GREELEY – No. 8 CSU-Pueblo rallied from an early 16-0 deficit to give the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference a win over a Football Championship Subdivision opponent as the ThunderWolves topped Northern Colorado 41-36 on Saturday in Greeley.
The ThunderWolves (1-0) didn’t lead for the first time until Cameron McDondle caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Chris Bonner with 6 seconds left in the first half to put CSU-Pueblo up 28-23.
Northern Colorado answered to lead 29-28 in the third quarter, but LaRon Tarkington’s 66-yard interception return put CSU-Pueblo up for good at 34-29. McDondle, who ran for 69 yards and had 24 receiving, plunged in from 2 yards out for the final CSU-Pueblo tally.
Bonner was 2-of-36 for 267 yards and three touchdowns against one interception for the ThunderWolves, and Paul Browning caught seven passes for 113 yards and a score.
No. 3 West Texas A&M 48, Western State 21
CRESTED BUTTE – West Texas A&M made quick work of Western State, leading 34-0 at halftime and 41-0 after three quarters before the Mountaineers scored three late touchdowns.
Dustin Vaughan threw for 470 yards and six touchdowns for the Buffs, while Brett Arrivey was 22-of-33 for 177 yards and two touchdowns for the Mountaineers (0-1) but was sacked four times.
Torrence Allen caught 12 balls for 206 yards and a pair of scores for West Texas A&M, while counterpart Travis Haney had 113 yards receving and a score for Western State.
Colorado Mines 72, South Dakota Mines 6
GOLDEN – Matt Brown was responsible for six total touchdowns, and Colorado Mines accrued a school-record 727 yards of total offense in a rout of South Dakota Mines.
The Orediggers (1-0) rattled off 108 plays, and Brown did damage at almost every turn, throwing for 401 yards and three touchdowns and running for 72 yards and three more scores. A total of 14 Orediggers caught passes, with Jimmy Ellis catching 10 for 104 yards and Ty Young grabbing two touchdowns.
Colorado Mesa 34, Menlo 0
GRAND JUNCTION – Colorado Mesa jumped out to a 21-0 halftime lead and didn’t look back in a season-opening rout of NAIA squad Menlo College.
The Mavericks (1-0) ran for 243 yards on 50 carries, led by Jake Cimolino’s 120 yards and two touchdowns. The Colorado Mesa defense allowed just 204 yards of total offense, including just 62 rushing yards, to Menlo College.
San Diego 38, Western New Mexico 35
SAN DIEGO – Western New Mexico held a lead as late as 27-24 but couldn’t hold on for the victory over San Diego of the Football Championship Subdivision.
The Mustangs (0-1) trailed 38-28 late before scoring with 50 seconds left to cut the lead to three but could get no closer.
Mitch Glasmann threw for 351 yards and four touchdowns for the Mustangs, and Ronnell Pompey had 193 yards receiving and a touchdown. Donald Byrd had 103 receiving yards and scored twice. Joe Ferguson caught 15 balls for 156 yards and a touchdown for the Torreros.
New Mexico Highlands 31, Eastern New Mexico 28
PORTALES, N.M. – New Mexico Highlands jumped to a 17-point lead, fell behind by four in the fourth quarter, then rallied to top Eastern New Mexico.
The Cowboys (1-0) led 24-7 after a Zach Tapia 55-yard field goal in the third quarter only to watch ENMU rattle off 21 unanswered poings for a 28-24 lead. Dominique Ferrell’s 2-yard touchdown run with 7:21 left put NMHU back up for good.
Emmanuel Lewis threw for 182 yards, a touchdown and an interception and ran for 78 more yards and a touchdown. Ferrell ran for 79 yards and scored twice for the Cowboys.
Adams State 44, Wayland Baptist 0
ALAMOSA – Adams State opened the season by racking up 525 total yards against NAIA foe Wayland Baptist under the Friday-night lights in Alamosa.
The Grizzlies (1-0) compiled 211 of those yards on the ground on 52 carries while throwing for 314 yards and led 27-0 at halftime.
Chadron State 40, Missouri S&T 34, OT
ROLLA, Mo. – Lane Haller’s 79-yard interception return for a touchdown in overtime gave Chadron State an overtime victory over Missouri Science and Technology on Thursday in Rolla, Mo.
The Miners and Eagles were tied at 7, 20, 27 and 34 before Haller’s overtime heroics.
Glen Clinton ran for 144 yards on 22 carries and scored three touchdowns for the Eagles (1-0). Quarterback Jonn McLain threw for 341 yards and a pair of scores, while Nathan Ross and Travis Reeves each topped 90 yards receiving.
Angelo State 38, Black Hills State 26
SAN ANGELO, Texas – Ward Anderson’s 299-yard, two-touchdown passing performance for Black Hills State wasn’t enough to overcome Angelo State on Thursday in San Angelo, Texas.
Anderson finished with 363 yards of total offense and four total touchdowns, but the Rams ran for 377 total yards against the Yellow Jackets (0-1) and finished with 594 total yards.
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
