ELLENSBURG, Wash.  Fifteenth-ranked Western Colorado rallied from a third-quarter deficit to advance into the second round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs with Saturday's 27-20 victory over host and fifth-ranked Central Washington University.

The Wildcats had taken the lead, 17-14, with a touchdown drive to open the third quarter, then later extended the gap with a field goal only to watch the Mountaineers storm back with a pair of touchdown drives that were the final points of the game.

It was the third consecutive postseason in which Western and Central would meet in the first round of the playoffs, and Saturday's win makes it two in a row for the Mountaineers.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western def. Central Wash., 27-20
Records: Western 10-2, Central Wash. 10-2
Location: Tomlinson Stadium, Ellensburg, Wash.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After the Wildcats' field goal with 5:13 remaining in the third quarter, Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year Drew Nash marched the Mountaineers down the field on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that finished with a short pass to the left to Ramon Ruiz who fought through defenders at the goal line for a 3-yard scoring play.
• The scoring play was only the second third-down play Western faced on the drive, one that was keyed by a 17-yard pass to Caden Measner that opened the drive, , a 23-yard catch-and-run along the right sideline by running back Quinn Bailey, an 11-yard catch-and-run by Bailey, and a 15-yard completion to Jevon Young that put the ball at the Central 5 yard line.
• Neither team would find paydirt on their next possession, but midway through the fourth quarter Nash made quick work of his next opportunity.
• After the Mountaineer defense pushed the Wildcats back 4 yards on their possession, Easton Peterson returned a punt 13 yard to Western's 40 to set up the offense.
• A jet sweep by Ruiz gained five yards, followed by a 14-yard completion to DJ Allen Jr. that put the Mountaineers in Wildcats territory at their 41.
• On the next play, Nash connected on a long pass toward the left sideline, caught at the seven by Joshua Dixon who went untouched into the end zone for a 41-yard scoring play to end a three-play, 60-yard drive.
• The Wildcats blocked the extra point try, and with just under seven minutes remaining, had plenty of time to battle back for at least a tying touchdown. However, the Mountaineer defense rose up and over those final minutes, limited Central toa  6-yard three-and-out, another three-and-out that gained no yards, and 10-play drive that gained only 32 yards and ended with Cameron Cooper's tackle after a 1-yard scramble on fourth down by CWU quarterback Kennedy McGill.
• The theatrics of the second half rally were set up by a pair of long touchdown runs from Western's side during first-half action.
• The Mountaineers took a 7-3 early-second quarter lead on Bailey's 53-yard touchdown run, and the lead grew to 14-3 on Nash's 32-yard scoring run.
• The Wildcat deficit was trimmed right before the half when Nash was hit as he threw and Kuma Scanlan grabbed the fluttering ball and returned it 45 yards for a pick-6 that sent the teams into the halftime break with Western's lead cut to 14-10.

GAME NOTES

• CWU's McGill entered the game as the Wildcats' leading rusher, but was held to just 59 yards on the ground.
• Western's two leading rushers, Nash and Bailey, came up with big runs at opportune times, Bailey finished as the game's leading rusher with 65 yards while Nash added 47 yards with his legs.
• Nash kept the offense balanced – the rushing attack totaled 140 yards – by throwing for 192 yards and two touchdowns.
• Central came into the playoffs averaging 276 yards on the ground per game, but Western's defense held them to a total of 152 rushing yards, forcing McGill to use his arm. He did throw for 258 yards, but none of his 16 completions were for touchdowns.
• Western totaled 7.0 tackles for loss – entering the game averaging 9.5 per game – with linebacker Kaden Stewart credited with 2.5 of those in the game.
• Cooper and Donnell Colbert each forced a Wildcat fumble, and both were recovered by Mountaineers as Ian Loomis jumped on one and Blayz Del Barrio jumped on the other.

UP NEXT
The Mountaineers know they will face Texas-Permian Basin – 37-24 upset winners Saturday at No. 4 CSU Pueblo – in the second round on Sat., Nov. 29, and will wait for official word on Sunday to learn if Western will host the game at MOJO Field at Mountaineer Bowl at the Rady Family Sports Complex.