GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. --- Western Colorado kicker Chandler Davis had to sit through four timeouts, the knowledge he had one of his field goal attempts blocked already and had missed an extra point on his last attempt as the senior lined up for a 29-yard field goal attempt with three seconds left and the Mountaineers trailing 28-27.

But none of that mattered to Davis.

The left-footed kicker had just enough power behind a kick that may have been tipped at the line to squeeze it over the crossbar as the Mountaineers for the first time since 2001 defeated the Mavericks at Stocker Stadium 30-28 Saturday night.

In a wild second half that saw the teams combine for 44 points after being tied 7-7 at the half, it was the Mountaineers (2-1 overall, 2-0 RMAC) that had enough to come out on top and stay one of two undefeated RMAC teams in conference play (Colorado School of Mines is 3-0 in the RMAC after defeating No. 9 CSU-Pueblo Saturday night in Pueblo).

The game got particularly wild late in the third quarter with CMU (1-2, 1-1) up 14-7 and WCU punting into Maverick territory. CMU muffed the punt and Western Colorado's Quincy Campbell recovered the ball to give WCU possession at the Mav 24. On the next play, Damian Macias made a leaping grab on a Connor Desch pass for a touchdown to tie the game 14-14 with 53 seconds left in the third quarter.

On CMU's first play of the following possession, WCU's Carson Mandrell picked off a Mav pass and returned it 13 yards for a touchdown to suddenly give the Mountaineers a 21-14 lead with 39 seconds left in the third quarter.

Colorado Mesa, however, answered with back-to-back touchdown drives to take a 28-21 lead on WCU with 13:08 remaining in the game.

WCU didn't go away as Desch led a 11-play, 69-yard touchdown scoring drive capped by a Josh Cummings 1-yard touchdown run to make it 28-27 (extra point failed) with 10:05 left in the game as five touchdowns were scored in a six-minute span between the two teams.

The Mountaineers started their game-winning drive on its own 32 with 3:51 remaining in the contest. A pair of pass interference calls on the Mavericks along with a key 12-yard, first-down run by Desch eventually set up Davis in the middle of the field with three seconds remaining. After the four combined timeouts, Davis converted the 29-yard field goal and the Mountaineer sideline rushed onto the field to celebrate the program's first win in Grand Junction in 18 years.

Desch finished the game 23-for-41 for 257 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Four Mountaineers caught at least four passes - Kai Emmsley (five catches, 47 yards), Elijah Gillespie (five catches, 43 yards), Zach Manchester (four catches, 66 yards and a touchdown) and James Bryant (four catches, 51 yards). 

Darrious Gaines had a big game for the Mountaineers defensively, tying for the team lead with nine tackles (including a team-best five solo tackles), a sack, a forced fumble and three quarterback hurries. Josh Nelson also had nine tackles to go along with a fumble recovery while Campbell had eight tackles and a fumble recovery.

The Mountaineers hit the road again next week as WCU travels to take on Adams State in the 73rd Colorado Classic in Alamosa.