PUEBLO, Colo. – One of the top games in Division II football this weekend will take place here Saturday evening as No. 22/25th-ranked Colorado State University Pueblo and No. 3/4th-ranked Grand Valley State will face each other in a 6:02 p.m. MT non-conference contest on Throwback Night in the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl.
 
The ThunderWolves come into its second straight home game of the 2024 season fresh off an impressive 40-23 home victory last Saturday against then 21st-ranked University of Texas Permian Basin. The triumph extended its win streak to nine consecutive games, which is currently the second-longest active win streak in Division II football.
 
Saturday's win over the Falcons, which was delayed for nearly 90 minutes late in the second quarter due to lightning in and around the stadium, was keyed by a strong opening 15-plus minutes as the Pack scored on four of its first five possessions to take a 26-9 lead just 16 seconds into the second quarter.
 
For the game, the Pack offense gained 413 yards on 56 plays and averaged 7.4 yards per play.
 
"I was proud of our team against an excellent opponent. I thought we came out and handled our business the way we were supposed to," CSU Pueblo second-year head coach Philip Vigil said. "I thought our defense played stellar all night, outside of that first play and then our offense stepped up when we needed them to score. Obviously, very pleased to be able to beat a good team like them (UTPB) at home, but there were a lot of things we need to clean up and get better at."
 
The big star of the night for the Pack offense was senior receiver Reggie Retzlaff (Corona, Calif./Riverside City College) as he caught seven passes for 164 yards and averaged 23.4 yards per reception, and hauled in touchdown passes of 70 and 32 yards. Retzlaff, who was named this week's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week and was also named the NFF Colorado Chapter Player of the Week, got the scoring started for the Pack with a 70-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Devin Larsen (Gilbert, Ariz./Western New Mexico) and added a 32-yard pass from Larsen with 8:11 left in the first quarter to give the Pack a 13-9 lead.
 
Through two games this season, Retzlaff leads Division II in receiving yards (405), receptions (18), receiving touchdowns (5) and receiving yards per game (202.5). In addition, his 30 points scored is tied for the Division II lead. With his five touchdowns this season, he has pushed his career to 17, which is tied for fourth in the school's career chart.
 
Larsen, who passed for a school-record 508 yards and completed a school record 30 passes in the Pack's 35-6 season-opening win at South Dakota Mines, had another strong night directing the Pack offense as he was 21-for-35 passing for 287 yards and had three touchdown passes and one interception. Through two games this season, Larsen is 51-for-80 passing for 795 yards and is completing 64 percent of his passes and has tossed eight touchdown passes and had two interceptions. He ranks first in Division II in passing yards (795), tied for first in touchdown passes (8), second in passing yards per game (397.5) and third in total offense (390.5).
 
Perhaps the biggest key to the win was the play of the Pack defense as they allowed 330 yards of offense on 90 plays and held the Falcons to an average of just 3.7 yards per play on offense. The Pack defense recorded five sacks, 10 tackles for a loss and picked off two passes, including having one of those interceptions being returned by junior defensive back Keith Mckaney (Avondale, Ariz./Desert Edge) for a 48-yard touchdown.
 
"Our defense is playing a high level. We're deep and we're rolling them in as you can see on Saturdays. Different platoons of guys depending on the situation and offensive personnel. It is allowing us to stay fresh upfront and really at every position because we're rotating guys in that can play a very high caliber of football and it has allowed us to wear offenses down defensively," the Pack coach said.
 
Senior defensive lineman Makeah Scippio (Colorado Springs, Colo./Harrison), who was named this week's RMAC Defensive Player of the Week, recorded a career-high four sacks and added 4.5 tackles for a loss to his six total tackles. On the season, Scippio is tied for Division II lead in sacks with four and is tied for fourth nationally in tackles for loss (4.5).
 
Unlike the season opener at South Dakota Mines when the Pack threw for a single game school record 548 yards and completed a single game school record 35 passes, the Pack offense was more balanced in Saturday's home opener against UTPB as they rushed for a season-high 126 yards on 21 carries and passed for 287 yards.
 
"I think for us to win football games, we are going to have to run the ball consistently and it's going to be a priority for us to be able to do that every single week," the coach added. "We want to be able to dictate to a defense what we're going to be able to do, but at the same time, we're going to find what's working and we're going to utilize it."
 
One of the biggest strengths through the first two game this season has been the play of the offensive line that features four returning starters from a season ago and one new starter this season. The returning starters are senior left guard Arthur Braach (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo East), junior right guard Domingo Prince II (Aurora, Colo./Cherry Creek), sophomore center Senon Chapple (Fort Worth, Texas/Fossil Ridge) and sophomore left tackle Tyler Ethridge (Midlothian, Texas/Midlothian), while the new starter this season is junior right tackle Jaiden Jones (Dallas, Texas/Tyler JC).
 
In the first two games this season, the Pack offense line has allowed just two sacks in 135 plays, including allowing no sacks on 56 plays in last Saturday's game against UTPB.
 
