PUEBLO, Colo. (Sept. 12, 2019) - The No. 9 Colorado State University-Pueblo football team heads to Chadron State College Saturday, Sept. 14 for a 7 p.m. Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference showdown. The ThunderWolves are looking to start 2-0 after posting a 36-7 season-opening win against Dixie State University.
THE GAME
• CSU-Pueblo was a unanimous favorite in the 2019 RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll. Chadron State was ranked third.
• The Pack rank No. 7 in the D2Football.com poll and No. 9 in the AFCA poll, right where they were in the preseason poll.
• The ThunderWolves are 10-1 all-time against Chadron State and are riding a 10-game winning streak after losing that first meeting in 2008, 32-0.
• On the road the Pack are 5-0 with the last win in 2017 by the score of 28-6.
• Last season CSU-Pueblo recorded a 34-13 home win. A 17-point second quarter gave the Pack a 24-6 lead at the break, en route to the lopsided victory.
• All four touchdowns came on the ground, as the home team racked up 285 rushing yards.
SCOUTING THE PACK
• CSU-Pueblo improved to 11-1 since the restart in 2008 in both RMAC and season openers with a 36-7 road win at Dixie State in week one.
• The Pack opened a 20-0 lead at the half before extending their lead to 26-0 midway through the third quarter. After allowing a score in the late third quarter, the Pack closed the door with a 10-0 fourth quarter.
• The ThunderWolves totaled 335 yards passing and 244 yards on the ground for 579 yards of offense. The passing yards were the most by the team in a game since 2013. The defense allowed just 210 yards, which included giving up only 59 yards on the ground. The ThunderWolves totaled 28 first downs and allowed 11, leading to holding the ball for 40:17 of clock time.
• Newcomers shined for the offense, as the leading quarterback, running back and wide receiver were making their debut with the ThunderWolves.
• QB Jordan Kitna entered the game in the second quarter and completed nine passes for 261 yards and rushed for two touchdowns.
• On the receiving end, WR Dionte Sykes grabbed four passes for 172 yards. He had receptions of 46, 50 and 70 yards and with the performance became the first Pack receiver to collect more than 150 yards in a game since Paul Browning brought in 152 yards in a playoff game versus Angelo State on Nov. 29, 2014. He tied Browning's 2013 performance of 172 receiving yards in a game for the most receiving yards in a game since the restart in 2008.
• RB D.J. Penick racked up 105 yards on 13 attempts and scored a touchdown to lead the run game.
• There were familiar faces leading the Pack defense, as ILB Kyle Rosenbrock led the team with nine tackles (four solo), which included a tackle and a half for loss (-7 yards) and a sack (-5 yards). DE Jackson Wibbels gathered seven tackles (four solo) and OLB James Maxie added six tackles (four solo). CB Emery Taylor had the one CSU-Pueblo turnover with an interception in the first quarter.
• K Mitchell Carter was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts (18, 22, 36) and added three extra points for a total of 12 points.
SCOUTING CHADRON STATE
• Chadron State went 7-3 overall last season with a 7-3 record in RMAC play.
• The Eagles started the season with a 48-31 road win at Black Hills State. CSC got down 17-0 at the break, but scored 19 third quarter and 29 fourth quarter points for an amazing turnaround after the break. The Eagles scored 41 unanswered points until a BHSU touchdown with 18 seconds remaining.
• Chadron State got it done through the air with 327 yards by Dalton Holst. He went 22-for-30 (73.3%) for 327 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions. For his efforts, Holst earned RMAC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He leads the RMAC and ranks 12th nationally after the first week of competition.
• Holst spread out the love with three players catching three or more receptions and four players going over 50 yards. Tevon Wright had five receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns.
• CSC totaled 190 yards on the ground, with Elijah Myles rushing 19 times for 138 yards and three scores.
• Defensively, two players recorded double-digit tackle totals. LB Travis Wilson recorded 16 tackles with a half sack (-2 yards). S Tyree Fryar added 13 tackles and a break-up.
• The Eagles recorded three interceptions and had two sacks.
