November 2nd, 2024 7:05pm
GUNNISON, Colo. – The 10th-ranked Colorado State University Pueblo football team remained undefeated in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play here Saturday afternoon as they collected an impressive 44-34 victory over eighth-ranked Western Colorado in Mojo Field at Mountaineer Field at the The Rady Family Sports Complex.
With the victory, the ThunderWolves improved to 8-1 overall and 7-0 in the RMAC, while Western Colorado fell to 8-1 overall and 6-1 in the league. The win extended two streaks for the Pack as they won its 14th consecutive conference game, which is tied for the second longest active streak in Division II and its eighth straight road contest, which is the second longest active streak in Division II.
The win also helped the Pack snap a three-game losing streak to the Mountaineers and puts the Pack into the driver's seat to win its ninth all-time RMAC title with two weeks left in the regular season and host at least one home NCAA first round playoff game.
Saturday's win was keyed by a Pack offensive attack that scored on seven of its 13 possessions and finished the game with 593 yards as they passed for 435 yards and rushed for 158 yards against the No. 2 rushing defense in the country as the Mountaineers entered the game allowing just 60.5 rushing yards per game. The Pack also scored 44 points against a Western defense that entered the game allowing just 16.1 points per game. It was also the most points allowed by the Mountaineers since Colorado School of Mines scored 42 points last season in a 42-7 win in Golden, Colo.
"I'm speechless. The Lord has been on this team the whole year. I challenged these guys to play free and play our game today and did exactly that. They played free and I'm so proud of these guys," CSU Pueblo second-year head coach Philip Vigil said. "When we needed plays, we made some plays in every facet of the game."