MEDIA INFORMATION Date Sat., Oct. 15 | 7 p.m. MT Location Stocker Stadium (7,000) | Grand Junction, Colo. TV None Radio ESPN SportsRadio 97.7 FM (Keric Seegmiller) Online Audio/Video Colorado Mesa Athletics (Video) Southern Utah Live (Audio Only)   Live Stats Colorado Mesa Live Stats Ticket Info Purchase Tickets Game Notes Dixie State Game Notes (PDF) Twitter @DixieAthletics #RMACfb #DixieBlazers DIXIE STATE - CMU SERIES Series Colorado Mesa leads 6-1 At DSU CMU leads 2-1 At CMU CMU leads 4-0 First Meeting 8/24/06; CMU 24, DSU 14 @ DSU Last Meeting 9/5/15; CMU 43, DSU 3 @ DSU DIXIE STATE TRAILBLAZERS Record 3-3, 3-2 RMAC Ranking NR Last Game Oct. 8, 2016 (won at Chadron State, 44-27) Head Coach Shay McClure (Southern Oregon, 1995) Career: 3-3 (1st Season) DSU Record: Same COLORADO MESA MAVERICKS Record 5-1, 5-1 RMAC Ranking No. 23 (AFCA) Last Game Oct. 8, 2016 (lost at Black Hills State, 34-48) Head Coach Russ Martin (Chadron State) Career: 41-48 (9th Season) CMU Record: 29-21 (5th Season)

GAME NOTES (PDF)
LIVE VIDEO
LIVE STATS

For the fourth time in five games, the Dixie State football team hits the road this week as the Trailblazers head to Grand Junction, Colorado, for a Saturday evening matchup with No. 23 Colorado Mesa at Stocker Stadium.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., as Dixie State looks to win its third consecutive game for the first time in its NCAA Division II era. Live audio coverage is scheduled on radio (ESPN Sports Radio 97.7) and internet (SouthernUtahLive.com), with Keric Seegmiller providing play-by-play. Fans can also watch the game online at the CMU Stretch Internet Portal.

ALL-TIME VS. CMU: Saturday's game marks the eighth meeting between Dixie State and Colorado Mesa. The Mavericks held on for a 24-14 victory in the inaugural matchup on Aug. 24, 2006, in Grand Junction. DSU recorded its only victory of the series one month later, capturing a 21-6 win in St. George on Oct. 7, 2006. Colorado Mesa has won the last five matchups and holds a 6-1 lead in the series, including a 4-0 mark at Stocker Stadium.

LAST MEETING: Sept. 5, 2015. Dixie State could not overcome a string of big Colorado Mesa plays as the Mavericks recorded a 43-3 victory in the season opener in St. George. After both teams punted on each of their first two possessions, Colorado Mesa's defense provided the game's first points as Tom Saager intercepted a Trevor Rea (Plano, Ill./Plano HS) pass and rambled 38 yards for a touchdown to put the Mavericks up 7-0. The interception set the tone for the game as CMU scored 36 of the game's next 39 points. DSU recorded its only points of the game on a 32-yard field goal just before halftime.

KNOW YOUR FOE: Colorado Mesa enters the game with a 5-1 overall and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference record. The Mavericks represent the first nationally-ranked opponent for the Trailblazers in 2016. CMU first entered the AFCA Division II Top-25 at No. 25 after a season-opening win over Western State. The Mavericks climbed to No. 13 in the poll before falling to No. 23 on Monday after suffering their first defeat of the season, 48-34, at Black Hills State on Saturday.

CMU ranks fourth in the RMAC in total offense, averaging 435 yards per game. The Mavericks do most of their damage through the air with an RMAC second-best tally of 293 passing yards per game. Senior quarterback Sean Rubalcaba has completed 111-of-189 passes for 1,554 yards and eight touchdowns this season and ranks third in the RMAC in passing. The Mavericks will share the wealth in the passing game, as three receivers have logged 20 or more catches (Virnel Moon – 20 receptions, 361 yards, 5 TD; Josh Brown – 27 receptions, 470 yards, 2 TD; Marcus Hines – 29 receptions, 325 yards, 1 TD).

Defensively, the Mavericks allow an average of 474 yards per game (298.0 pass, 176.0 rush). Senior defensive lineman Blake Nelson ranks fourth in the RMAC with 51 tackles to go with an RMAC-best five sacks, while senior linebacker Marcus Cross is close behind with 44 tackles. Junior defensive back Dustin Rivas ranks second in the RMAC in interceptions with a team-high four interceptions.    

ALL-TIME VS. AFCA RANKED OPPONENTS: Saturday's game marks the 11th meeting between Dixie State and an opponent ranked in the AFCA Top-25.  The Trailblazers are 0-10 all-time in matchups against ranked opponents.

RECORD CHASER: With five games remaining in the 2016 season, Dixie State senior running back DeJon Coleman (Los Angeles, Calif./Arleta HS) is chasing two different DSU rushing records. Coleman sits in fifth in career rushing yards with 1,120 yards on the ground, just 265 yards behind the leader Adam Wells (1,385 yards – 2007-10). Coleman has also recorded 13 career rushing touchdowns, just one behind former quarterback Griff Robles' (2012-13) DSU-best mark of 14.

COACHING STAFF: Head coach Shay McClure is in his first season as DSU head coach after serving as Director of Defense last season. McClure is joined by offensive coordinator Reilly Murphy and defensive coordinator Shawn Howe on a staff that features four returning coaches from last season and eight newcomers to the staff for the 2016 season.

McClure, Howe, defensive line coach Dustin Sobieraj, and assistant defensive backs coach Marcus Graves represent the four returning coaches, while Murphy, offensive line coach Keola Loo, wide receivers coach Justin Mesa, offensive assistant Jose Flores, offensive assistant Mitch Glasmann, offensive assistant Jake Hardcastle (Midway, Utah/Wasatch HS), defensive backs coach Izaiah Williams, and defensive assistant Ryan Williams represent the eight newcomers to the staff. The coaching staff was finalized prior to spring practices, giving the current staff a full spring camp leading to into fall camp and the beginning of the season.

NEXT UP: Dixie State returns to Legend Solar Stadium for its homecoming matchup with Colorado Mines on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 1 p.m.