CFB-D2: Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Week 2 Release and Previews

Week Two Schedule

CSU Pueblo joins Colorado School of Mines & Western Colorado in National Polls

• After defeating then-nationally-ranked UT Permian Basin in Week 1, CSU Pueblo moved into the AFCA Division II Coaches (No. 22) and the D2Football.com (No. 25) polls this week.
• Colorado School of Mines held steady in both the AFCA poll (No. 5) and D2Football.com poll (No. 6). Western Colorado also held steady in the AFCA poll (No. 15) but moved up three spots in the D2Football.com poll (No. 16).

CSU Pueblo’s Retzlaff Earns NFF Colorado Player of the Week Honor

• ThunderWolves wide receiver Reggie Retzlaff picked up the National Football Foundation – Colorado Chapter’s Week 2 Player of the Week award after his seven-reception, 164-yard, and two-touchdown performance in a win against then-No. 21 UT Permian Basin.
• It is the second straight week an RMAC athlete has earned the NFF-Colorado honor after CSU Pueblo quarterback Devin Larsen used a 508-yard, five-touchdown passing performance to garner the Week 1 award.

Colorado School of Mines Tabbed as RMAC Preseason Favorite

• Colorado School of Mines received seven first-place votes and 79 points from the league’s 10 head coaches. Western Colorado was picked second with the remaining three first-place votes and 74 points.

Eight RMAC Student-Athletes on D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List

• Colorado School of Mines (4), CSU Pueblo (2), Western Colorado (1), and Chadron State (1) each had a representative on the list.
• Colorado School of Mines wide receiver Max McLeod, punter Blake Doud, and CSU Pueblo defensive back Daniel Bone III were first-team selections. Western Colorado linebacker Kendall Lightfoot was a second-team pick.
• CSU Pueblo wide receiver Reggie Ratzlaff, Colorado School of Mines offensive lineman Nic Van De Graaf, Chadron State defensive lineman Hunter O’Conner, and Colorado School of Mines defensive back Jackson Zimmerman were also listed in the organization’s Top 100.

Week 1 Recaps

Michigan Tech 52, South Dakota Mines 50 (4 OT)

South Dakota Mines led 28-7 early in the second half, but Michigan Tech stormed back and tied the game with 4:50 left in the fourth quarter to force overtime where they prevailed in the fourth overtime frame after batting away a South Dakota Mines swing pass. Hardrockers quarterback Jake Martinelli threw for 443 yards and five touchdowns and added 62 rushing yards.

Chardon State 17, University of Jamestown 10

Chadron State overcame a five-turnover outing by scoring 17 second-half points, including two fourth-quarter touchdowns, to escape with a win at home. Running back Jake Marschall ran for 110 yards, leading a 228-yard rushing performance by the Eagles. Defensive back Rylan Wehr’s fumble recovery in the end zone on a wild pass from center on a punt attempt provided the game-winning touchdown.

Colorado School of Mines 41, West Texas A&M 13

Evan Foster’s debut under center for the Colorado School of Mines couldn’t have gone much better as he completed 20-of-30 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns in a season-opening win. Orediggers running back Landon Walker added two touchdown runs as part of a 154-yard outing on just 15 carries.

Black Hills State 24, Southwest Baptist (Mo.) 14

Southwest Baptist opened the game with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but Black Hills State recovered with 17 unanswered points to secure a win. Black Hills State took the lead for good midway through the third quarter when Cameron Goods capped a 4-play, 60-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Coleman Chapman’s 33-yard field goal with 1:22 left secured the win. Quarterback Luke Duby was 22-of-36 passing for 264 yards and two touchdowns.

CSU Pueblo 40, Texas Permian Basin 23

CSU Pueblo jumped out to a 29-9 lead but had to outlast a long lightning delay just before halftime before trading scoring drives in the second half to secure the win. The ThunderWolves scored on four consecutive possessions in the first quarter – two Devin Larsen touchdown passes to Reggie Retzlaff, a 48-yard pick-six by Keith Mckaney, and a 46-yard Howard Russell TD dash – to help build the 29-9 lead that proved insurmountable. Retzlaff finished the night with seven receptions for 164 yards and two touchdowns.

Western Colorado 38, Midwestern State 33

Western Colorado debuted the renovated Mountaineer Bowl at the Rady Family Sports Complex, winning the program’s first-ever night game. After a back-and-forth first half, Western Colorado scored 17 third-quarter points, including Kendall Lightfoot’s 20-yard interception return for a touchdown, to build 38-24 lead that could not be overcome.  Quarterback Drew Nash passed for 252 yards and two touchdowns, adding 75 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Western New Mexico 46, Adams State 36

Adams State tied the game at 20-20 with 6:33 remaining in the third quarter but Western New Mexico scored the game’s next 19 points to escape with the win. The first 36 minutes were a back-and-forth affair with WNMU and ASU trading scores. Daylen Boddie’s one-yard touchdown run with 6:33 left in the third tied the game, but Western New Mexico used two Zay Savoie touchdown runs and two Zach Gordon field goals to break the game open. Adams State quarterback Chase Nelson passed for 276 yards and three touchdowns and had 86 rushing yards.