THE WEEK IN REVIEW
Colorado Mesa piled up 482 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns as the Mavericks rolled past Adams State 59-12 Saturday afternoon at Rex Field.

The Mavericks (4-4, 3-3 RMAC) scored on their opening possession after Atiba Fitz returned the kickoff 27 yards to the Adams State 48. Cole Hansen finished the six play drive with a 13-yard touchdown run. Hansen later broke a 30-yard run to set up a 1-yard Bronco Hartson score, and CMU led 14-0 after one quarter.

Kale Purvis drilled a 52-yard field goal in the second quarter and Hartson added another 1-yard touchdown after a 24-yard burst to make it 24-0. The CMU defense twice stopped the Grizzlies on fourth down in Mavericks territory before the break.

After Adams State scored early in the third, CMU answered with three touchdowns in less than six minutes. Amari Brown capped a 74-yard drive with a 24-yard run, Liu Aumavae hit Logan Ryan for a 40-yard score, and Jaden Thermidor raced 46 yards to the end zone for a 45-6 lead.

Dayton Tafoya threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Nico Benallo in the fourth, and Thermidor closed the scoring with an 8-yard run.

Thermidor led the way with 134 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries. Brown added 105 yards, while Exander Carroll ran for 70, Hartson for 64, and Hansen for 64. CMU finished with 655 total yards and 34 first downs, held the ball for 37:22, and never punted. The defense held Adams State to 83 rushing yards and 3-of-13 on third down, with Jon Dowell recording a sack.

KNOW YOUR FOE
New Mexico Highlands started the season 3-1 and easily could have been 4-0 but fell in overtime to Fort Lewis on the road in Durango back on September 12. Since that start, the Cowboys have dropped four straight with two contests coming at home in Sanchez Stadium and two coming on the road. They would love nothing more than to get back on track this weekend and win back-to-back matchups with Colorado Mesa for the first time since 2011-2012.

Head coach Kurt Taufa'asau has done a tremendous job since arriving in Las Vegas two years ago. Fresh off a NJCAA National Championship, he led the Cowboys to a 6-5 record in his first season after going 2-9 the season prior to his arrival. 

The Mavericks and Cowboys have a common non-conference opponent on their schedule in Eastern New Mexico. Both teams came away with a win as Highlands earned a 35-34 victory while Colorado Mesa came away with a 42-23 win a week later.

Ashton Bradford is one of the top running backs in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as he has 546 yards and six touchdowns on the season. He had a season-high 180 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the narrow loss at Fort Lewis. He also had a strong game against one of the top teams in the conference in Western Colorado where he had 161 yards on 16 carries. 

Senior linebacker Damon Mayberry leads the Cowboys in tackles with 58 total tackles. He had a season-high 12 tackles against FOrt Lewis but recorded 10 solo tackles against nationally ranked Western Colorado. The Mavericks will have to pay attention to Kaleb Harris in the secondary as he has four interceptions and three break-ups.

Following the matchup with Colorado Mesa, the Cowboys will have their senior day against Adams State at home in Sanchez Family Stadium. Their final game of the season will be on the road in Golden against Colorado School of Mines.

Last Five Matchups
Oct. 18, 2025 Las Vegas, N.M. L, 28-22
Oct. 19, 2024 Grand Junction, Colo. W, 21-10
Nov. 11, 2023 Las Vegas, N.M. W, 38-24
Nov. 12, 2022 Grand Junction, Colo. W, 56-36
Sept. 18, 2021 Las Vegas, N.M. W, 56-37

KEYS TO THE GAME
Colorado Mesa (4-4, 3-3 RMAC) hosts New Mexico Highlands (3-5, 1-5 RMAC) at Stocker Stadium on Halloween, with kickoff at 1 p.m. The Mavericks are coming off a 59-12 win at Adams State in which they ran for a season-high 482 yards and 655 total yards. The Cowboys started 3-1 but have lost four straight. Over their last three games they have been outscored 188-58, including a 59-17 loss to Chadron State in a game delayed two hours by lightning. CMU leads the all-time series 25-10, and Highlands is just 3-14 in Grand Junction. The Mavericks will also be looking for revenge. Highlands won last year's meeting 28-22 in Las Vegas, snapping an 11-game losing streak against CMU, and the Cowboys haven't won in Grand Junction since 2012. 

1. Keep running the ball. 
The Highlands defense has struggled to stop anyone, and the run has been its biggest weakness. The Cowboys allow 211.0 rushing yards per game at 5.7 yards per carry, and they have given up 16 rushing touchdowns. Chadron ran for 279 yards against them last week, and CSU Pueblo ran for 246 the week before. CMU has plenty of backs to take advantage of that. Bronco Hartson has a team-high six rushing touchdowns. Amari Brown (5.8 yards per carry) and Jaden Thermidor, who ran for 134 yards and two scores on just seven carries at Adams State, give the Mavs a change of pace. Cole Hansen has added 248 rushing yards at 5.6 per carry. A big day on the ground would also let CMU control the clock, as it did when it held the ball for more than 37 minutes in Alamosa.

