PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa University Mavericks fell to their second-straight top-ten ranked opponent here at the Thunderbowl Saturday, suffering a 35-23 loss to the No. 5 ranked CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves. The loss marks the 10
th straight the Pack have handed to the Mavericks and increases the 17-year drought since CMU beat CSUP on the road. The loss drops CMU to 2-3 (1-2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) on the season.
CSUP improved to 5-0 overall and to 3-0 in the conference.
CMU started with the football, driving 35 yards before a pair of incomplete passes stalled the drive. The ThunderWolves then suffered the same fate, with a pair of incompletions sending them three-and-out.
Maverick junior running back
Bronco Hartson started the second drive of the game with a couple of runs for a combined 14 yards, before fifth-year quarterback
Liu Aumavae linked with junior receiver
Trek Keyworth for a 13-yard gain.
Hartson finished the game with 12 carries for 42 yards.
The Mavericks got as far as the Pack's 9-yard line on the drive, but could not punch it in to the end zone, settling for a 31-yard field goal by junior kicker
Kale Purvis.
CSUP was forced to punt again, largely hindered by an illegal block penalty. CMU received the ball with 3:01 left in the first quarter, grabbing 24 yards, including an Aumavae completion to fifth-year wide-out
Ky Oday, Jr.
On the same drive, the Mavs second quarter began with a nominal rush by senior running back
Exander Carroll, before an offensive pass interference penalty put the brakes on CMU's drive, resulting in another punt.
The ThunderWolves' pass-happy offense was held to just 17 yards on one completion in the first quarter but scored on their first of the second thanks to a 28-yard touchdown pass, to taking a the a lead, they would not relinquish.
Three straight drives saw three straight punts, before CSU Pueblo mounted a 7-play, 62-yard drive to run their lead to 14-3. The Mavericks responded, using back-to-back Aumavae completions to senior wide receiver
Noah Greer for 23 total yards, which along with 30 yards of ThunderWolf penalties, allowed the Mavs to cut the gap to 14-6 at half on a 35-yard Purvis field goal.
Greer finished the game with three grabs for 25 yards.
CSUP showed why they are ranked fifth in the nation in the third quarter, racking up 152 total yards of offense and 21 points on 5-for-5 passing. CSUP received the opening kick, utilizing passes of 21 and 36 yards to drive 86 yards in just 3:08 to go up 21-6.
Junior
Jackson Hansen then set the Mavs up for success on their first drive, returning the ensuing kickoff 40 yards. Fifth-year quarterback
Cole Hansen took the reins in the second half, notching an 18-yard tote to move the chains on a 3
rd-and 4. Hansen was not done as he also grabbed nine yards on the ground once CMU was in the red zone.
However, the Mavs yet again struggled to finish the job as Purvis split the uprights for a 24-yard field goal, to trim the deficit to 21-9.
Purvis finished 3-for-3 in the field goal kicking department and also averaged 43.4 yards per punt.
The Thunderwolves found pay-dirt twice more in the third quarter, capitalizing on an interception of Hansen with 1:17 to go while ending the quarter with a 35-9 lead.
The Mavericks then found some momentum late in the fourth.
Sophomore running back and Pueblo native
Amari Brown capitalized on his late touches, finishing with six carries for 41 yards. Senior running back
Jalen Hankins had a 33-yard carry of his own on the final drive, making him the leading rusher with 11 totes for 75 yards.
With only 2:16 to play, Hansen found senior tight end
Alex Turpin for a 9-yard touchdown strike, the first time CMU found the end zone in the game. The Maverick defense forced their lone turnover in the game with 1:15 to go, getting on top of a CSUP fumble. Hansen tossed his second touchdown of the day with 22 seconds remaining, rifling a pass to sophomore
Bryson Brown.
The comeback attempt, however, was too little, too late as CSUP recovered the ensuing onside kick and kneeled out the clock.
Hansen finished the game going 8-for-15 with 69 yards, including a pair of touchdowns. On the ground, he rushed eight times for 55 yards. Turpin finished with three catches for 34 yards in addition to his touchdown, with Greer and Hankins hauling in three passes apiece.
Defensively, senior linebacker
La'Markus Reed made nine tackles, including one for a loss. Sophomore defensive lineman
Ty LaCrue forced the fumble recovered by senior linebacker
Noah Williams.
As a team, CMU gained 387 yards, including 248 yards on the ground. Third down conversions were a problem for both teams, with the Mavericks only going 4-for-15, and the ThunderWolves going 3-for-9.
The Mavericks will now return home, playing their final scheduled night game of the year against Chadron State College next Saturday (Oct. 3) at Stocker Stadium. The Eagles are coming off a 2025 playoff run, but have struggled early in the year, going 1-4 thus far, including an 0-3 record in conference play.
