FBvCMU 211030

Football Gregg Petcoff

Mountaineers Prep for Oaklanders

Western Colorado vs. Lincoln (Calif.)
1 p.m., Saturday | Mountaineer Bowl | Gunnison, Colo.
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GUNNISON, Colo.  Eighteenth ranked Western Colorado University welcomes Lincoln (Calif.) University to the Mountaineer Bowl Saturday afternoon, taking on an Oaklanders squad in a non-conference match-up beginning at 1 p.m.

MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO THE WEEK | 2021 STATS
  • In its last outing, Western improved to 8-1 overall and 7-1 within the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference after a 23-9 victory over then-No. 22 Colorado Mesa University.
  • The home victory spurred movement in the national and regional rankings as the Mountaineers moved up to No. 18 in the AFCA Division II rankings, and up to No. 6 on the NCAA Super Region IV list.
  • The win over Mesa also gave Western its second four-game win streak of the season. The last time the Mountaineers won four in a row was in the 2002 season.
 OAKLANDERS HEADING INTO THE WEEK
  • This season is the program's inaugural football season.
  • The Oaklanders began their 2021 schedule with a narrow, two-point loss (31-29) at Division III Whitworth (Wash.) University.
  • Lincoln earned its first program win the next week, soundly defeating D-III Willamette (Ore.) University, 34-9.
  • Since those two high-output games, the Oaklanders' offense has been stymied, scoring a cumulative total of 40 points during an ongoing five-game losing streak.
2021 WESTERN COLORADO NOTES
GROUND ATTACK
  • The Mountaineers are averaging 199.3 yards rushing per game, 28th best in the nation amongst Division II programs.
  • The ground attack is led by Josh Cummings. His 100.8 yards rushing per game ranks 10th nationally. In addition, Cummings is sixth in rushing TDs (15), total TDs (15) and total points (90), and his season total of 1,051 yards on the ground is eighth most in D-II.
GROUP EFFORT
  • Cummings certainly spurs the offense with his legs, but as a group the offense is proving a tough out for opposing defenses, averaging 34.0 points per game, tied for 36th best nationally.
  • With 27 TDs and 7 field goals in 40 times in the red-zone, Western's .850 success rate is also 36th nationally.
DEFENSE! ­– DEFENSE! – DEFENSE!
  • The defensive corps is a big part of the Mountaineers' success. It ranks first nationally in red-zone defense – allowing just seven TDs and three FGs in 20 attempts – and in team sacks (42).
  • In surrendering just 16.67 points per outing, the Mountaineer D is 16th in points allowed.
  • The rush defense is allowing only 97.9 yards per game, a figure that ranks 21st in the country.
  • Will Lydle's six solo sacks and seven sack assists are 11th most nationally.
  • With 15.0 tackles for loss, Western's Lane Farris is 14th in D-II.
    
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Players Mentioned

Josh Cummings

#26 Josh Cummings

RB
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Lane Farris

#54 Lane Farris

LB
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
Will Lydle

#99 Will Lydle

DL
6' 1"
Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Josh Cummings

#26 Josh Cummings

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
RB
Lane Farris

#54 Lane Farris

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
LB
Will Lydle

#99 Will Lydle

6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
DL