THE MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | 2019 SEASON STATS
Western Colorado last week rallied from 28-7, third-quarter deficit to tie the game against Adams State at 31-31 with less than two minutes remaining before the Grizzlies scored with less than 30 seconds left to make the final 38-31 in the 73rd Colorado Classic in Alamosa.

The Mountaineers surrendered 480 yards of offense (370 passing, 110 rushing) while committing 11 penalties for 113 yards. On the other side of hte ball, WCU had 356 yards of offense with 270 of it coming through the air. Connor Desch finished 24-for-39 for 270 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions - but was sacked seven times. James Bryant had five catches for 66 yards, Zach Manchester had two receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown while Deyvon Butler had a team-high six catches for 18 yards. Josh Cummings had 45 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to lead WCU. 

On the season, Desch has thrown for 716 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions with a 53.3 completion rate. Bryant and Elijah Gillespie lead the team with 14 catches apiece, Kai Emmsley has 13 catches while Zach Manchester has 10 catches and leads the team with 186 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.

On the ground the Mountaineers have four players with 25 or more carries with Ty Leyba leading the team with 203 rushing yards followed by Butler (109) and Cummings (100) with Cummings leading WCU with four rushing scores.

Defensively, Robert Garlock (26 tackles), Lane Farris (25) and Dominick Fletcher (20) each have 20-plus tackles. Josh Nelson leads the team with two interceptions to go along with 17 tackles while Will Lydle has a team-best two sacks to go along with 15 tackles.

CHADRON STATE HEADING INTO THIS WEEK | 2019 SEASON STATS
The Eagles since winning on the road at Black Hills State 48-31 to open the season have dropped three consecutive games - falling at home to then-No. 9 CSU-Pueblo 42-21, at Fort Lewis 37-30 and at home against Colorado Mesa 42-30.

Each of the last two losses have come in a tough fashion as against Fort Lewis the Eagles rallied from a 30-13 deficit to tie the game 30-30 before the Skyhawks scored with 1:36 remaining to win. Last week against Colorado Mesa, Chadron State led 23-20 heading into the fourth quarter before three Maverick touchdowns - two coming on interceptions returned for touchdowns - handed the Eagles their third consecutive loss.

Chadron State leads the RMAC in total offense at 465.8 yards per game - second in the pass (308.8) and fourth on the ground (157.0) - while the Eagles are fourth in scoring offense (32.2). On the other side of the ball, CSC is tied for last in scoring defense (38 points allowed per game) and eighth in total defense (401.8).

At quarterback for the Eagles is Dalton Holst as he's thrown for an RMAC-best 1,223 yards, 10 touchdowns (second in the RMAC) and four interceptions while complieting 52 percent of his passes. CSC has three primary receiving threats that all rank in the RMAC top 10 in receptions in Tevon Wright (24 rec., 319 yards, 5 TDs), Cole Thurness (25 rec., 311 yards, 1 TD) and Brandon Fullerton (18 rec., 278 yards, 2 TDs). On the ground, Elijah Myles leads the team with 304 yards rushing (fourth in the RMAC) and five scores on 5.4 yards per carry while Stevann Brown has 202 yards rushing and a score on 4.5 yards per attempt.

Defensively, Travis Wilson leads the team and the RMAC with 52 tackles (13 per game) while Tyler Lewis (39 - 9.8 per game) and Tyree Fryar (29 - 9.7 per game) also rank in the top 10 in the conference in tackles per game. Noah Kerchal leads the Eagles in sacks at 2.5.
 

HOMECOMING & PRE/POST/IN-GAME ENTERTAINMENT

HOMECOMING PARADE --- 5:30 P.M. FRIDAY
The Western Colorado University Homecoming Parade is set for 5:30 p.m. with the lineup beginning at 5 p.m. at the intersection of Ohio and Colorado. Get more information here.

MOUNTAINEER 5K --- 8 A.M. SATURDAY
The Fourth Annual Mountaineer 5K is set for 8 a.m. Saturday at Mountaineer Bowl. Registration on race day will be from 7-7:45 a.m with a cost of $25 for adults and $10 for students. All entrants will receive a Mountaineer 5K T-shirt and all fans, students and community members of all ages and ability levels are encouraged to sign up. The course will be the same as last year's with the start and finish being at the Mountaineer Bowl. Get more information on the event here.

