win for Western on the road against the Mavericks came in 2001, outscoring CMU 26-21. The Mavericks have won the last seven matchups in Grand Junction.

SEASON OPENERS
Western is 32-59 in season openers. Since 1995, the Mountaineers are 1-21 in season openers. Last season, Western lost to CMU 34-14 in the season opener. The last opening day win came in 2014 against Wayland Baptist, 38-21, on the road. 

Of their 32 season opening wins, Western has finished those seasons with a winning record 19 times (59.4%) and won the conference title 12 times (37.5%).

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.

AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS 
After defeating then ranked No. 23 Colorado School of Mines 45-31 in week four last season, Western has won the past two games against ranked opponents. The Mountaineers defeated No. 21 Mines in week 10 of 2015.

CMU enters the first game ranked 23 in the American Football Coaches Association Preseason Poll.

NEW FACES WITH THE BALL
After four seasons with the same starting quarterback and running back, the Mountaineer offense will begin a new era. Quarterback Brett Arrivey and running back Austin Ekeler were a staple of the Western offense, each planting their names in the record book over the past four seasons. This season, there are eight quarterbacks on the roster vying for the starting spot and nine running backs.

LAST SEASON
Last season, the Mountaineers' seven overall wins and seven wins in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is the most for the program since the 1998 season. Western finished the season in fourth place. However, the Mountaineers were just one win away from earning a share of the conference title.

LOST AND RETURNED
Offensive Starters Returning (5)
WR Markeith McDonald (21 rec, 213 yds, 1 TD), WR Rodray Perkins (38 rec, 338 yds, 2 TD), OL John Boogaard (11 GS), OL Stetson Mohrenweiser (11 GS), OL Andy Armstrong (8 GS)

Offensive Starters Lost (6)
QB Brett Arrivey (158-254-5, 2,021 yds, 17 TD), RB Austin Ekeler (232 att, 1,495 yds, 15 TD), WR Kyle Adkins (28 rec, 612 yds, 9 TD), WR Anthony Apodaca (32 rec, 331 yds, 1 TD), OL Landis Rowe-Dooley (11 GS), OL Holden Rexius (11 GS)

Defensive Starters Returning (3)
DL Victor Alvarez (31 TT, 3.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks), LB Quincy Campbell (42 TT, 1.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks), CB David Velazquez (25 TT, 4 PBr)

Defensive Starters Lost (8)
DL Austin Yurko (60 TT, 6.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 2 FF), DL Travis McMurren (8 TT, 2.5 TFL, 1.0 sacks), DL Thomas Chavira (42 TT, 8.0 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF), LB Kris Bass (74 TT, 3.5 TFL, 1 FF), LB Carter Wasser (89 TT, 12.5 TFL, 3.0 sacks), CB Isaiah Jackson (38 TT, 1.0 TFL, 1 INT, 13 PBr), S Rodrick Waters (60 TT, 7.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT, 3 PBr, 1 FF), S Cade Wasser (78 TT, 2.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 7 PBr)

Specialists Returning (2)
P Garrett Boyd (49 att, 1,876 yds, 38.3 avg, 4 50+, 11 I20), PR/KR Rodray Perkins (11 PRatt, 48 PRyds, 4.4 PRavg, 19 KRatt, 370 KRyds, 19.5 KRavg)

Specialists Lost (2)
LS Jacob Leggett (11 GP), K Ryan Winke (6-9 FG, 37-39 PAT, 55 KO, 63.0 avg)

RECORD WATCH
These Mountaineers have reached the peak or are climbing the 
Western all-time lists.

CAREER KICK RETURN YARDS
1. Jimmy Evans    1997-00    1,393
2. Mark Jones    2011-14    1,020
3. Rodray Perkins    2015-    876