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Utah Tech University Athletics

Clifford Simms vs. NMHU
Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics
38
Winner Dixie State DX 4-3 , 3-3
31
Colorado Mesa CMU 5-2 , 5-2
Winner
Dixie State DX
4-3 , 3-3
38
Final
31
Colorado Mesa CMU
5-2 , 5-2
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
DX Dixie State 0 14 21 3 38
CMU Colorado Mesa 17 0 7 7 31

Game Recap: Football | | By DSU Athletics Media Relations

Football stuns No. 23 Colorado Mesa Saturday, 38-31

Trailblazers win third straight game and earn first victory over ranked opponent in NCAA D2 era

The Dixie State football team earned its first win over a nationally-ranked opponent on Saturday, defeating No. 23 Colorado Mesa, 38-31, in comeback fashion at Stocker Stadium in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Dixie State (4-3, 4-2 RMAC) rallied from a 17-0 deficit, overcoming back-to-back turnovers and a blocked punt, in the first quarter to clinch its first three-game winning streak in the program's NCAA Division II era.

Colorado Mesa struck first after a DSU interception early in the first quarter. The Mavericks then forced a Trailblazer fumble four plays later and scored another touchdown to extend their lead. CMU forced a three-and-out on the next possession and blocked the DSU punt to set up a 30-yard field goal. The Mavericks had jumped to a 17-0 lead with 4:10 remaining in the first quarter. And then the Trailblazers came alive.

Dixie State went to the running game on the ensuing possession and marched 88 yards in 11 plays to set up a 4-yard touchdown run by senior running back DeJon Coleman (Los Angeles, Calif./Arleta HS) to cut the lead to 17-7 with 14:48 remaining in the second quarter. Coleman and redshirt freshman Clifford Simms (Compton, Calif./St. John Bosco HS) combined for 84 yards rushing on the drive, which set the tone for the remainder of the contest.

The Trailblazers forced a punt on the ensuing CMU possession and again went to work on the ground, this time marching 80 yards in 10 plays for another touchdown. Simms rushed for 39 yards on five carries on the drive, while freshman quarterback Josh Thompson (Ontario, Calif./Colony HS) hit senior receiver Aubrey Reed (Tacoma, Wash./Woodland Hills HS) for a 14-yard pass to help set up the scoring play. Facing a third down situation in the red zone, Thompson sold a play action fake to Simms, then found junior fullback Ernest Quiocho (Walnut, Calif./Walnut HS) for a 13-yard screen pass to cut the CMU lead to 17-14 with 7:20 to play in the second quarter.

The teams traded then punts, setting up an opportunity for Colorado Mesa to add to the lead before halftime. The Mavericks took possession at their own 28-yard line with 44 seconds remaining in the half and marched to the DSU 29-yard line. But the Trailblazer defense stiffened and forced a CMU 46-yard field goal attempt to miss short and wide right as the first half ended. The score remained 17-14, but not for long.

Dixie State was set to start the second half with possession, but junior receiver/kick returner Justin Martin (Corona, Calif./Norco HS) had other plans. Martin returned the opening kickoff of the second half 93 yards for a touchdown, ensuring the Trailblazers wouldn't need a full possession to take a 21-17 lead with 14:46 remaining in the third quarter. The return marked the first kickoff return touchdown for Dixie State since Nov. 15, 2014, at Humboldt State (Aubrey Reed (Tacoma, Wash./Woodland Hills HS) – 99 yards).

The Trailblazers forced a punt on the ensuing CMU possession and took over at their own 48-yard line. DSU added to its lead two plays later when Simms burst through a hole and ran 56 yards for a touchdown and a 28-17 lead with 12:08 remaining in the third quarter.

Dixie State extended its lead to a game-high 18 points later in the quarter on another lengthy drive. Like their first scoring drive of the game, the Trailblazers used a steady dose of rushing from Coleman and Simms to march 76 yards in nine plays, capped by Simms' second touchdown run of the night to push the lead to 35-17 with 5:38 remaining in the third quarter.

The Mavericks answered with a lengthy, but quick drive of their own, marching 75 yards in eight plays in less than three minutes to cut the DSU lead to 35-24 with 2:41 remaining in the third quarter.

DSU countered with its longest drive of the game, a 12-play, 50-yard drive, taking more than seven minutes off the clock. The drive stalled at the CMU 25-yard line, but sophomore kicker Anthony Reyes (Queen Creek, Ariz./Dobson HS) made sure the Trailblazers didn't come away empty-handed. Reyes nailed a DSU career-high 42-yard field goal to extend the lead to 38-24 with 10:26 to play.

Colorado Mesa threatened to score on its next drive, but freshman defensive back Jaylen Moore (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Valley HS) ended the drive with an interception in the end zone. However, the Trailblazers were forced to punt on their ensuing possession, and the Mavericks marched quickly to a touchdown to cut the lead to 38-31 with 2:17 remaining.

Out of timeouts, CMU lined up to kick an onside kick, then lofted the kickoff over the DSU hands team in attempt to catch the Trailblazers off guard and recover the kick. However, Dixie State quickly pounced on the ball and ran three plays to let time expire and seal the biggest victory in its NCAA Division II history.

Dixie State racked up 465 yards of total offense in the win, including 332 yards on the ground, eclipsing the 400-yard total offense mark and the 300-yard rushing mark for the second consecutive game. Simms led the way with a career-high 207 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 21 carries, marking just the second 200-yard rushing game for a DSU player since 2013. Coleman also eclipsed the century mark, finishing the game with 111 yards rushing and one touchdown on 25 carries. Thompson completed 10-of-12 passes for 133 yards and one touchdown. Reed led the DSU receivers with four catches for 45 yards.

Defensively, the Trailblazers allowed 391 yards of total offense. Junior safety Colton Olson (Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork HS) and junior linebacker Noe Perez (Santa Ana, Calif./Los Amigo HS) each finished with a team-high nine tackles, while senior defensive lineman Keanu Foki (Honolulu, Hawai'i/Farrington HS) recorded five tackles and one sack. Junior linebacker Shiloh Pritchard (American Samoa/Leone HS), sophomore linebacker Peter Brown (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS), and Moore each finished with six tackles, while Moore recorded his first interception in a DSU uniform.

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