The Colorado Mesa football team heads back out on the road this weekend for a showdown with their Western Slope rival Western Colorado. The Mavericks (6-1, 5-1 RMAC) will take on the Mountaineers (7-1, 6-1 RMAC) at 1pm from the Mountaineer Bowl.
 
WEEK ONE AGAIN
After last weekend's big win over No. 3 Colorado School of Mines, the Mavericks are back to week one of the playoffs again…sort of. Colorado Mesa is likely to make the NCAA Division II Playoffs should they win their final three games of the regular season. A loss and they are likely out.
 
It will be the first time since 2015 that they will face nationally ranked opponents in back-to-back weeks as Western Colorado is ranked No. 20 in the AFCA National Poll. The Mountaineers gained their first AFCA National Ranking on October 13 of this year following their win over New Mexico Highlands.
 
IN THE RANKINGS
Colorado Mesa made their first appearance this year in the AFCA rankings as they debuted at No. 22 this week after the 26-21 win over previous No. 3 Colorado School of Mines who dropped to No. 14. It is the first time the Mavericks have been ranked since September 24, 2018.
 
Also released this week were the initial NCAA Super Region 4 rankings which are used to determine the field for the NCAA Playoffs which begin in November. The Mavericks debuted at No. 8 in the rankings with the Mountaineers just behind them at No. 9.
 
The top seven schools in the final rankings make the playoffs with the No. 1 seed receiving a first round while the other three matchups play at the higher seed on November 20. The Mavericks are seeking their first trip to the NCAA Playoffs since 2016.
 
BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL
The Mavericks landed the RMAC Offensive Player of the Week and the Defensive Player of the Week after the win over Mines. Quarterback Karst Hunter was named the offensive player of the week for the third time this season after throwing for 293 yards with three touchdowns while Brian Rattery finished with a season-high 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a safety.
 
It is the first time since the 2017 season (and week one) that the Mavericks have garnered the offensive and defensive player of the week honors in the same week. Quarterback Eystin Salum earned the offensive honor while defensive end Blake Nelson claimed the defensive honor.
 
212
You may hear or have heard the defense chanting "212" during the game or in practices last season and this season. This refers to the motto of the defense and we will try to give you a brief explanation where that comes from.
 
Water boils at 212 degrees and creates steam. Steam is extremely powerful and can power a locomotive which doesn't stop for anything in its path.
 
RIVALRY RENEWED
Colorado Mesa and Western Colorado will renew their rivalry on Saturday at 1pm in the Mountaineer Bowl but this matchup will be a little different than any of the other previous matchups. This will be the first time the two teams will matchup with each other as ranked opponents and it will be the first-ever matchup between ranked opponents in Mountaineer Bowl history.
 
SERIES HISTORY WITH WESTERN COLORADO
The Mavericks own a 25-20 all-time series edge over Western Colorado in the two teams' rich history. The Mountaineers claimed the win in the last matchup during the 2019 season when they won 30-28 on a last second field goal by Western.
 
Colorado Mesa had claimed the previous five matchups before that and won 13 of the previous 14 matchups before that dating back to the 2005 season.
 
The Mountaineers won the first six matchups of the series as four-year schools.
 
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
Western Colorado is in the midst of their best season in years and are off to a 7-1 start to the season. Their lone loss of the year came against No. 5 Colorado School of Mines 20-14 in overtime.
 
They are making waves on the defensive side of the ball behind former Colorado Mesa defensive coordinator Todd Auer's scheme. The Mountaineers are No. 1 in the nation in sacks per game at 5.12 and lead the conference in third down defense only allowing conversions at a 28.2 percent rate. Defensive lineman Will Lydle leads the conference and ranks No. 9 nationally in sacks with nine and a half. He had a season-high 2.5 sacks in in the loss to Mines.
 
The Mountaineer offense is a primary run first scheme as they average 205.6 yards per game on the ground. One of the best backs in the conference leads them in Josh Cummings. He leads the conference in rushing yards at 923 yards and a conference-high nine rushing touchdowns. He churned up 206 yards against Black Hills State and scored a season-high four touchdowns in the win over New Mexico Highlands.
 
THE COACH
Head coach Tremaine Jackson enters his second season at the helm of the Maverick football team. He guided Colorado Mesa to a 2-1 mark during the COVID shortened 2020 season.
 
He was hired in December 2019 just prior to the COVID pandemic and thus has had to wait almost 19 months to compete in his first game that could go towards a championship.
 
Coach Jackson has made several stops along his coaching path that ranges from all levels. Most recently he made stops at Texas State as the defensive line coach and at Abilene Christian as the defensive coordinator.
 
RMAC PRESEASON POLL
Colorado Mesa was picked to finish in fourth place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as voted on by the coaches. The Mavericks finished last season's abbreviated schedule with a 2-1 mark with wins over both Chadron State and Black Hills State. Their lone setback came to South Dakota Mines at home in what turned out to be the final game of the season.
 
Colorado School of Mines was selected to win the conference with seven first place votes and 76 points. Mines finished the 2019 season with a 12-1 mark and a perfect 10-0 mark in the RMAC.
 
CSU Pueblo was second in the poll followed by Chadron State to round out the top four.
 
ON THE HORIZON
The Mavericks will return home for their final home game of the regular season on November 6 when they host the Black Hills State Yellow Jackets. That day will be Military and First Responders Appreciation Day along with Senior Day at the game with plenty of pregame and in-game festivities.