ALAMOSA, Colo. --- The 73rd edition of the Colorado Classic – the second-longest running rivalry in Colorado – lived up to the hype.
 
Unfortunately for the Western Colorado football team, it came out on the short end in the final minute.
 
The Mountaineers rallied from 28-7, third-quarter deficit to tie the game 31-31 with 1:55 remaining before Adams State scored and WCU fumbled in the final minute to fall 38-31 to the Grizzlies on Saturday at Rex Stadium.
 
Trailing 28-7 with less than seven minutes remaining in the third, WCU (2-2 overall, 2-1 RMAC) – which hasn't beaten ASU (3-1, 3-1) in Alamosa since 2000 – charged back thanks to strong field position on a 15-yard punt by the Grizzlies gave the ball to the Mountaineers in ASU territory. After a holding penalty moved the ball back to the 50, Connor Desch hit Zach Manchester over the middle 25 yards down field and Manchester did the rest, breaking a tackle then sprinting free for a 50-yard score to make it 28-14 with 6:22 remaining in the third.

The WCU defense stepped up on Adams State's next possession - stopping a fourth-and-2 to give the ball back to the offense. The Mountaineers then drove 57 yards - 30 coming on a highlight reel catch by Elijah Gillespie - and capped it with a Josh Cummings 1-yard touchdown plunge to make it 28-21 with 2:17 left in the third quarter.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, WCU's Josh Nelson intercepted Adams State's John Buksa and returned it to the Grizzlies' 28-yard line to eventually set up a Chandler Davis field goal and make it 28-24 Adams State with 11:12 left in the contest.

The teams traded possessions until ASU's Erick Ruiz kicked a 48-yard field goal to make it 31-24 with 7:11 left. The Mountaineers bounced back on the next possession, putting together an 11-play, 75-yard drive capped by a Cummings 3-yard run to tie the game for the first time since 0-0 at 31-31 with 1:55 remaining.

But unfortunately for the Mountaineers, ASU drove down field, used a pass interference penalty on third down by WCU and scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Buksa to Tariq Bitson (his fourth touchdown grab of the game) to take a 38-31 lead with 29 seconds left. WCU then fumbled the ball back to ASU on the ensuing kickoff - ending the Mountaineers' hopes for their first 3-0 start in RMAC play since 1997 and a chance to return the Colorado Classic trophy back to Gunnison.

The Mountaineers were outgained by the Grizzlies 480-356 with ASU's Buksa throwing for 370 yards and four scores and Bitson catching 12 passes for 257 yards and four touchdowns.

Desch finished 24-for-39 for 270 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. James Bryant had five catches for 66 yards while Deyvon Butler had six receptions for 18 yards. Cummings led WCU on the ground with 45 yards and two scores. Robert Garlock led the defense with seven tackles - including four solo tackles.
 
WCU hosts Chadron State 1 p.m. Saturday in its homecoming game at Mountaineer Bowl.