PUEBLO, Colo. (Sept. 6, 2019) - The No. 9 Colorado State University-Pueblo football team will kickoff the 2019 season Saturday, Sept. 7 at Dixie State University. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest is set to begin at 7 p.m. from Trailblazer Stadium in St. George, Utah.

THE GAME 

• The ThunderWolves went 11-2 in 2018 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Playoffs. 

• The Pack secured a share of the RMAC Championship with a 9-1 record. The title was the Pack's eighth championship in program history and seventh in the last eight years. 

• The ThunderWolves totaled 11 wins for the sixth time in program history, all of which have occurred in the last eight years.

• CSU-Pueblo was a unanimous favorite in the 2019 RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll. 

• The Pack enter the 2019 season ranked No. 7 in the D2Football.com poll and No. 9 in the AFCA poll.

• In program history, the ThunderWolves are 38-16-1 in season openers (10-1 since 2008). The Pack are 17-6 all-time in RMAC openers (10-1 since 2008).

• CSU-Pueblo is 3-0 against Dixie State in the two team's short history. The Pack are 1-0 on the road with a 31-10 victory in 2017. The all-time score stands at 111-37 (37-12.3 ppg). 

• The ThunderWolves took last year's meeting by a score of 56-14 behind a program record 496 yards rushing and 573 yards of offense. The defense held the Trailblazers to 253 yards (68 on the ground). 

• Returning RB Austin Micci totaled 177 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. 

• The CSU-Pueblo defense had seven sacks and three interceptions in the game. 

SCOUTING THE PACK 

• In 2018, the ThunderWolves totaled 20 All-RMAC selections with nine first team honorees, guided by the RMAC Defensive Player of the Year, ILB Brandon Payer. OL Elijah Reed was honored as RMAC Offensive Freshman of the Year. Nine All-RMAC players return for 2019 with three on offense, five on defense and one on special teams. 

• Last season the offense totaled nine turnovers in the first three games of the year, but in the final 10 games coughed up the ball on 10 occasions. The defense created 45 turnovers last season (1st in NCAA DII) and with a +2.0 turnover margin the Pack led all NCAA Division II.

• The Pack also led NCAA Division II in passes intercepted (28) and team passing efficiency defense (86.73). The ThunderWolves were second in fumbles recovered (17). 

• Additionally, the CSU-Pueblo defense was top 10 nationally in team tackles for loss (2nd, 10.5), sacks (2nd, 4.0), defensive TDs (3rd, 5), scoring defense (5th, 13.2), total defense (5th, 241.8), 3rd down conversion defense (6th, 26.6) and rushing defense (6th, 83.2).

• CSU-Pueblo was also 2nd nationally in net punting with a 39.3 average and 7th in kickoff returns with 25.96 yards.

• DE Jackson Wibbels was 19th nationally and led the RMAC with 0.85 sacks per game.

• ILB Kyle Rosenbrock was T-6th nationally in forced fumbles (5) and T-3rd fumbles recovered (4).

• Kicker Mitchell Carter's 1.46 field goals per game was fifth nationally. His 114 points was 13th in Division II. 

SCOUTING DIXIE STATE

• Dixie State went 7-4 overall last season with a 7-3 record in RMAC play. The seven wins marked the most in the program's NCAA-era. 

• The Trailblazers were picked to finish fifth in the RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll. 

• DSU returns nine starters from last season with seven on offense and two on defense. 

• RB Sei-J Lauago returns after rushing for 820 yards and eight touchdowns. He will run behind three starters on the offensive line.

• WR Dejuan Dantzler totaled 46 receptions for 932 yards and seven touchdowns. 

• DB Alex Lillard returns for DSU after totaling 48 tackles last season. DE Anthony Yarbrough returns after earning RMAC Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. He totaled 24 tackles, which included 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.

• Head Coach Paul Peterson is in his first season 

THE POLLS 

• CSU-Pueblo finished 2018 ranked No. 7 in the AFCA and D2Football.com polls. The Pack. CSU-Pueblo enters the season No. 7 in the D2Football.com rankings and No. 9 by the AFCA.

• 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 106-25 all-time record. The .809 percentage ranks 2nd among active NCAA Division II coaches (min 5 years).  

• Since 2008, CSU-Pueblo is undefeated when scoring 36 or more points (58-0) and when allowing 10 points or less (43-0). The Pack had done both in each of the final three games of the regular season last year.

• Since 2008, the ThunderWolves are 56-11 (.836) at the ThunderBowl.

• CSU-Pueblo posted a perfect regular season home record (5-0) for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. 

• The ThunderWolves had eight scoring plays of 65-yards or more and owned 13 scoring drives of 75 yards or more. CSU-Pueblo capped a 99-yard drive with a 49-yard Austin Micci rushing touchdown at Black Hills State (7-plays, 99-yards, 2:30). 

• In the last 20 regular season games the team has allowed just 27 points in the fourth quarter, dating back to Sept. 16, 2017. 

CSU-PUEBLO POSITION NOTABLES

OFFENSE

• 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 2,229 yards to rank 8th all-time.

• With 36.5 points per game, the Pack were 5th in the conference and 25th nationally in scoring.

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. 

• Fellow starting CB Emery Taylor recorded a team-best seven interceptions and a team-high 15 pass break-ups. With 22 passes defended (1.8 per game), Tayor was 2nd in the RMAC during the regular season and ranked 4th nationally.

• RECORD WATCH: Taylor has 17 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).

• CSU-Pueblo totaled at least eight TFL in each game last season and with 136 total (-505 yards) were second in NCAA Division II in tackles for loss. 

• CSU-Pueblo was 1st in the league and 10th in DII in red zone defense at the end of the regular season. 

SPECIAL TEAMS

• The Pack had four blocks (two punts, an extra point attempt and a FG attempt), as Tanner Draper blocked a 27-yard FG attempt by Dixie State, which was recovered by James Maxie and returned by Darius Williams 68 yards for a touchdown. 

• 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. He went 8-for-8 from 29 yards and in and 17-for-20 from 39 yards and closer. Carter connected on a career-long 50-yard field goal at Colorado Mesa. It ranked as 2nd the longest in the RMAC last season and T-15th in NCAA Division II in 2018. It was the first made 50-plus yard field goal for the Pack since 2013.

• With 114 points, Carter was 1st among RMAC kickers and was 6th overall in the conference (26th nationally) in scoring. 

• The Pack were 2nd in the RMAC in punt returns at the end of the regular season. 

#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.