GUNNISON, Colo.  Eighth-ranked Western Colorado opens its 2025 football schedule with a visit from West Texas A&M University in a Thursday, August 28 non-conference matchup at the Mountaineer Bowl at the Rady Family Sports Complex.

Western defeated the Buffaloes in their home stadium last season, scratching out a 26-17 win in Canyon, Texas.

LAST TIME THEY MET

• The game at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium turned on a pair of key plays, as well as a strong fourth-quarter defensive effort by the Mountaineers.
• On Western's second play from scrimmage, quarterback Drew Nash flashed his wheels and talent on the way to an All-American season, dashing 62 yards for the game's opening score. Nash would finish the game with 136 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns, along with 185 passing yards.
• The Buffs were driving for a possible go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter when the Mountaineers' Cameron Cooper stepped in front of a pass at the Western 4-yard line and raced 96 yards to paydirt, increasing the Mountaineer lead to 10-10.
• West Texas responded with a 72-yard touchdown pass two plays later, however, to pull back within a field goal. Nash methodically marched Western down the field on an 8 minute touchdown drive to extend the lead again, and then the defense took over, limiting the Buffs to only seven yards on six offensive plays to finish out the road victory.

 No. 8 WESTERN COLORADO HEADING INTO THE GAME | 2024 STATS

• The Mountaineers begin the 2025 campaign ranked No. 8 in the D2Football.com poll and at No. 10 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll. Western finished the 2024 season with an 11-2 record, the 11th win coming in the opening round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, setting a program record for season wins total.
• Nash, the 2025 offensive team captain, returns for his final season, as does also 2025 defensive team captain Ricky Freymond, who earned four first-team All-American honors last season while setting a program record for career sacks (24.5) and led DII in tackles for loss (24.5) last season.
• Freymond and Nash were both named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watchlist for 2025, while Freymond was one of just 10 DII players to be named to the East-West Shrine Bowl 1,000 Watchlist.
• Both were tabbed for the preseason All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference team, as were offensive lineman Zach Brumfield; defensive linemen Mikey Smith and Jaydon Young; linebacker and 2024 RMAC Defensive Rookie of the Year Cooper; and tight end Daniel Parsek.

WEST TEXAS A&M HEADING INTO THE GAME | 2024STATS

• The Buffs finished last season with a 5-6 record while averaging 357 yards per game from their offense. However, the program hired Justin Bane as its new offensive coordinator, a move that brings a coach who led Central Missouri's offense last season to 526 yards per game, second most in DII.
• Bane might look to 6 foot-10 tight end Nash Dunnam to help ignite the offense. But Bane also has a new face to trigger the attack in Texas State quarterback transfer RJ Martinez, who originally signed with Northern Arizona, transferred and played at Baylor before moving on to Texas State.
• The Buffs were picked to finish sixth in the preseason Lone Star Conference coaches' poll.

TICKETS
HomeTown Ticketing is the official ticket supplier for Mountaineer athletics. Third-party ticket vendors are not accepted at the Mountaineer Bowl. Individuals purchasing tickets from third-party sites do so at their own risk and no refunds from Mountaineer athletics will be available.

UP NEXT
Western hits the road for consecutive games after its opener, traveling to Wichita Falls, Texas, for a September 6 non-conference game at Midwestern State University, followed by its RMAC opener at Adams State University on Sept. 20.