GUNNISON, Colo.  The 2025 football season is right around the corner, and Western Colorado will begin the campaign ranked within the top 10, sitting at No. 8 in the preseason D2Football.com poll and at No. 10 in the preseason American Football Coaches Association voting.

The Mountaineers concluded the 2024 season in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, finishing 10th in the AFCA rankings and 13th in the final D2Football.com poll.

Western's 2025 schedule includes ranked teams from Colorado State Pueblo (No. 6 in AFCA, No. 7 in D2Football.com) along with Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Mesa University, which are both receiving votes in the AFCA polling.

The Mountaineers kick off 2025 with a home game under the lights at the Mountaineer Bowl at the Rady Family Sports Complex, squaring off against West Texas A&M in a 6 p.m., Thursday, August 28 matchup, won last season by Western Colorado, 26-17.