GUNNISON, Colo.  Western Colorado University football earned a share of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 2021 regular season title with Saturday's 14-7 RMAC win at the Mountaineer Bowl over visiting Colorado State University Pueblo.

The co-championship title is the 14th-ranked Mountaineers' first since the 1998 season, and should likely make an appearance in the NCAA postseason a lock – a first for Western since they last played in the Division II national tournament in 1997.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western Colorado def. CSU Pueblo, 14-7
Records: Western Colorado 10-1 (9-1 RMAC), CSU Pueblo 6-5 (6-3)
Location: Mountaineer Bowl; Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Mountaineers scored touchdowns both times they reached the red zone in the second quarter, then held off a Thunderwolves squad over the final 30 minutes.
• Its first TD drive began in CSU Pueblo territory after Bryce Lucas forced a fumble that Lane Farris recovered at the Pack's 43 yard line.
• An eight-play drive took 4 minutes and 6 seconds, ending with a Connor Desch 3-yard TD pass to James Bryant in the back of the end zone.
• Another CSU Pueblo miscue, a missed 32-yard field goal, on its ensuing drive preceded the Mountaineers' next downfield march.
• This one took 10 plays, covered 75 yards in 4:39 and culminated with a Josh Cummings 3-yard push over the left side. A key play on the drive was a 22-yard connection between Desch and Malik White on a 3rd and 8 at Western's own 22 yard line.
• The Mountaineer offense was stifled for much of the second half. But other than a quick three-play, 70-second drive by the Thunderwolves on their initial third-quarter possession – which, after a pair of CSU Pueblo penalties, ended with a 90-yard catch and run TD by Andrew Cook – the Western defense held firm to preserve the one-score lead.
• The final five possessions by CSU Pueblo were ended by punt, punt, on downs, punt, and punt.

MORE TO IT

• For once, and its rarely the case, time of possession had an impact on the outcome. Western possessed the ball for 36:05, leaving the Thunderwolves just 23:55 in which to attempt their comeback.
• The Mountaineers also reeled off 69 plays to just 50 by the Pack.
• Helping push the clock was a solid Western ground game. Cummings was handed the ball 27 times in the game, and rumbled for 119 yards and that one TD that would prove to be the difference maker on the scoreboard.
• Deyvon Butler spelled Cummings during the contest and made the most of limited carries. Butler carved out 39 yards on just 6 carries, finishing the game averaging 6.2 yards per tote. Both he and Cummings registered 20-yard runs to push up their totals and averages per carry.
• Desch, 12-of-22 for 160 yards and a TD, spread the wealth in the passing game to eight different receivers. Damian Macias, three receptions for 65 yards, and White, three for 51 yards, topped the receiving corps, but a group effort was key in the victory.
• Lucas rang up five solo tackles, including that one forced fumble as well as a pass breakup, to spearhead the Western D. Five other players finished with game with four tackles each, including Wyatt Buhr who recorded one sack and three tackles for loss.
• CSU Pueblo's Patrick Howell was his squad's demon on defense, combining seven solo stops with four assists to lead all defenders with 11 tackles.
• The Thunderwolves were busy in Western's offensive backfield, registering seven sacks of Desch in their losing effort.

UP NEXT

• Western was No. 5 in the November 8 NCAA Super Region IV rankings, though moving up could be difficult as all four teams ahead of the Mountaineers also won on Saturday.
• The top seven teams in the four regions should receive bids into the NCAA Division II tournament, with the top team in each region receiving a buy and the Nos. 2-7 teams squaring off in opening-round games of the national bracket.
• Western will learn its fate when the NCAA broadcasts its 2021 NCAA D-II Football Championship Selection Show Sunday at 3 p.m. MST.