D2-CFB Game Preview: Western Colorado Mountaineers (1-0) vs. Midwestern State Mustangs (0-1)

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Venue & Game Details

Kickoff Time: 5:00 p.m. CDT / 4:00 p.m. MDT

Venue: Memorial Stadium, Wichita Falls, Texas

Competition: NCAA Division II – Non-Conference

Broadcast: FloCollege (video), Mustangs Sports Network (radio), live stats via MSUMustangs.com

Weather Forecast (Wichita Falls, TX)

Conditions: Mostly sunny early, clear skies by kickoff

Temperature at Kickoff: ~80°F (27°C)

Wind: 5–8 mph from the south-southeast

Impact: Ideal early-season football weather — minimal wind effect on passing or special teams.

Injury & Availability Report

Midwestern State Mustangs

Questionable: WR2 (ankle sprain, limited practice)

Questionable: Starting LB (shoulder soreness)

Out: None reported

Notable: QB Dillon Sterling-Cole healthy after 215 passing yards and 1 TD in Week 1 loss to Missouri Southern

Western Colorado Mountaineers

Questionable: RB1 (hamstring tightness) — led team in rushing in 2024

Out: None reported

Notable: QB Alex Padilla healthy after 3 TD passes in Week 1 win over West Texas A&M

Recent Form & Trends

Western Colorado: Opened 2025 with an offensive explosion, scoring 45 points and racking up over 500 yards of total offense. Defense forced 3 turnovers but allowed some big plays through the air.

Midwestern State: Fell on the road to Missouri Southern in Week 1, struggling to contain the run and giving up 200+ rushing yards. Passing game showed promise, but red-zone efficiency was an issue.

Series History

All-Time Series: First-ever meeting between the programs

Trend: Both teams have recent playoff aspirations — WCU as an RMAC contender, MSU as a former LSC power looking to rebound.

Key Player Matchups

QB Alex Padilla (WCU) vs. MSU Secondary – Padilla’s deep-ball accuracy will test a Mustangs pass defense that allowed multiple explosive plays in Week 1.

MSU RB Committee vs. WCU Front Seven – Establishing the run is critical for MSU to control tempo and keep WCU’s offense off the field.

Special Teams Edge – WCU’s return units were sharp in Week 1; MSU must avoid giving up short fields in what could be a possession-driven game.

Betting Trends

Western Colorado is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 road games.

Midwestern State is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 home games.

The Over has hit in 3 of WCU’s last 4 non-conference games.

Game Odds

Western Colorado Mountaineers             – 7

Midwestern State Mustangs                       51

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 5, 2025