"I think those guys up front have done a really good job. This past weekend, against a front I was worried about, they gave up zero sacks and we had over six yards per carry on the ground," said Vigil when asked about his offensive line. "That doesn't happen if the offensive line is not playing a very high level."
 
The Pack football coaches selected Chapple as the team's Offensive Player of the Game from the UTPB game. In addition to Chapple, Scippio was named the Defensive Player of the Game and senior linebacker Noa Purcell (Kalihi, Hawaii/Riverside City College) was named the Special Teams Player of the Game.
 
"Senon was selected as our offensive player of the game, and Domingo was right behind him. Those two guys did a good job of communicating and dominating up front," Vigil added. "When your offensive line is playing hard and playing for each other, it allows everything else to click, which we've seen."
 
One of the biggest keys according to Vigil for Saturday's game will be being able to play a clean game and limit the penalties and turnovers.
 
"We've got to play a clean game and that is something we have yet to do as a team this season. Because, if we don't play a clean game, we aren't going to be in the game," the coach stressed. "We also have to play with confidence and play within our abilities. I think if nothing else, last year showed that we have the talent and the culture to be able to compete with Grand Valley State."
 
In last season's game that was played at Grand Valley State, the Pack fell 57-49 in double overtime to the Lakers. In that game, the Pack rallied from a 35-21 halftime deficit and forced overtime on a nine-yard pass to Retzlaff from Chance Fuller with no time left in regulation. In the overtime period, the Pack scored first on a 25-yard pass from Fuller to senior running back Kiahn Martinez (Denver, Colo./University of Idaho) to take a 49-42 lead, but GVSU forced double overtime with a 25-yard pass from Alex Thole to Cody Tierney. In the double overtime period, GVSU took a 57-49 lead on a 25-yard run by Tariq Reid, and on the ensuing possession, the Pack's fourth-down pass from the three-yard line to junior receiver Zack Rakowsky (Loveland, Colo./Loveland) fell incomplete to seal the Lakers' victory.
 
The Pack offense gained 392 yards on 67 plays as they passed for 338 yards and rushed for 54 yards, while GVSU finished with 453 yards as they passed for 236 yards and rushed for 217 yards. The Pack defense also recorded four sacks and sophomore linebacker Gary Seidenberger (Fredericksburg, Texas/Fredericksburg) returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 35-all with 7:58 left in the fourth quarter.
 
Saturday's game with Grand Valley State is themed Throwback Night as the Pack is celebrating the anniversary of the program's first-ever football game as a four-year school, which ironically was held on Sept. 14, 1963, against Emporia State. In that first-ever game as a four-year school, SCSU (Southern Colorado State University), which is what CSU Pueblo was known as in 1963, lost 21-20 to Emporia State in Pueblo. Along with celebrating the program's first-ever football game as a four-year school, the Pack will also recognize Donnell Leomiti, who was the Pack's longtime defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator before passing away from pancreatic cancer in 2020, during the first media timeout in the first quarter.
 
Leomiti, who played college football at the University of Colorado, was one the original coaches for the Pack when the football program restarted in 2008 and was known for his positive attitude and "Be" mentality, emphasizing being accountable, coachable and tough. The weight room at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl is named in honor of Leomiti and is called the Leomiti Warrior Center.
 
"I know we're honoring the first football game that we played as SCSC in 1963 and that is going to be very special, but I think even more special, if I'm being honest, is we're honoring Coach Leo," Vigil said. "Having Lauren, his family, and his brother here on Saturday night is going to mean a lot to our players. What Coach Leo has meant to this place, what he's meant to this team, to this culture, goes beyond words."
 
Saturday's home game with Grand Valley State marks the sixth all-time meeting between the two schools and the fourth meeting in the regular season. The teams have met the last three years in the regular season and faced each other in the NCAA Playoffs in 2013 and 2015. Grand Valley State leads the all-time series 5-0, including last season's double-overtime game on GVSU's home field.
 
"Grand Valley State is one of the powerhouses in Division II. They are a very well coached team. Not only do they have very talented football players, but they are very sound and disciplined," the Pack coach said. "We are going to have a serious challenge on our hands this weekend against the No. 3 ranked team in the country."
 
Along with being the sixth all-time meeting against Grand Valley State, Saturday's game will also mark the 43rd game for the Pack against a nationally ranked opponent as the Pack has posted a 22-20 record against ranked teams since 2008. Among those 42 games against ranked teams, 25 of them have come in the regular season with the Pack holding a 14-11 record in regular season games against nationally ranked foes.
 
Following Saturday's game with Grand Valley State, the Pack will close out its three-game homestand with a 2 p.m. RMAC game on Saturday, Sept. 21 against Colorado Mesa University, who received votes in the week's latest AFCA Division II Coaches Poll sponsored by Hudl.

ABOUT GRAND VALLEY STATE
The Lakers, who are ranked No. 3 and No. 4 in this week's latest AFCA Division II Coaches' and D2Football.com polls, come into Saturday's match-up with the Pack sporting a 1-0 record after opening its 2024 season with a 58-0 home win over Central State (Ohio) last week. The Central State game extended the Lakers' regular season win streak to 10 straight games dating to last season's season-opening 31-28 loss at Colorado School of Mines.
 