THE POLLS
• CSU-Pueblo finished 2018 ranked No. 7 in the AFCA and D2Football.com polls. The Pack. CSU-Pueblo entered the season No. 7 in the D2Football.com rankings and No. 9 by the AFCA. The team remained at that spot after week 1.
• The Pack ranked in the AFCA top 25 for 66 consecutive polls ranging from Sept. 5, 2011 (21st) to Sept. 5, 2016 (19th).
• The ThunderWolves ranked in the top 10 nationally for a NCAA Division II-best 37 straight weeks from Oct. 17, 2011 (eighth) to Oct. 6, 2014 (second).
TEAM NOTES
• The CSU-Pueblo football program and Head Coach John Wristen recorded their 100th victory since the restart of the program in 2008 when they defeated New Mexico Highlands 48-3, Oct. 6, 2018. Wristen owns a 107-25 all-time record. The .811 percentage ranks 2nd among active NCAA Division II coaches (min 5 years).
• Since 2008, CSU-Pueblo is undefeated when scoring 36 or more points (59-0) and when allowing 10 points or less (44-0). The Pack had done both in each of the final three games of the regular season last year and started 2019 meeting both stat lines.
• Since 2008, the ThunderWolves are 56-11 (.836) at the ThunderBowl.
• In 2018, CSU-Pueblo posted a perfect regular season home record (5-0) for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. The Pack have won 15 straight at home since 2016, which ranks as the second longest current home winning streak in NCAA Division II.
• The ThunderWolves had eight scoring plays of 65-yards or more and owned 13 scoring drives of 75 yards or more last season. In the opener at DSU, the Pack had three drives of 75 yards or more, which included a 12-play, 92-yard drive.
• In the last 21 regular season games the ThunderWolves have allowed just 27 points in the fourth quarter, dating back to Sept. 16, 2017.
• CSU-Pueblo clocked 40:17 of possession time in the opener and rank third nationally in the category.
CSU-PUEBLO POSITION NOTABLES
OFFENSE
• WR Dionte Sykes had a big debut for the Pack, as he brought in four receptions for 172 yards in the opener against Dixie State. He had receptions of 46, 50 and 70 yards and with the performance tied Paul Browning's 2013 performance of 172 receiving yards for the most receiving yards in a game since the restart in 2008. He ranks second in the RMAC and 8th in Division II in receiving yards, while his 43.0 yards per reception is fifth nationally.
• RB D.J. Penick racked up 105 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in his debut with the red, white and blue. He was fourth among RMAC backs in week one, while his 8.1 yards per carry was a league high (17th in DII).
• QB Jordan Kitna also made his Pack debut and went 9-for-18 (50%) with 261 yards and two rushing touchdowns. He was fourth among RMAC quarterbacks last week.
• With 244 yards rushing in week one, the ThunderWolves picked up where they left off last season and led the RMAC in the category. Nationally the team sits 21st.
• With 22.3 yards per pass completion, the Pack rank fifth nationally and first in the RMAC. Kitna has an NCAA Division II-best 29.0 yards per completion (2nd in yards per pass attempt - 14.5). With 335 yards the ThunderWolves are 16th in Division II.
• RB Austin Micci eclipsed the 2,000 career yards mark against Fort Lewis last season to become the 9th player in program history to reach the milestone. He owns 2,239 yards to rank 8th all-time.
DEFENSE
• The Pack have been one of the most stingiest and unforgiving defenses in the nation the past eight seasons. Since 2011, the ThunderWolves have finished the season in the top 22 nationally in scoring defense, which includes leading the country in 2011 and 2014. CSU-Pueblo has also ranked in the top 21 in turnover ratio (or turnovers gained) in all but one season in that span with the nation's best mark in 2014 and in 2018.
• Since 2008, the Pack have totaled 37 interception returns for a touchdown. The most in a season is five by the 2010, 2014 and 2017 squads.
• CB Emery Taylor recorded a team-best seven interceptions and a team-high 15 pass break-ups last season and started the year off with the first pick of 2019.
