GUNNISON, Colo. The Mountaineer Bowl on Saturday will play host to its first game with both teams ranked within the AFCA Division II Top 25 as No. 20 Western Colorado welcomes No. 22 Colorado Mesa for a 1 p.m. Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest.
Both teams are ranked in the initial NCAA D-II Super Region Four, with the Mavericks slotted at No. 8 and the Mountaineers at No. 9.
THE MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2021 SEASON STATS
Since an overtime loss October 2 at then-No. 5 Colorado School of Mines, the Mountaineers have strung together a three-game win streak and topped 40 points in each victory.
For the season, the Western offense is averaging 35 points a game – third highest in the RMAC -- and generating 429 yards per outing, with a balanced mix of 205 yards rushing and 224 yards in the air.
Josh Cummings continues to lead the RMAC in rushing with 922 yards and a per-game average of 115 yards, and his 14 rushing touchdowns tops the league in scoring.
Connor Desch has thrown for 1,712 yards during the season, third most in the league, and connected for 15 TDs, also third best among the conference's quarterbacks.
The defense is surrendering a measly 17.6 points per game, third lowest in the conference. Buoyed by
Will Lydle's RMAC-best 7 solo sacks (and 5 assists), the Mountaineer defense has crashed the pocket to come up with a league-high 41 sacks so far this season.
COLORADO MESA HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2021 SEASON STATS
Mesa averages just shy of 38 points per game, highest in the RMAC, and its defense is allowing just 16 points per game, second least in the league.
With a per-game average of 465 yards, it is no surprise that the Mavericks lead the RMAC, while at the same time limiting opposing defenses to a conference-best 270 yards per game.
Karst Hunter averages 244 yard though the air for Mesa, tossing 14 TDs and posting a QB Efficiency Rating of 146.3, second best in the conference.
The Maverick rushing attack is a three-headed one, as Hunter, Darick Holmes and Morian Walker spread the wealth. Hunter tops the team averaging 48 yards per game, followed by Holmes' 41 YPG and Walker's 39 YPG.
2021 WESTERN COLORADO NOTES
RED-ZONE MASTERS
Western's red-zone offense continues to be one of the most efficient in the league, earning points on 32 of 37 trips, including punching it in for TDs on 25 occasions.
Though not often electing to go for it on 4th down, the Mountaineer offense has been successful, converting 7 of 10 attempts.
Its 400 rushing yards against Black Hills State, in a 44-28 win on Oct. 16, are the most by an RMAC team this season – by nearly 150 yards.
BREAKING THE STREAK
Mesa carried a five-game win streak into last season's game against visiting Western Colorado, but the Mountaineers ended that string with a 30-28 road victory.
The Western win before Mesa's streak produced the largest margin of victory for the Mountaineers in the series, 24 points, in a 2013 31-7 home win.
