Kearney, Neb. - One of the biggest regular season games in Nebraska-Kearney football history will be played this Saturday at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.
The 4th-ranked Lopers and 11th-ranked Colorado State-Pueblo ThunderWolves, both sporting 6-0 (4-0 RMAC) records, will square off at 1:00 p.m. Central.
As usual,
live stats are available and fans can listen to Dave Jenner and D.J. Johnson call the game on
KRNY 102.3 FM as well. For a fee, you can also watch the game via
America One.
This marks the first time in UNK's NCAA Division II era (since 1990) they've been involved in a game where both teams are ranked in the nation's top 11. Saturday's winner not only moves into the driver's seat in the RMAC title race but also has a chance to snag one of the top two spots in "Super Region 3."
In Division II, six teams from four regions make the playoffs. The top two teams in each region receive a first round bye on November 19th and then host a second round game November 26th.
Pueblo, which restarted its football program in 2008 after dropping it in 1985, is coming off an impressive 23-6 win over Colorado School of Mines last Thursday (October 6th). That game, played in Pueblo, was carried live nationally on CBS College Sports Television.
In 2010, the T-Wolves went 9-2, losing only to Mines, 19-16, and UNK, 38-24, the two teams that tied for the RMAC crown. CSUP began 2011 with a big statement as they won at West Texas A & M, 26-24. The Buffaloes are currently ranked 17th nationally.
A now veteran squad is riding a defense that gives up a Division II low 11.5 points per game. Led by RMAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Lee Meisner, a senior "Will" backer, the Pueblo defense is terrific in the red zone, allowing the opposition to score only 50% (8 of 16) of the time.
The defense also has picked off 14 passes and allows just 69.5 rushing yards per game. UNK comes in averaging 323.4 yards per game on the ground.
Offensively, Pueblo has three of the RMAC's top running backs in seniors Jessie Lewis (93.7 ypg, five TD's) and Jamaal Johnson (31.6 ypg) and true freshman J.B. Mathews (63.2 ypg, five TD's). Mathews scored all three of CSUP's TD's in the win over Mines while Lewis has had two 70 plus yard TD's against the Lopers in his career.
In the passing game, junior Ross Dausin (6-5, 230 lbs.) has yet to throw an INT in 2011 while averaging 166 ypg and tossing seven TD's. Junior WR Josh Sandoval (20 recep.) and senior TE Koby Wittek (12 recep.) are two of Pueblo's talented receivers.
Finally, senior Kyle Major (6-3, 230 lbs.) is the RMAC's best kicker, having three field goals of 50 yards or more this year.
UNK has scored at least 35 points in all three previous meetings with Pueblo. The big play has been the key weapon as senior QB
Jake Spitzlberger (371 yards of total offense per game) has thrown TD's of 61, 69, 69, 71, 73 and 74 yards in three career games against the T-Wolves.
Of note, none of the receivers that caught those big plays are currently on the Loper roster. UNK's two longest pass plays this fall having been 69 (to junior
Tommy Flanagan) and 67 (to senior RB
Rustin Dring) yards.
Dring, who had a 98-yard TD run at Pueblo in 2008, has missed the past three games and is questionable for Saturday.
The Loper defense has also gotten into the big play act, returning fumbles for TD's against Pueblo in 2008 and 2009. That could be a key factor again this fall as Pueblo has lost 10 fumbles, second most in the RMAC.
In last year's game, the T-Wolves trailed 31-17 early in the fourth but had a 1st & goal from the Loper one. However, they fumbled on the play and, minutes later, Spitzlberger threw a 73-yard scoring pass.
UNK's tough stretch of games continues next week with a road date at New Mexico Highlands.
The Cowboys play everyone tough, winning one game in OT and two others in the final 10 seconds. They also have lost a game in OT and dropped a contest at Western State on a last second field goal.
