The first win is always the hardest one to get.

So after Colorado Mesa University put its first one in the win column last week and now gets ready to celebrate homecoming this Saturday, it's natural to think things will get easier from here, right? As a well-known college football analyst is quick to say - “Not so fast my friend.”

Homecoming opponents, for the most part, are usually bottom feeders, scheduled as easy wins to please the big home crowd. The only problem for CMU, which celebrates homecoming this weekend, is its opponent is New Mexico Highlands, a team coming off an impressive 42-37 win over the Colorado School of Mines, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference preseason No. 1 pick and the then 18^th-ranked Division II team in the land.

So much for easy.

“They will be one of the most, if not the most, talented teams we will play this year,” first-year CMU coach Russ Martin said. “Most of their guys were recruited by Division I (schools) and they are talented. So from that standpoint, it will be a huge challenge.”

The Cowboys, 3-1 overall this season and 2-0 in RMAC play, roll into Grand Junction for Saturday's 1 p.m. kickoff at Stocker Stadium on the highest of highs. The Mavs, 1-3 overall and 1-1 in the RMAC, are hoping to keep the momentum of last week's win going.

“Highlands is a good team, they really are,” CMU junior quarterback Jason Haferman said. “They are not a team that should be overlooked. They are a lot better than they have been in the past.”

That is the kind of stigma that the Cowboys have been living with for years – that they are not capable of playing up to the standards of other Division II teams in their region. And the numbers really bear that sentiment out this time.

Since the 2000 season, CMU holds a 10-2 edge in head-to-head games and has outscored Highlands, on average, 42-21 in those games. In fact, in the last five years, Highlands is a combined 13-41 overall, including two one-win seasons.

But this is now. And these Cowboys are good - real good.

In the game last week against the Mines, the two schools combined for 1,202 yards of total offense and the Cowboys were responsible for 570 of those yards. Highlands threw for 434 yards, those coming from junior quarterback Emmanuel Lewis (6-foot, 3-inches, 190-pounds), who completed 25 of 45 passes and connected on scoring strikes of 11, 44, 43 and 36 yards to four different receivers.

Those four wide outs, which is the offensive set the Cowboys favor, combined not only for four scores but 25 catches. Darius Davis (5-11, 200, senior) led the pack with eight catches for 171 yards and a touchdown while Kevon Williams caught seven balls for 99 yards and a score. In all, the Cowboys have five receivers that have at least 10 catches each and average 358 receiving yards a game as a team.

“It's a matter of playing sound, disciplined football for four quarters,” Martin said. “Defensively, we have to be sound tacklers. I mean they have some guys that can fly.”

Throw in a running attack led by Lavelle Peterson (5-9, 225), 30 carries for 128 yards, and Highlands has the potential to put up some pretty gaudy numbers. Through four games, the Cowboys are averaging 39 points a game while allowing just 24.

“They have a lot of great individual guys and a lot of speed and finesse,” Haferman said. “So we have to attack that. It's not something that we are going to beat with speed all the time but if we get in the right spot at the right time; they are definitely a team that we can handle.”

Defensively, safety DiAmaal Holmes (5-11, 175) leads the Cowboys with 37 tackles this season, 18 of those coming last week, while linebacker Jared Koster (6-1, 220) has recorded 27 take downs.

“We know we have to be able to throw the football against these guys because they are going to load the box and bring a lot of pressure at us,” Martin said. “So we have to be able to run the ball consistently to keep some of the pressure off but we'll have to be able to throw on first down as well.”

Practice notes

Red-shirt starting quarterback Deke Cisco, who missed last week's game after suffering a leg injury two games ago against Chadron State, is no longer wearing a boot on his left foot but said after Wednesday's practice that he is not healthy enough to play. Junior Jason Haferman will make his second-straight start of the season.

It is the time of year when injuries start piling up and the Mavs are not immune. Junior tight end Drew Holder looks to be lost for the year and may need to have shoulder surgery; senior defensive lineman Dom Lewis, who has missed all four games this year with a nagging hamstring, is still day-to-day; sophomore linebacker Clint Imlay is not expected to play this week nor is red-shirt freshman defensive lineman Casey Walker

Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Games for Sept. 29, all times MDT
Western New Mexico @ Colorado Mines, noon
Chadron State @ Adams State, 1 p.m.
CSU-Pueblo @ Fort Lewis, 1 p.m.
Black Hills State @ Western State, 1 p.m.

New Mexico Highlands Cowboys (3-1, 2-0 RMAC)
Saturday September 29 | 1:00pm (MDT) | Live Stats | Live Audio (KEXO 1230AM) | Live Video
All-Time Series: 27-8 (12-0 in Grand Junction)
Last Meeting: 2011  -  NMHU 41-38 in Las Vegqas, N.M.

Last Week for the Cowboys: The Cowboys ran their record to 3-1 on the season with an impressive 42-37 win over Colorado Mines in Golden. The game turned into and aerial show as Highlands rolled up 570 yards of offense including 434 yards through the air while Mines threw for 601 yards in the game as well.

Highlands comes into the game receiving votes in this weeks AFCA Top 25 poll.

RMAC Standings: The Mavericks come into the game with a 1-1 record in the RMAC after falling to Chadron State two weeks ago and defeating Black Hills State last weekend. They are currently tied with Colorado Mines, Adams State and Western New Mexico.

The Cowboys come into the contest undefeated at 2-0 in the RMAC. They sit atop the standings with Chadron State and #3 CSU-Pueblo.

Projected Starters