2. Slow down the Highlands run game early. 
On paper, the Cowboys have one of the RMAC's better rushing attacks, averaging 206.8 yards per game at 5.6 yards per carry. Ashton Bradford leads the way with 546 yards at 7.6 per carry and six touchdowns, and freshman Owen Smith has averaged 6.2 yards per carry with three scores. Those season numbers are boosted by a fast start, though. Highlands ran for 459 yards against Western New Mexico and 316 at Fort Lewis, but it has averaged under 130 rushing yards per game over its last five games, including 95 at Pueblo and 85 against Chadron. CMU's run defense allows 124.1 yards per game and 3.4 per carry, and it held Adams State to 83. If the Mavs can stop the run early, they'll put Highlands in long third downs. The Cowboys convert just 30.5% of their third downs and went 1-of-10 against Chadron.

3. Contain Kadyn Parr and limit big plays in the passing game. 
Redshirt junior Kadyn Parr is a dual threat. He has completed 58.2% of his passes for 1,104 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions, with a 142.6 rating. He is also Highlands' second-leading rusher with 355 yards and two touchdowns. His best game came against Black Hills State, when he threw for 315 yards and four touchdowns. His favorite deep target is Brian Spotwood II, who averages 29.2 yards per catch with three touchdowns and a 65-yard long. Big plays have been CMU's biggest weakness on defense, as the Mavs have allowed 7.96 yards per attempt and 20 touchdown passes. Pressure could help, but the rush has to stay disciplined so Parr can't escape the pocket and run. Highlands has allowed 15 sacks this season, and CMU's pass rush is led by Noah Williams (4.0 sacks) and O'Marius Dimry-Lockhart (2.5).

4. Win the turnover battle and stay disciplined.
Highlands has been one of the most penalized teams around, committing 81 penalties for 732 yards (91.5 yards per game). The Cowboys have also turned the ball over 15 times, including three giveaways and a pick-six against Chadron. CMU has to take care of the ball, too. The Mavericks are -2 in turnover margin after losing fumbles against Mines and Adams State, and Highlands has nine interceptions, four of them by freshman defensive back Kaleb Harris. Hansen has helped by not throwing an interception in his last three games.

5. Keep finishing drives and win on special teams. 
CMU has scored on 17 straight red-zone trips and is 27-of-29 in the red zone this season, with 21 touchdowns. Highlands has allowed scores on 36-of-46 opponent red-zone trips, including 31 touchdowns. The Cowboys are dangerous on kickoff returns, though. They average 23.6 yards per return, Kerya Powell has a 92-yard return touchdown, and Malachi Releford averages 34.2 yards per return. That makes CMU's kickoff coverage important. Field position should favor the Mavericks. Highlands' punters average just 35.2 yards with a 31.7-yard net, while Kale Purvis averages 43.5 yards per punt and hit a 52-yard field goal in Alamosa.

OFFENSIVE ATTACK
Colorado Mesa's offense had its best performance in years in a 59-12 win at Adams State. The Mavericks ran for 482 yards, their first 400-yard rushing game since Oct. 21, 2017, also at Adams State. They finished with 655 yards of total offense, their first 600-yard game since Oct. 15, 2022, against Fort Lewis.

CMU averaged 8.6 yards per carry on 56 rushes and scored six rushing touchdowns, both season highs. Seven players carried the ball, and two topped 100 yards. Jaden Thermidor led the way with 134 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries, including a 46-yard scoring run. Amari Brown added 105 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Bronco Hartson scored twice from short range, Exander Carroll ran for 70 yards, and quarterback Cole Hansen added 64 yards and a 13-yard touchdown run on the game's opening drive.

The passing game was efficient as well. Three quarterbacks combined to complete 12 of 20 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Liu Aumavae threw a 40-yard score to Logan Ryan, and Dayton Tafoya found Nico Benallo for an 11-yard touchdown.

The Mavericks piled up 34 first downs, 24 of them on the ground, and averaged 8.6 yards per play. They scored on all five red-zone trips and held the ball for 37:22. Their 59 points were the most of the season.

POSITIVE PLAYS
Colorado Mesa's offensive line has been one of the best in the country at keeping defenders out of the backfield. The Mavericks have allowed just 3.13 tackles for loss per game this season, the fewest in the RMAC and fifth-fewest in NCAA Division II.

Through eight games, CMU has given up only 25 tackles for loss totaling 101 yards. That protection has been a big part of a rushing attack that averages 195.4 yards per game at 4.9 yards per carry, with 16 rushing touchdowns. The Mavericks have lost just 111 yards on 320 carries all season.

The line played its best game of the year at Adams State. With center Max Kibbee and linemen Cooper Mumford, DJ Elchlinger, Zach Dibella and Kaden Butts in the starting lineup, CMU allowed zero tackles for loss and zero sacks. The Mavs ran 56 times for 482 yards and lost just four yards all afternoon. They also didn't allow a sack against Chadron State, making it two shutouts in the sack column in the last three games.