"Grand Valley State had a stellar season last year as they lost in the national quarterfinals to Harding, who is right now the defending national champion by one point (7-6). They're a good football team and we're going to have to play very well on Saturday to be in this football game," Vigil said.
 
In this year's season opener against Central State, the Lakers, who are coached by second-year head coach Scott Wooster, scored touchdowns on its first four drives en route to leading 30-0 at the half. The Lakers scored 14 points each in the third and fourth quarters to seal the win. The 58 points was the third largest margin of victory overall in school history.
 
For the game, the Lakers tallied 667 yards of offense as they rushed 56 times for 546 yards and scored seven rushing touchdowns. The 546 rushing yards were second most all-time in GVSU history. They also passed for 121 yards and had one touchdown pass in the win.
 
Three Lakers rushed for 100 or more yards as sophomore running back Khalil Eichelberger led the way with 18 carries for 120 yards and scored two touchdowns. Redshirt freshman running back Kenneth Jones carried the ball 11 times for 116 yards and scored a touchdown, while sophomore running back Derrick Woods carried the ball four times for 108 yards and scored two touchdowns, including scoring runs of 64 and 44 yards.
 
Senior quarterback Avery Moore was 8-for-12 passing for 109 yards and completed passes to eight different receivers and rushed for 54 yards on nine carries.
 
"They've got some talented running backs. They're talented up front and their quarterback has an uncanny ability to make plays with his legs, but we can't sleep on their receivers," Vigil added.
 
During the offseason, the Lakers hired a new offensive coordinator, Ian Shoemaker, who came to GVSU from Eastern Washington. Before Eastern Washington, he was the head coach at Central Washington when they were making deep playoff runs.
 
Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, the Lakers held Central State to a total of 95 yards of offense as they allowed 60 yards rushing on 32 carries and limited them to 35 yards passing. The Lakers defense also recorded 12 tackles for a loss, two sacks and picked off one pass and forced a fumble.
 
"They're different schematically this year defensively than they were last season. It looks like they are doing more movement and a lot more pressuring than they showed a season ago," said Vigil. "They've got defensive backs that can cover, have linebackers that can tackle which allows them to create pressure up front with just four up front. We are going to have to good up front for us to be able to move the football this week."
 
Among the key players on defense for the Lakers is junior linebacker Anthony Cardamone, who had three tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and a sack in the season opener.
 
In the Preseason Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Coaches' Poll, the Lakers were tabbed to finish second behind preseason favorite Ferris State. Last season, GVSU finished with an 11-2 record and captured its 19th all-time GLIAC title, and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

In the Preseason Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Coaches' Poll, the Lakers were tabbed to finish second behind two-time defending NCAA Division II National Champion, Ferris State.

Grand Valley State is one of the premier football programs in NCAA Division II as the Lakers have captured three National Championships (2002, 2005 and 2006) and finished as National Runner-ups twice (2001, 2009). The Lakers have won 10 or more games in a season 19 times in its 52-plus year history of the program, including 17 times since 2001. In addition, the Lakers are the winningest FBS, FCS and NCAA Division II program in the country boasting a record of 443-151-3 (.744) in 52 seasons of playing football.

PACK FOOTBALL NOTES

• The Pack Football Show is scheduled for 6 p.m. every Wednesday (except for Oct. 23) during the 2024 football season at the Thunder Zone, which is located across the street from the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl.
• The first Pack Club Luncheon of the 2024 football season will be held on Friday, Sept. 13 from 12-1 p.m. in the ThunderBowl Pack House.
• In the Preseason RMAC Coaches' Poll, the Pack was tabbed to finish third as they received 66 points to sit 16 points in front of fourth-place Colorado Mesa (50 points) and eight points behind second-place Western Colorado, who earned 74 points and three first-place votes. Mines was tabbed as the preseason favorite as the Orediggers earned 79 points and seven first-place votes.
• Keg One and Rocky Mountain Turf Solutions are the sponsors of Saturday night's Throwback Night game.
• Pack students who show their student ID will receive blue rally towels courtesy of Steel City Solar.
• All 11 of the Pack's football games will be broadcast once again this season on Fox Sports Pueblo (1350 AM) with Jim Brooks and Joe Cervi on the call. The broadcasts will begin with a pregame show 30 minutes before the opening kickoff. Saturday's Grand Valley State pregame show will start at 5:30 p.m. MT.
• The Hospitality Tailgate (formerly known as the Alumni Tailgate) will once again be held on the Leomiti Warrior Center Rooftop, starting two hours before kickoff and conclude at the start of all the home games this season. This space is reserved for Pack Club members, corporate sponsors and special guests.
• The Pack is the winningest football program in the state of Colorado in terms of winning percentage as the Pack has won nearly 65 percent of its all-time games since beginning its four-year school tenure in 1963. The Pack has posted a 257-139-4 record in football since 1963. Colorado is the second-winningest team in the state as Colorado has won nearly 57 percent of its games all-time as they have posted a 723-546-36 record.