GUNNISON, Colo.  The 10th-ranked Mountaineers head into the second round of the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs on Saturday afternoon, November 30, looking to continue to set program records.

Western Colorado (11-1) will host No. 24 Bemidji State (Minn.) University (9-3) at 1 p.m. in the Mountaineer Bowl at The Rady Family Sports Complex, and should the Mountaineers win the game they would be the first team in program history to win two NCAA DII playoff games  and to register a 12-win season.

The previous Saturday's win over Central Washington University gave Western its first 11-win season and first NCAA DII playoff victory.

WESTERN COLORADO HEADING INTO THE GAME | 2024 Stats

• The Mountaineers, though tied once in the opening quarter, never trailed visiting Central Washington in its 28-21 victory.
• Quarterback Drew Nash accounted for all four Western touchdowns. He ran in from 5 yards out for the game's first score, then tossed one touchdown pass in each of the second, third and fourth quarters.
• The Mountaineer defense held the Wildcats to 60 yards under their average yards per game, including nearly 50 yards under its vaunted rushing attack's yardage per game.
• Nash won the quarterback duel with Central's Kennedy McGill, who was 12th in the nation in rushing yards entering the game. Nash rumbled for a game-best 127 net yards compared to McGill's 113, and he threw for 164 yards and 3 touchdowns compared to McGill's 138 yard and no touchdowns.
• DJ Allen Jr. caught two of Nash's TD passes, sandwiched around Josiah Ayon's third-quarter TD grab.
• Each of the defense's All-RMAC players were pivotal in the game. RMAC Defensive Freshman of the Year Cameron Cooper led the team in tackles with 9 total, including a sack and a forced fumble; RMAC Defensive Player of the Year of the Year Ricky Freymond had 8 tackles including a sack and another for a loss; and first-team All-RMAC linebacker Kendall Lightfoot registered 7 tackles including a half sack.
• In the final minute of the one-score game it was Cooper who forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate Jaydon Young to bring on Nash and the victory formation.
• Freymond's sack upped his career sack total and program record to 23.5.
• The Mountaineer offense is averaging 425 YPG, which is 18th in DII, 36 points per game (NCAA 13th), and 254 passing YPG (NCAA 19th). Surrendering just 18 PPG the Western defense is 29th in scoring defense while also ranking 17th in rush defense allowing 86 YPG.

BEMIDJI STATE HEADING INTO THE GAME | 2024 Stats

• The Beavers were just 5-3 at one point in the season, but since a loss to Winona State they've reeled off four consecutive wins, including an upset of No. 10 Augustana (S.D.) in the final game of the regular season and an upset of host and 15th-ranked Angelo State (Texas) in the first round of the NCAA playoffs.
• Despite the score, 24-14, the win at Angelo State was a defensive battle. The teams combined for a total of 13 punts, and three touchdown drives were one play each.
• The Beavers scored first after a 60-yard punt return and penalty gave them the ball at the ASU 5 yard line. A quarterback keeper by Sam McGath on the first play pushed BSU to a 7-0 lead. Responding in the second quarter, Angelo State blocked a punt that it recovered at the Beavers' 1 yard line, a short distance for the tying score.
• Late in the game BSU was clinging to a 17-14 lead when Connor Carver put the game on ice with a 59-yard touchdown gallop after a Rams punt. ASU drove to the Bemidji 10 yard line with its last possession but a third-down pass was intercepted in the end zone closed out the BSU win.
• The Beavers are used to controlling the game and keeping the score low. Their 26 points per game average and 186 passing yards per game are not in the top 50 of DII. However, a rushing attack averaging 182 YPG is 25th, and on the defensive side of the ball they rank 15th in scoring defense (16 PPG), 9th in rush defense (83 YPG) and 7th in total defense at just 240 YPG.
• McGath is the trigger man for the offense and is the team's second-leading rusher with 480 net yards and 8 rushing touchdowns. He has passed for 2,186 yards this season for an average of 182 YPG and has thrown for 21 touchdowns while being intercepted 11 times.
• Jayden Washington is the leading rusher, accumulating 744 yards for a 62 YPG average while scoring 4 touchdowns.
• Though the passing attack hasn't been the offense's preference, wide receiver Brice Peters has totaled 1,016 yards in receptions and 12 touchdown catches.
• The Beavers' defense is led by linebacker Colton Hinrichs, who has 66 total tackles including 6 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, and defensive end Marcus Hansen, who leads the team in TFLs (13.5) and sacks (7.5).

TICKETS
Tickets are available to purchase on Western's Hometown Ticketing website.

UP NEXT

• The winner of the Western-Bemidji game will play the winner of the Colorado State Pueblo-Minnesota State Mankato game on December 7.
• If No. 6 CSU Pueblo wins, it would host the quarterfinal game as the top seed in the region. If Western, second in the region, wins and Minnesota State upsets the ThunderWolves, the quarterfinal would be at the Mountaineer Bowl.