The steady blocking has helped spread the workload in the backfield. Bronco Hartson, Jalen Hankins, Amari Brown, Jaden Thermidor, Exander Carroll and quarterback Cole Hansen have all topped 140 rushing yards this season. It has also kept the offense on schedule. CMU averages 31:55 in time of possession and has scored on 17 straight red-zone trips.

Saturday's game against New Mexico Highlands gives the line a chance to keep the trend going. The Cowboys' defense has just four sacks all season.

PRESEASON POLLS & ALL-RMAC
Colorado Mesa was picked to finish fifth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll after finishing in a tie for fourth-place during the 2025 season. The Mavericks finished 6-5 last season and 5-4 in the conference, tied with Colorado School of Mines whom they defeated on October 24. 

Colorado Mesa earned a total of 52 votes that came with a second place vote and a third place vote as voted on by the league's 10 sponsoring schools.

CSU Pueblo was picked to repeat as the RMAC Champion with 80 points including eight first place votes and one second place vote. Western Colorado was picked second with 69 total points with one first place votes, five second place votes and two third place votes. Colorado School of Mines was picked third with 62 points on two second place votes and four third place votes.

2025 NCAA Playoff team Chadron State was picked fourth with 60 points on one first place vote, one second place vote, and three third place votes. 

The Mavericks had four players named to the Preseason All-RMAC team. Three of the four selections came on the offensive side of the ball with Alex Turpin earning a spot at tight end and seniors Calem Grimble and Cooper Mumford earning spots across the offensive line. Turpin played in all 11 games in 2025 and caught 22 passes for 180 yards and four touchdowns while Grimble and Mumford played in and started all 11 games on the left side of the offensive line.

Senior defensive back Gibson Leafgreen was named to the Preseason All-RMAC Team on the defensive side of the ball. In 2025, he played in 11 games and finished with 56 total tackles, four passes defended and two interceptions. 

EYES ON THE SCHEDULE
• Season opener at home on a Thursday night
Colorado Mesa will host NSIC power Minnesota State on Thursday August 27 at 6:00 PM to open the season. It will be the first meeting between the two schools and will be the first time the Mavericks have opened the season on a Thursday at home since the 2021 season when they defeated William Jewell 40-3.

• Back-to-back road trips to open conference play
The following two weeks the Mavericks will have their longest two game road trip of the season — first at Eastern New Mexico on September 5, then at South Dakota Mines to open RMAC play on September 12.

• Gauntlet of 2025 playoff teams 
The Mavericks will take on three straight 2025 NCAA Playoff teams — Western Colorado (home, Sept. 19), CSU Pueblo (road, Sept. 26), and then Chadron State (home, Oct. 3). That's a brutal three-week stretch right in the heart of the schedule.

• Six home games 
The schedule features six home games and five road games for the upcoming season, with three of the final five games at home and the two final road games being the shortest trips of the season.

• Halloween Matinee 
A Halloween afternoon kickoff will feature the Mavericks taking on New Mexico Highlands at Stocker Stadium on Saturday October 31, with many different spooky promotions expected and the possibility of a special surprise.

• Bye week placement 
The bye falls on October 10, right after that brutal playoff-team gauntlet — a fortunate breather before the back half of the conference schedule. The entire Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference will observe a bye during that week with practice and meeting times varying throughout the week

• Beyond 2026 
Colorado Mesa and West Texas A&M announced a four-year football schedule agreement beginning in 2028, with games scheduled for August 24, 2028 (at Canyon, TX), August 23, 2029 (at Grand Junction), August 29, 2030 (at Canyon), and August 28, 2031 (at Grand Junction). Coach Kochevar has a personal connection there — he served as West Texas A&M's defensive coordinator from 2016–18. 

WHAT'S NEW THIS YEAR 
• Coach to player communication
Beginning this year in Division II, coach to player communication is legal and will be available in all games the Mavericks play in. The technology uses encrypted radio and in-helmet speakers that allow coaches to communicate to players on the field. The individuals will be allowed open communication until there are 15 seconds left on the play clock each play.

Colorado Mesa utilizes CoachComm communications systems with the coach's communications and has their solution for the Coach to Player system.

• Tailgate Time
Colorado Mesa will introduce premium tailgating this year with different level options. The premium package includes a 10x20 space that includes tent, tables, chairs, bottled water, two coolers and 40lbs. of ice while the select package comes with a 10x10 space that includes tent, tables, chairs, bottled water, cooler and 20lbs. of ice. The final option is the traditional tailgate where you get one reserved parking spot used to tailgate at your own will.

All of this is brought to us by our friends at FCI Constructors.

• Five-for-5
On August 5, the NCAA approved a new age-based or clock eligibility model that allows student-athletes a streamlined five-year period to compete, starting upon full-time enrollment or after turning 19. 

This new rule replaces complex redshirt tracking and waivers and takes full effect for incoming cohorts starting in the fall of 2027. This rule also eliminates most traditional extension waivers outside of the major exceptions of military service, religious missions or pregnancy.