PUEBLO, Colo. – One of the top games in Division II football this coming weekend will take place inside the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl on Saturday, Sept. 7 as the ThunderWolves open the home portion of its 2024 schedule against 21st-ranked University of Texas Permian Basin. Kickoff for Saturday's Red Out Night game is scheduled for 6:02 p.m. MT.
 
The ThunderWolves come into Saturday's first home game of the season fresh off an impressive 35-6 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win last Thursday in Rapid City, S.D., against South Dakota Mines. The victory extended the Pack's win streak to eight consecutive games, which is tied with Ashland (Ohio) for the second-longest active streak in Division II football. The eight-game win streak is the longest for the Pack since winning nine straight games during the 2019 season.
 
In the win over the Hardrockers, the win was keyed by a Pack passing offense that completed a single-game school record 35 passes and threw for a single-game school record 548 yards, while its defense allowed just two field goals and held South Dakota Mines to a total of 214 yards of offense.
 
"I think anytime you come out with a win, you're going to be pleased. You've got to enjoy wins because they are hard to come by," second-year Pack head coach Philip Vigil said. "It's much easier to make corrections on the mistakes we made when you're coming off a win, rather than a loss and there were a lot of mistakes that we made when looking back at the tape. We've got to figure those things out here in a hurry because we've got a quality opponent coming in this weekend that if we don't capitalize on all our opportunities, it may be the difference in the game."
 
The Pack offense was paced by the play of senior quarterback Devin Larsen (Gilbert, Ariz./Western New Mexico), who had a record-setting night in his Pack debut under center. Larsen was 30-for-45 passing for a single-game school record 508 yards and tossed five touchdown passes and did not throw an interception. The 30 pass completions were a single-game school record, while the 508 passing yards were the first-ever 400+ passing yard performance in school history and the eighth-most passing yards in a game in the state of Colorado history.
 
Senior receivers Reggie Retzlaff (Corona, Calif./Riverside City College) and Taylor Tosches (Temecula, Calif./Southwestern Oklahoma State) combined to catch 22 passes of Larsen's 30 pass completions for 392 yards and had four touchdown receptions, including three from Retzlaff. Retzlaff finished the game with 11 receptions for a single-game school record of 241 yards, while Tosches caught 11 passes for 151 yards in his Pack debut. It marked the first time in school history that two receivers had combined to record 20 or more receptions in a single game.
 
"Devin did a really good job of taking what they (South Dakota Mines) gave us. They were a team that was going to overload the box and that made it difficult to run the football. In the second quarter, we decided that if they were going to continue to overload the box, we we're going to get the ball on the edge to our playmakers and let our receivers go to work," Vigil said. "To Devin's credit, he took what they gave him. He trusts those guys on the edge to go up and make plays and those guys did that. Devin is very cool, calm, and collected and doesn't get too high. He's a very good football player and I'm excited about his future here with the Pack."
 
Larsen, who was named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday and was named the NFF Colorado Chapter Player of the Week on Tuesday, comes into Saturday's home opener with UTPB as the Division II active leader in career passing yards (7,135) and career touchdown passes (58) and is second among active Division II players in career passing yards per game (264.3) and is third among active Division II players in total offensive yards (7,181).
 
Larsen earned the starting nod following a three-player battle for the starting quarterback job during fall camp with seniors Steven Croell (Broomfield, Colo./Broomfield) and Roman Fuller (Decatur, Texas/University of Tulsa). All three quarterbacks played in the season opener.
 
"I was able to work with Devin for two years at Western New Mexico, so I knew what we were getting with him. I told him when he arrived, that nothing's going to be given to you, you must go out and earn it and that's what he did," said the Pack coach about Larsen. "We brought in a Division I transfer in Roman (Fuller) and we had Stevie here and it was like cutting teeth to figure out who was going to be the guy. Devin had a great game on Thursday night, but I have a lot of confidence in those other two guys in being able to come in and execute."
 
While the Pack offense set some records offensively in the season opener, Vigil says that the defense was the reason the Pack won the game.
 
"I know we set some records offensively, but the defense is the reason we won the football game. The defense played phenomenally and just smothered their offense. And honestly, had it not been for a couple of penalties, we would have kept them under 200 yards of total offense," added Vigil. "We've got some guys that are playing at a high level on the defensive side of the football, but they're going to have a challenge this weekend with UTPB coming in because UTPB has a very good offense."
 
The Pack defense was led by eight total tackles from two-time senior All-American defensive back Daniel Bone III (Colorado Springs, Colo./Pine Creek), while senior defensive lineman James Turrentine (Elk Grove, Calif./American River) added five tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. For the game, the Pack defense recorded seven tackles for loss, a sack, and had an interception.
 
CSU Pueblo's defense has now held five of its last eight opponents to 10 or fewer points and the six points allowed by the Pack were the fewest allowed in a season opener since allowing West Texas A&M to score six points in the 2014 opener.
 
Saturday's home opener with UTPB will mark the first of three consecutive home contests for the Pack as they have won three straight home games dating to last season and are 11-4 in home openers since the program rebooted in 2008.
 
"Playing at home is special and you have to protect what this place is about and obviously, playing at home carries a little bit different weight," added Vigil.
 
The game with UTPB will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools and the 22nd game against an opponent from the Lone Star Conference since the program rebooted in 2008. The Pack, who are 15-6 against LSC schools since 2008, will be opening its home schedule against an LSC opponent for the third time in the last four seasons as they opened the 2021 season against Texas A&M Commerce and the 2023 season against Midwestern State.
 