COME TAILGATE AND JOIN THE MOUNTAINEER MARCH!
5B's will sponsor a barbeque at every home game! Look for the bright pink truck and music outside the wrestling room entrance of Paul Wright Gym starting at 10:30 a.m. They will be offering a sandwich and chips for $8 ($6 with your MAA card). Come meet the Western Colorado cheerleaders and Mad Jack at the tailgate and join them in the area around noon for a few cheers as they give away free T-shirts to the most enthusiastic students who want to be part of the new student fan section - The Crimson Crew. The pep rally will then lead people into the Mountaineer Bowl cheering along the march.

MountainBEER Zone
We once again will be hosting a beer garden at the top of Mountaineer Bowl. An fans 21-and-over can enjoy an adult beverage while cheering on the Mountaineers.

POSTGAME SOCIAL
Join us at Palisades Restaurant after the game to celebrate and socialize with your fellow Mountaineer fans!
 

2019 WESTERN COLORADO NOTES

SERIES HISTORY VS. CHADRON STATE
This will be the 36th meeting between Western Colorado and Chadron State with the Mountaineers 11-23-1 against the Eagles after falling 40-22 last season in Chadron, Nebraska. WCU is 6-10-1 at home against CSC, but are looking for their first home win against the Eagles since 1997 - a span of nine consecutive losses in Gunnison against CSC.

AGAINST THE CORNHUSKER STATE
The Mountaineers are 20-33-1 against teams from Nebraska, including 11-15-1 at home against teams from the Cornhusker state.

COLORADO CLASSIC
The history between Western Colorado and Adams State - i.e. the Colorado Classic - dates back to 1934 (a 14-0 Mountaineers win in Gunnison) and the Mountaineers and Grizzlies have played every year since 1950 - making it the second-longest continual rivalry in Colorado. The teams play for the Colorado Classic Trophy, which travels with the winning institution.

The Mountaineers now hold a 40-33 advantage after falling just short against Adams State this season 38-31 in a game that went down to the final two minutes.

The longest continual rivalry in Colorado is between Western Colorado and Colorado School of Mines as the two teams have played each year since 1946 and have played each other 93 times overall - the first meeting coming in 1925.

DAVIS NAMED RMAC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK (Sept. 23)
It was the biggest kick in recent memory for the Western Colorado football program as Chandler Davis drilled a 29-yard field goal as time expired to beat Colorado Mesa 30-28 on Saturday in Grand Junction. For his effort, Davis was named the RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 23.

Davis connected on that field goal after waiting out four timeouts to help the Mountaineers beat Colorado Mesa for the first time since 2013 and for the first time in Grand Junction since 2001 along with propelling WCU to its first 2-0 start in RMAC play since 2003. Davis also added a trio of extra points for the Mountaineers.

BEST START IN CONFERENCE PLAY SINCE 2003
With wins over South Dakota Mines and Colorado Mesa to begin RMAC play, WCU won their first two conference contests for the first time since 2003. 

GARLOCK NAMED RMAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (Sept. 16)
Western Colorado linebacker Robert Garlock was named RMAC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 16 after the sophomore from Reno, Nevada, had a team-high seven tackles in the contest - including five solo tackles - in helping the Mountaineer defense not allow an offensive score (the Hardrockers' only score came on returning a blocked field goal for a touchdown) during a 27-7 win over South Dakota Mines. The Western Colorado defense allowed just 177 yards in helping the Mountaineers win their first RMAC opener since 2006.

AGAINST TEAMS FROM SOUTH DAKOTA
The Mountaineers are now 5-7 against teams from South Dakota - including going 3-3 at home against teams from the Mount Rushmore state.

SEASON OPENERS
Western Colorado is now 32-62 all-time in season openers after falling to Idaho State this season. The last season-opening win for the Mountaineers came in 2014 against Wayland Baptist, 38-21, on the road. Of their 32 season opening wins, the Mountaineers have 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
Against all teams from Idaho, the Mountaineers now have a 9-23-1 record after falling in their season opener at Idaho State this season. Western has played the College of Idaho and Southern Idaho twice, splitting both games against both teams, to go along with the 29 games against Idaho State. In the state of Idaho, the Mountaineers have a 3-17 record.