GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. – Dustin Rivas intercepted three passes and Sean Rubalcaba threw for nearly 400 yards to lead the #25 Colorado Mesa University football team to a 47-33 home opening win over Chadron State Saturday (Sept. 10).

The Mavericks scored on the opening drive of the game when David Tann ran four yards to the end zone to cap a 10 play, 86-yard scoring drive.

CMU got the ball back thanks to a three-and-out stand from the defense. The Mavs wasted no time when Sean Rubalcaba completed a 50-yard touchdown strike to Virnell Moon at 8:39 of the first quarter.

Chadron drove 68 yards to the Mesa 17-yard line before Dustin Rivas intercepted his first pass of the game in the end zone.

The Eagles got on the board early in the second quarter after TD Stein completed a 76-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Brown. CSC failed on the two-point conversion.

The Mavs relied on the long ball once again this time for an 81-yard pass from Rubalcaba to Moon with 10 minutes left in the first half to lead 21-13.

Chadron blocked a punt and returned it seven yards to the end zone to cut the Mesa lead to 21-13.

Ryan Sheehan kicked a 31-yard field goal just before the half to give CMU a 24-13 lead at the half.

Both teams struggled offensively at the beginning of the second half.

Dustin Rivas picked off his second pass of the game and the Mavericks turned it into three points thanks to a 37-yard field goal from Sheehan.

Sheehan made his third field goal of the game, this one from 32 yards, on the Mavs next possession.

Chadron cut the CMU lead to 30-20 after a seven-play, 56-yard drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown run by Derek Jackson.

CMU's lead would quickly grow to 44-20 in a span of 18 seconds. Dorian Williams scored on a one-yard run, and Rivas returned an interception 22 yards on Chadron's next play from scrimmage.

The Eagles strung together a 10-play, 52-yard drive that ended on a one-yard from Derek Jackson at 6:40 of the fourth quarter.

Mesa answered with a fourth field goal from Sheehan from the 22-yard line.

The Eagles did not give up. Matt Vinson completed a 69-yard scoring strike to Brandon Fullerton with 2:38 remaining.

Chadron would recover the on-side kick but the Mesa defense held the Eagles to negative two yards before getting the ball back on downs.

Sean Rubalcaba completed 25-of-42 passes for CMU to finish with a career-high 396 yards. He also led the team in rushing with 55 yards on 10 carries.

Virnel Moon finished with a career-high 161 yards receiving (32.2 ypc) and two touchdowns for CMU.

CSC finished with 532 yards of total offense compared to 513 for CMU.

The Mavericks scored on all six of its trips to the red zone (two touchdowns, four field goals).

Blake Nelson led the Mavs with seven tackles and two of the team's three sacks.

CMU (2-0, 2-0) will play at Colorado Mines (2-0, 2-0) Sept. 17.