Along with being the fifth all-time meeting against UTPB, Saturday's game will also mark the 42nd game for the Pack against a nationally ranked opponent as the Pack has posted a 21-20 record against ranked teams since 2008. Among those 41 games against ranked teams, 24 of them have come in the regular season with the Pack holding a 13-11 record in regular season games against nationally ranked foes. The Pack have lost six straight games to nationally ranked teams and are scheduled to play four preseason nationally ranked foes this season.

Following Saturday's home opener, the Pack will remain at home as the ThunderWolves host No. 4 ranked Grand Valley State in a 6 p.m. MT non-conference game on Saturday, Sept. 14, before concluding the three-game homestand on Saturday, Sept. 21 with an RMAC game against Colorado Mesa.  

ABOUT UT PERMIAN BASIN
The Falcons, who are ranked 15th and 21st respectively in this week's latest D2Football.com and AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll, come into Saturday's road match-up with the Pack sporting a 1-0 overall record and a 1-0 mark in the LSC after opening its 2024 season with an impressive 41-3 home win this past Saturday over Western New Mexico University.
 
In the season opener, UTPB's offense gained 557 yards, including passing for 420 yards and rushing for 137 yards. The Falcons ran 91 plays and averaged 6.1 yards per play and recorded 29 first downs.
 
"They (UTPB) have done a really good job at recruiting. They've got some talented football players on both sides for the ball. They're a team coming in with some swagger and confidence and they deserve that because of what they've been able to do in the past," Vigil said when asked about UTPB. "What Coach (Kris) McCullough did in his first season at UTPB was special. I know they are going to be ready to play and we've got to make sure that we are at our best to be able to compete in this game because they (UTPB) is a very good football team and they deserve their ranking and where they are at right now."
 
Last season, UTPB, who is in its ninth season of playing football, made history as they captured their first-ever LSC Championship, advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs, and hosted a first-round playoff game for the first time. UTPB finished the 2023 season with a 10-2 overall record and went a perfect 8-0 in LSC play.
 
In their season opener this past Saturday, UTPB senior quarterback Dylan Graham was 31-for-50 passing for 404 yards and had three touchdown passes and no interceptions. Graham's big targets in the passing game in the season opener were redshirt senior receiver Jeremiah Cooley and redshirt junior receiver Ben Patterson, who combined for 12 catches for 229 yards and each one had a touchdown reception. Cooley caught eight passes for 116 yards, while Patterson caught four passes for 113 yards, including an 82-yard touchdown pass that gave UTPB a 21-3 lead early in the third quarter.
 
"They've got some explosive athletes on both sides of the ball. Offensively, their receivers are some of the best I've seen on tape. They do a really good job. They can run, are big and have great hands. They make it a problem for defensive backs," the Pack coach added. "Their quarterback is a guy that has a lot of experience. He started for them in 2022. He's got a good arm and did a really good job under duress in their opener of getting the ball out of his hands and finds the open receivers and letting those guys go and make plays. They want to run the football and have some guys up front that can cover some people and create some lanes for their tailbacks. Offensively, they have a lot of firepower."
 
On the rushing front, junior running back Kory Harris gained 82 yards on 21 carries and scored a touchdown.
 
Freshman Angel Diaz led the Falcons' special teams as he was a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals making kicks from 25, 32, 36, and 47 yards. In addition, he was 3-for-3 on extra points.
 
Meanwhile, on defense, UTPB held Western New Mexico to just 118 yards on 45 offensive plays as the Mustangs passed for 67 yards and rushed for just 51 yards. In addition, the Mustangs had just five first downs and were held to just a single field goal late in the second quarter. UTPB's defense was credited with nine tackles for a loss and five sacks and added four quarterback hurries.
 
"Defensively, they are going to play an odd structure, at least they did that in their opener. They had a three-man front and controlled the line of scrimmage with three guys. Those guys a big, they're strong and active. For us, we've got to be able to manage the front and got to be able to find ways to move the football in the run game, otherwise, it's going to be a long night because of what they do defensively."
 
Redshirt junior defensive lineman Frank Mulipola recorded eight total tackles and added both a sack and a tackle for a loss, while sophomore linebacker Tristan Exline had four tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and two sacks and junior noseguard Austin Williams had five tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss and a sack.
 
Vigil says that his team must take what the defense gives them on Saturday night.
 
"If they drop eight on defense, I wouldn't expect us to throw for 500 yards again this week. Again, it's what good offenses do, they take what the defense is going to give them," added Vigil. "We've got to be able to take what the defense give us and be able to fly around and find ways to get our playmakers the football."
 
McCullough, who was named the LSC Coach of the Year, the College Football Network Division II Coach of the Year and the All-Texas Non-FBS Coach of the Year, welcomes several former players to his coaching staff this season, including last year's starting quarterback Kenny Hrncir, who is now serving as the Falcons co-offensive coordinator after being an All-American last season.
 
"UTPB has done a great job at recruiting and have done a good job at putting those guys in positions to make plays. When you have talented football players and they're going in the same direction, you are going to have success," said Vigil about UTPB's recent success in football. "They are a different team than they were last year. The quarterbacks are different. Last year's starter was a little bit more mobile as he was able to make more plays with his legs. This year, the quarterback has a bit stronger arm."
 
In the Preseason LSC poll, the Falcons were tabbed to finish third as they earned 244 points and earned four first place votes in the poll voted on by the league's coaches, SIDs, and media members. Two Falcons players – Cooley and senior linebacker Jalon Rocqemore were named to the 2024 LSC Preseason Players to Watch List.          

PACK FOOTBALL NOTES