ALAMOSA, Colo.  Western Colorado traveled to Adams State University for Saturday evening's 78th Colorado Classic, and the ride home will be a joyous one as the fifth-ranked Mountaineers rolled to a 45-6 win over the Grizzlies in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

The win is Western's fifth in a row over ASU and increases the Mountaineers' all-time advantage in the series – the second-longest continuous football series in the state of Colorado – to 44-34.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western def. Adams State, 45-6
Records: Western 3-0 (1-0 RMAC), Adams State 0-3 (0-1)
Location: Rex Field, Alamosa, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Western took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in just six plays and 3 minutes, 33 seconds to score the only touchdown that would end up being needed. Quarterback Drew Nash tossed a dart to DJ Allen Jr. who caught the scoring throw as he cross the ASU goal line.
• The Mountaineers had a three-and-out on its next series but added another score on the final play of the first quarter when Nash, on a third and 22 play, found Caden Measner streaking down the left sideline for a 66-yard pass and catch touchdown.
• Late in the second quarter, with Western leading only by a 14-3 score, Nash crashed into the end zone on a 3-yard rush with 5:14 remaining.
• And then with under a minute remaining in the half, Nash was flushed from the pocket, stepped forward and lobbed a short outlet pass to running back Quinn Bailey, who weaved his way 50 yards for a 56-yard TD pass that soon sent Western into the halftime locker room with a commanding 28-3 lead.
• Adam Tasei would nail a 53-yard field goal early in the third quarter, and Nash would later add 2-yard and 6-yard touchdown passes to tight end Daniel Parsek to provide the final 39-point bulge on the scoreboard.

STATS AND NOTES

• Western would pile up 478 yards of total offense in the rout, getting 263 yards and five touchdowns from Nash in the air, and 215 on the ground, led by Isaiah Jones 110 yards.
• Measner led the receivers with 104 yards on 5 catches, with Bailey, Allen Jr., and Parsek also added touchdown catches.
• The Mountaineer defense limited the Grizzlies to just a pair of field goals and a total of only 173 yards of offense.
• Adams State gained only 41 yards on the ground against the stout Western defense, which was led by Kade Musser's 11 tackles (6 solo, 3.5 tackles for loss). Musser and Kaden Stewart each came up with one sack during the defense's punishing night.

UP NEXT

• The Mountaineers entertain New Mexico Highlands in their next game on Sat., Sept. 27 in the Mountaineer Bowl.
• The Cowboys upped their record to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the RMAC with Saturday's 48-42 overtime win over visiting South Dakota Mines.