COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo junior kicker
Jackson Smith (Centennial, Colo./Santa Barbara City College) took home this week's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week accolade on Monday afternoon.
It is the second straight week that the Pack has had a player earn Special Teams Player of the Week honors as senior receiver
Reece Robinson (Los Angeles, Calif./Antelope Valley) was recognized last week. In addition to Smith and Robinson, junior safety
Kahden Rullo (Denver, Colo./Grandview) was named the Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 1.
Smith earns this week's Special Teams Player of the Week accolade after etching his name into the record book, not only at CSU Pueblo, but also in the state of Colorado collegiate books after drilling a career-long 60-yard field goal to give the Pack its first points of the game in its 59-13 road win last Saturday against New Mexico Highlands. The 60-yard field goal bettered the old CSU Pueblo school record of 55 yards set by Mitch Johnson against Adams State on Sept. 20, 1975, and was the longest field goal in the state of Colorado since Western Colorado's Lloyd Tucker hit a 61-yard field goal against Adams State on Nov. 12, 2011. The 60-yard field is tied for the fifth-longest in the state of Colorado history and is just one of 17 field goals of 60 or more yards in NCAA football since 2008, and the longest by an RMAC player since Chadron State's Wilson Yee hit a 61-yarder in 2023.
Along with making his only field goal attempt in the game, Smith was also a perfect 8-for-8 in extra points and scored a total of 11 points in the win against the Cowboys.
On the season, Smith, who has only played in four games, leads the RMAC in field goal percentage as he has made 87.5 percent of his field goals (7-for-8) and is fourth in the RMAC in scoring with 42 points, and his 10.5 points per game average is second-best in the RMAC. His seven field goals are tied for the third most in the league. In addition, his 60-yard field goal is the longest this season in Division II as the previous longest field goal was 56 yards. His seven field goals are tied for the third most in the league. In addition, his 60-yard field goal is the longest this season in Division II as the previous longest field goal was 56 yards.
In addition to Smith, the league named Colorado Mesa senior running back Brandon Belgrave as the Offensive Player of the Week after scoring three touchdowns, including the game winner with 11 seconds left to help the Mavericks collect a 28-24 win at Colorado School of Mines. Against the Orediggers, Belgraved rushed for 209 yards and two touchdown and had one reception for 13 yards, which was the game-winning score with 11 seconds left in the contest.
On defense, the league named South Dakota Mines redshirt sophomore Lane Thomas as the Defensive Player of the Week as he intercepted two passes in the first quarter to help the Hardrockers to a 27-13 win at Black Hills State in the 140th Black Hills Brawl Game. In addition, he also finished the game with six tackles, including three solo stops and had two pass break-ups as the Hardrockers' defense held Black Hills State to 157 offensive yards.
Smith and the No. 11 ThunderWolves (5-1 overall, 4-0 RMAC) look to extend its win streak to five straight games this coming Saturday, Oct. 11 as they host Fort Lewis College (1-4 overall, 0-3 RMAC) in its annual Homecoming and Hall of Fame Game. Kickoff in the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl is set for 2:05 p.m. The Pack enters the game having won 20 consecutive RMAC games dating to the 2023 season and that 20 game conference win streak is currently the longest active streak in Division II football.
