GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.  Western Colorado on Saturday is looking for its fifth win in a row over host Colorado Mesa University as the Mavericks host the 10th-ranked Mountaineers, who are chasing a postseason berth in the NCAA Division II postseason tournament.

Both teams, playing their Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season finalés, are ranked within the regional rankings, Western in fifth and Mesa in ninth in Super Region Four. The top seven teams from the region will advance to the NCAA tournament that consists of 28 teams, seven from each of four regions.

WESTERN COLORADO HEADING INTO THE GAME | 2024 Stats

• The Mountaineers got back on the winning track in their last game, a 21-17 home victory over Chadron State College.
• Drea Thompson got Western on the scoreboard quickly, returning a pick-6 25 yards on the first offensive play of the game.
• The Eagles would score 17 unanswered points to take the lead through almost three quarters, but the Mountaineers got a 29-yard touchdown pass from Drew Nash to Victory David in the waning seconds of the third quarter, then took the lead on their next possession with a 22-yard Nash to Elias Zarate to close out a 14-play, 93 yard drive in the fourth quarter.
• The Western offense enters Saturday's game with the second-highest scoring offense in the RMAC at 36 points per game, and the third-highest rushing (175 YPG) and passing (267 YPG) attacks in the league.
• Its 20 PPG surrendered ranks the Mountaineers third in the conference, led by a stout rush defense that tops league statistics allowing just 74 YPG.
• Defensive lineman Ricky Freymond leads the RMAC in tackles for loss, 18.0 for minus-80 yards, and sacks, 8.5 for minus-51 yards.
• Nash is second in the league in passing, throwing for 2,134 yards, 237 per game, with 20 touchdowns and a 63 percent completion rate.

COLORADO MESA HEADING INTO THE GAME | 2024 Stats

• The Mavericks are 7-3 overall and 6-2 in the RMAC, and are coming off a narrow 17-14 loss at South Dakota Mines. Mesa, however, earlier in the season dealt then-No. 4 Colorado School of Mines it's first loss in a 14-13 victory over the Orediggers.
• The all-time series record tilts Mesa's way at 25-23, but the Mountaineers have won the last four meetings after breaking a five-year Mavericks win streak.
• The Mavs' offense is putting up 23 PPG, sixth in the RMAC, relying more on the run (175 YPG, 4th) than the pass (157 YPG, 9th).
• The rushing attack is led by Brandon Balgrave with 67 YPG and Aiden Taylor with 62 YPG.
• Quarterback Liu Aurnavae is 11th in the RMAC amongst its passing leaders. He has thrown for 1,312 yards and 12 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.
• A stout Mesa defense leads the RMAC, giving up just 14.5 points per game. Its pass defense tops the conference at just 111 YPG, while the rush defense is fifth, at 127 yards allowed per game.
• Charlie Smith is second in the RMAC in total tackles, 97, while Levi Krebs is sixth with 70 and Liban Shongolo is 10th with 63.
• Colin Stuhr is tied for second in the RMAC in total sacks with 8.0 for minus-43 yards.

UP NEXT
A Western win should assure a berth on the NCAA postseason. If the Mountaineers can move up to fourth in the Super Region Four rankings they would likely earn a first-round home game on November 23.