• RECORD WATCH: Taylor has 18 career interceptions to sit 2nd all-time at CSU-Pueblo. Stephan Dickens (2010-14) has the record with 19.
• CSU-Pueblo's rushing defense was established on game one of the program re-boot in 2008. The Pack allowed 13 yards rushing against Oklahoma Panhandle State (Sept. 8, 2008) and since have held their opponent to less than 50 yards rushing on 22 more occasions.
• Eight times since 2008 the ThunderWolves allowed 10 or less rushing yards, with the record standing at -11 yards this season at Black Hills State (previous record was -4 rushing yards at New Mexico Highlands Nov. 9, 2013).
• In the opener, Dixie State was only able to muster 59 rushing yards on 23 attempts (2.6 ypc). With the effort, the team is 24th nationally in rushing defense.
• By allowing only seven points, the team sits fourth in Division II in scoring defense.
SPECIAL TEAMS
• K Mitchell Carter was 57-for-58 last season on extra points. He was 19-for-28 on field goal attempts. Carter led the RMAC in field goals made, while his 1.46 FG per game was 5th nationally. Carter connected on a career-long 50-yard field goal at Colorado Mesa. It was the first made 50-plus yard field goal for the Pack since 2013.
• Carter started the season going 3-for-3 on field goal attempts (18, 22, 36) and 3-for-3 on extra points. His 12 points is tied for a team lead and T-21st nationally. The three field goals is tied for the third most in DII.
• The Pack were 2nd in the RMAC in punt returns at the end of the regular season in 2018. With 15.67 yards per return in the opener, CSU-Pueblo is third in the conference and 15th nationally.
• Redshirt-freshman punter Justin Dwinell had three punts in the opener and all three were placed inside the 20.
#PACKPROS: CSU-Pueblo has three former players in the NFL right now. Ryan Jensen (2009-12) is in his seventh season and second with Tampa Bay after five with the Baltimore Ravens. After a breakout season where he started all 16 games at center for the Ravens, Jensen inked the largest contract for a center in NFL history when he signed with the Bucaneers. Morgan Fox (2012-15) moved from the practice squad to active roster in 2016 and was on the active roster all of the 2017 season with the Los Angeles Rams. Unfortunately, the defensive lineman suffered a knee injury during OTAs and missed the 2018 season. He returns to the active 53-man roster for 2019. Defensive lineman Deyon Sizer (2014-18) earned a spot on the Denver Broncos practice squad for 2019 after a successful rookie mini-camp tryout and summer with the team. Mike Pennel (2013) has five seasons of NFL experience (Green Bay, New York Jets), but was cut during camp in August by New England. Darius Allen (2011-14) is currently in his fourth season in the Canadian Football League. As of Sept. 6 he was on the BC Lions' 6-game injured list.
VS. RANKED SQUADS: CSU-Pueblo owns a 18-8 (11-4 at home) record versus ranked opponents (Division II) since 2011. The ThunderWolves went 6-0 versus the nation's top 25 in 2014 and also added a 47-21 win against Sam Houston State (No. 15) to record the team's first-ever victory against a ranked FCS team. The Pack went 4-1 against ranked opponents in 2015 and had won 10 straight against the nation's best before the loss to Grand Valley State. The Pack recorded the program's second win against a team ranked No. 1 in the AFCA poll when it posted a 23-13 road win at Texas A&M-Commerce Sept. 22, 2018. The first time came when CSU-Pueblo won the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship by the score of 13-0 against Minnesota State.
STREAKS: CSU-Pueblo posted three straight 11-0 seasons entering 2014 and was just one of two teams in NCAA Division II history to accomplish the feat. After starting 5-0 in 2014, the Pack owned 42 straight regular season victories, which was the second-longest in NCAA Division II history, behind only Grand Valley State, which posted 48 straight wins from 2004-09. The streak ended Oct. 11 in a 23-22 road loss at Fort Lewis.
The Pack recorded 28 consecutive regular season home victories from a 66-0 win against New Mexico Highlands Oct. 30, 2010 to a 51-20 win against Colorado Mesa Nov. 7, 2015.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
