GUNNISON, Colo. – The Colorado Classic returns to Gunnison for the 72^nd production. Western Colorado University will host the Grizzlies of Adams State University this Saturday at 2 p.m. for the Colorado Classic Trophy.
 
Western (0-3, 0-2 RMAC) will be searching for their first conference win of the season after falling to 19^th-ranked Colorado Mesa University 20-24 last Saturday in the home opener.
 
The Mountaineer offense has been getting better and better with each snap of the ball. Running back Isaac Fuqua leads Western with 309 yards on the ground after rushing for 196 against the Mavericks. Fuqua recorded the third longest run in Western history last Saturday, running 95-yards for a touchdown.
 
Defensive lineman, Mark Zavala leads the Mountaineers and conference in tackles for loss. Zavala has recorded 7.0 so far this season, averaging 2.33 per game.
 
ASU (1-2, 1-2 RMAC) earned their first victory of the season last weekend in a 44-41 shootout against Black Hills State University.
 
The Grizzlies have recorded 407 penalty yards this season, which leads all of Division II for most penalty in 2018.
 
ASU quarterback Nick Rooney leads the offensive charge for the Grizzlies. Rooney is averaging 247.67 yards passing and two touchdown passes per game.
 
Defensively, Garrett Jackson leads ASU with 31 tackles. His 10.3 tackles per game average ranks third best in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
 
A reminder to fans planning on attending Saturday's game, tickets are required to enter all home football games. Mountaineer Athletic Association members should have received their season tickets in the mail. MAA All-Sport passes will be required for all other athletic competitions besides football.

Fans can purchase single game and season tickets by visiting www.GoMountaineers.com/tickets.
 
Tickets will also be available for purchase before the start of every home game at the main entrance of Mountaineer Bowl.
 
Single game tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and $5 for students – other than Western and Gunnison Watershed School District students.
 
A partnership between Western Athletics and the Gunnison Watershed School District allows all students from the Gunnison Valley, including Crested Butte, to enter free of charge at any of Western's home events, across all sports, during the 2017-18 school year.
 
Like past years, all Western students with get into all regular season home events free of charge with a student ID.
 
Fans now have the option to purchase tickets online and either print them at home, obtain tickets at will call before the game, or have tickets sent over the mail.

For more information on tailgating and the Mountaineer Bowl game day experience, please click the corresponding links.

Those unable to attend Saturday's game on the road can follow all the action live over the internet (live stats, live video) and on social media (@WSCUMountaineer, @MountaineerFB). The game will also be broadcasted in the Gunnison Valley over the air waves on 98.3 FM The Edge, and online through KWSB.org.  

GAME NOTES

SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's game will mark the 72nd meeting between Western and Adams. Western lost the last meeting 14-51 in Alamosa. However, Western holds the series record 40-31.
 
The Mountaineers won the two previous meetings in Gunnison in 2014 and 2016. Western holds a 21-13 lead in the games played in Gunnison against the Grizzlies.
 
The two programs have split the series over the last four years, with both teams winning twice at home.
 
Western is 0-1 this season at home, while Adams is 0-2 on the road.
 
COLORADO CLASSIC
The rivalry between Adams State University and Western Colorado University is the second longest continual rivalry in the state of Colorado.
 
These two programs have been playing each other every year since 1950. The winner of the Colorado Classic earns the right to possess the Colorado Classic Trophy, which travels to the winning institution. The trophy currently resides at Adams after the Grizzlies won last season's game, 51-14.
 
The longest continual rivalry in Colorado is between Western and Colorado School of Mines. The two schools have played 92 games, dating back to 1925. The Mountaineers and Orediggers have played each other every season for the last 76 years, dating back to 1946.
 
VERY TRENDY
Following a career-high 196 yards rushing against Colorado Mesa University in week three, Western running back Isaac Fuqua has tallied 100 yards or more on the ground in two straight games.
 
Fuqua has been a large reason the Mountaineer offense has recorded over 300 yards of total offense in two consecutive weeks.
 
Mountaineer quarterbacks have been distributing the ball well, connecting with six or more receivers in all three games this season.
 
In two of Western's three games played, the defense has held opponents scoreless in the fourth quarter.
 
AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
CMU entered week three ranked 19th in the AFCA Poll. The Mountaineers fell to the Mavericks in a close 20-24 battle.
 
Since 2015, Western is 2-6 against ranked opponents.
 
Last season, the Mountaineers were 0-3 against ranked opponents. This season, Western is 0-1.
 
HALL OF FAME
Week three's game against CMU was Western's Hall of Fame Game. On Friday night before the game, Western Athletics will induct former runner Sheila Winegardner (Barrett), the 1966-68 men's swim teams, former football player and coach Casey Coons, and former football player T.W. Stites into the Mountaineer Sports Hall of Fame. The class of 2018 is the 24th to enter the MSHOF.
 
After falling to CMU 20-24, Western is 3-6 in Hall of Fame games since 2010. The last Mountaineer win during Hall of Fame came against Adams State University in 2016.
 
THE BAINS REIGN
Western Head Coach Jas Bains is tied with Paul Wright (1935-47) for the sixth most wins by a Mountaineer football coach at 20.
 
Bains is two wins away from tying Jeff Zenisek (2001-05) for the fifth most wins by a coach in program history at 22.
 
Bains, in his eighth season, has coached the third most games for the Mountaineers at 80.
 
Carl "Duke" Iverson (1988-2000) holds the second most games coached at Western with 127.
 
RMAC OPENERS
The Mountaineers have struggled winning the conference opener recently. Over the past 14 seasons, Western has a 1-13 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. Western lost this year's RMAC opener to South Dakota Mines on the road in week two, 21-38.
 
AGAINST TEAMS FROM SOUTH DAKOTA
Following week two's game against South Dakota Mines, Western has a 4-7 record against teams from South Dakota.
 
The Mountaineers have played six games in the Mount Rushmore state. Western has a record of 2-4. All but one of those games has been played in the last five years - 1973 at the South Dakota State University, losing 28-53.
 
The last win for Western in South Dakota was a 42-7 win at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in the final game of the 2016 season.
 
RMAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Following a career-best game against Idaho State in week one, Western punter Garrett Boyd was named the RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week for week one of the season.
 
Boyd recorded a career-high 495 punting yard in Western's first game of the season. The junior from Mesa, Arizona averaged 45 yards per punt on 11 attempts against the Bengals, kicking three over 50 yards. It was the sixth time in his career Boyd has netted over 300 yards punting.
 
Boyd led all of Division II in punt yards after the first week of play.
 
ALONE ATOP THE MOUNTAIN
Western kick returner Rodray Perkins entered the season needing 99 yards to become the school's all-time leader in kick return yards. Perkins surpassed Jimmy Evans' previous record of 1,393 in week one against Idaho State, recording 160 yards on eight attempts.
 
Perkins has 1,523 career kick return yards and has now gained 100 or more kickoff return yards in six games during his career.
 
SEASON OPENERS
Western is 32-61 all-time in season openers. Since 1995, the Mountaineers are 1-23 in season openers. This year, Western lost to Idaho State University 45-10 in the season opener.
 
The last opening day win for the Mountaineers 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 percent) and won the conference title 12 times (37.5 percent).
 
AGAINST TEAMS FROM IDAHO
After the season opening game against Idaho State, the Mountaineers have a 9-22-1 record against all teams from Idaho.
 
Western has played the College of Idaho and Southern Idaho twice, splitting both games.
 
Against Idaho State, the Bengals hold a 20-7-1 edge.
 
In the state of Idaho, the Mountaineers have a 3-16 record.
 
RECORD WATCH
These Mountaineers have reached the peak or are climbing the
Western all-time lists.
 
CAREER KICK RETURN YARDS
1. Rodray Perkins             2015-     1,542
2. Jimmy Evans  1997-00                1,393
 
GAME PUNT YARDS
1. Ryan Corn vs. Chadron State                                 
                10/13/01                              502
2. Garrett Boyd at Idaho State
                8/31/18                                495
 
GAME KICKOFF RETURNS
1. Alex Gallegos vs. Chadron State                                           
                09/01/90                              8
- Rodray Perkins at Idaho State
                8/31/18                                8
 
Longest Run
1. Tyrone Whipple vs. Fort Lewis
                1985       97
-  Bill Rhodes
                NA          97
3. Isaac Fuqua vs. Colorado Mesa
                9/15/18   95