GUNNISON, Colo. – The seventh-ranked Colorado State University Pueblo football team extended its win streak to seven straight games here Saturday afternoon and as junior kicker Jackson Smith (Centennial, Colo./Santa Barbara City College) drilled a 32-yard field goal as time expired to propel the ThunderWolves to a 24-21 come-from-behind victory over fifth-ranked Western Colorado in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action at the Mountaineer Bowl.

Jackson's field goal capped a 14-point second half rally for the Pack after trailing 21-7 at the half and helped the Pack improve its record to 8-1 overall and 7-0 in the RMAC. Western Colorado fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with the loss as they are now 8-1 overall and 6-1 in the RMAC.

The victory extended the Pack's RMAC win streak to 23 consecutive games and its road win streak to 14 straight games, both of which are the longest active conference and road win streaks in Division II football.

"I knew they were going to take a timeout. I just made sure to get my mental reps in and from that distance, I'm know I am almost automatic, I just trusted in myself, trusted in my offensive line and made sure to get the ball high and I knew off the foot it was money," Jackson said following the game.

The Pack's game winning drive began after junior defensive tackle Jusiah Sampleton (Giddings, Texas/Giddings) blocked a 47-yard field goal attempt by WCU's Zach Grable with 4:02 left in the game. On the drive, the Pack drove 58 yards in 10 plays, before stalling at the WCU 15-yard line to set up Smith's game-winning kick. The big play on the drive was a 20-yard pass completion from senior quarterback Roman Fuller (Decatur, Texas/University of Tulsa) to junior receiver Dedrek Taylor-Akins (Fontana, Calif./Northeastern State) on a third-and-16 play from the WCU 35-yard line.

"The resolve of this team, to be down 21-0 to the No. 5 team in the country at their place, and then to be able to come back and win the game. I am just so proud of these guys and I'm proud of this coaching staff," CSU Pueblo third-year head coach Philip Vigil said following the win.

Saturday's come-from-behind win is the largest comeback victory in the program's history as the previous largest comeback was from 18 points against Chadron State in 2012. In that game, the Pack trailed 21-3 just five minutes into the second quarter.

The Pack, who trailed 21-7 at the half, outscored the Mountaineers, 14-0, in the third quarter to tie game. The Mountaineers entered the game allowing just 17 third quarter points on the season.

After going three-and-out on its first drive of the second half, the Pack offense pulled within 21-14 on its second possession of the third quarter as Fuller connected with junior receiver Marcellus Honeycutt, Jr., (Aurora, Colo./Eastern Washington) for an 89-yard touchdown pass with 9:18 left in the quarter. The 88-yard touchdown pass was the longest offensive play of the season and tied for the seventh-longest pass play in school history.

Later in the third quarter, the Pack would take over the ball near midfield with 2:36 left in the third quarter and drove 45 yards in four plays and capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by senior running back Kiahn Martinez (Denver, Colo./University of Idaho). The run came after a 31-yard pass from Fuller to Retzlaff. It appeared on the play that Retzlaff scored, but the official signaled he was just outside the end zone on the play. Martinez's score and extra point by Smith tied the game at 21 with 1:22 left in the quarter.

After being held to just 143 yards in the first half, the Pack offense gained 207 yards in the third quarter and held WCU to a total of 74 yards after they gained 193 yards in the opening half.

In the fourth quarter, neither team was able to score, until the game-winning drive by the Pack.

Western Colorado, who had its 10-game regular season win streak snapped with Saturday's loss, jumped in front 7-0 with 4:52 left in the opening quarter following a 2-yard pass from Drew Nash to Damien Nevil.

The Mountaineers extended its lead to 14-0 lead just 93 seconds into the second quarter on a 1-yard run by Nevil.

WCU's special teams got into the scoring column with about eight minutes left in the second quarter as Jevon Young blocked a punt from junior punter Regan Baker (Brisbane, Australia/Idaho State) and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown to give the Mountaineers a 21-0 lead with 8:01 left in the second quarter.

The Pack would finally dent the scoreboard on its fifth possession of the game as Martinez scored on a 2-yard run to cap an eight-play, 75-yard drive to pull within 21-7 with 5:32 left in the second quarter. The big play on the drive was a 44-yard pass from Fuller to redshirt senior receiver Reggie Retzlaff (Corona, Calif./Riverside City College).

Later in the second quarter, the Pack mounted another long drive that spanned 52 yards and seven plays, but the Pack chose to go for it on fourth down at the WCU 18-yard line, instead of kicking a field goal. On the play, Fuller's pass to Taylor-Akins was broken up at the nine-yard line.

"We were trying to be super aggressive in the first half. The punt block was actually a fake punt and we probably should've taken points at the end of the half, but once again, this team's heart and competitiveness is tremendous," the Pack coach added.

For the game, the Pack finished with 422 yards of offense as they rushed for 105 yards against the No. 1 rushing defense in the league and passed for 317 yards as Fuller was 14-for-28 for 317 yards and had one touchdown and also gained 21 yards rushing for a total offensive output of 338 yards.

Martinez finished with 47 yards rushing on 16 carries and scored two touchdowns. His 47 yards pushed Martinez into 16th on the school's all-time rushing chart with 1,485 yards. In addition, his two touchdowns pushed his career total to 16.

Honeycutt finished the game with three receptions for a career-high 144 yards, while Retzlaff caught three passes for 89 yards. In the game, eight different Pack players caught a pass.

Meanwhile, the Pack defense held Western Colorado to 317 yards as the Mountaineers rushed for 112 yards on 37 carries and passed for 205 yards. WCU had just 124 yards of offense in the second half.

Nash was 22-for-36 passing for 203 yards and added 44 yards rushing for a total of 247 yards of total offense, while Baily Quinn paced the Mountaineers' ground attack with 48 yards rushing, and DJ Allen, Jr., caught four passes for 28 yards, while Jace Perez added three catches for 45 yards. 

Junior linebackers Bryson Torrie (Denver, Colo./Vista Peak) and Miles Sprague (Holyoke, Colo./Holyoke) each had seven tackles in the game to pace the Pack.

Both teams finished with two sacks, and neither team committed a turnover in the game. In addition, the Pack had five tackles for a loss to just two for the Mountaineers, who entered the game leading Division II with 10.1 tackles for loss per game.

The Pack will remain on the road next Saturday, Nov. 8 as they travel to Golden, Colo., for a 12 p.m. RMAC game at Colorado School of Mines (6-3 overall, 4-3 RMAC). The Orediggers collected a 48-21 home win on Saturday over New Mexico Highlands.