MEDIA INFORMATION Date Sat., Oct. 1 | 1 p.m. MT Location Legend Solar Stadium (5,500) | St. George, UT TV CEC-TV (TDS Channel 22) Radio ESPN SportsRadio 97.7 FM (Keric Seegmiller & Andy Thompson) Online Audio/Video Dixie State Athletics (Video) Southern Utah Live (Audio Only)   Live Stats Dixie State Live Stats Ticket Info Purchase Tickets Game Notes Dixie State Game Notes (PDF) Twitter @DixieAthletics #RMACfb #DixieBlazers DIXIE STATE - WSCU SERIES Series First Meeting At DSU N/A At WSCU N/A First Meeting N/A Last Meeting N/A DIXIE STATE TRAILBLAZERS Record 1-3, 1-2 RMAC Ranking NR Last Game Sept. 24, 2016 (lost at Central Wash., 18-40) Head Coach Shay McClure (Southern Oregon, 1995) Career: 1-3 (1st Season) DSU Record: Same WESTERN STATE COLORADO MOUNTAINEERS Record 3-1, 3-1 RMAC Ranking NR Last Game Sept. 24, 2016 (won vs. Colorado Mines, 45-31) Head Coach Jas Bains (Fresno State, 2004) Career: 15-44 (6th Season) WSCU Record: Same

GAME NOTES (PDF)
LIVE VIDEO
LIVE STATS

The Dixie State football team resumes Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action on Saturday, playing host to Western State Colorado at 1 p.m. at Legend Solar Stadium.

Live coverage is scheduled on television (CEC-TV, TDS Channel 22), radio (ESPN Sports Radio 97.7) and online at the Dixie State Stretch Internet Portal, with Keric Seegmiller providing play-by-play and Andy Thompson offering analysis and color commentary.

ALL-TIME VS. WESTERN STATE COLORADO: Saturday's game marks the first time Dixie State and Western State have met on the gridiron.

KNOW YOUR FOE: Western State enters the game with a 3-1 record overall and in RMAC play. The Mountaineers opened the season with a 34-14 loss to Colorado Mesa, but since then have rattled off three consecutive victories over Adams State, Chadron State, and then-ranked No. 23 Colorado Mines. Saturday's victory over the Orediggers propelled Western to its first 3-1 start since 1997.

The Mountaineers lead the RMAC in rushing, averaging 296.8 yards per game on the ground. Running back Austin Ekeler leads the WSCU attack with an RMAC-best 208.0 rushing yards per game. Ekeler also leads the RMAC in scoring (66 points) and All-Purpose yards (231.2 yards per game), and leads all active NCAA athletes in career rushing yards with 5,194 yards.

Defensively, Western State ranks fourth in the RMAC in total defense, allowing 383.2 yards (271.2 pass, 118.2 rush) per game. Twin brothers Carter (linebacker) and Cade (defensive back) Wasser lead the WSCU defense with 33 tackles each, while Carter also leads the team with three sacks.

ALL-TIME VS. THE RMAC: In its 10-year NCAA Division II history, Dixie State has matched up with six current RMAC schools (Adams State, Black Hills State, Colorado Mesa, Fort Lewis, New Mexico Highlands and South Dakota Mines) for a total of 19 games against those opponents. The Trailblazers hold a 5-14 record in those games, recording victories over Adams State (2), Colorado Mesa, New Mexico Highlands, and South Dakota Mines.

LEADING THE LEAGUE: Through four games Dixie State leads the RMAC in opponent third-down conversion, conceding 18 first downs on 58 third-down attempts (31 percent). The Trailblazers rank second in the RMAC in pass defense, allowing 183.2 yards passing per game. Individually, junior receiver Justin Martin (Corona, Calif./Norco HS) leads the conference in punt return average (10.4 yards per return) and kick return average (25.5 yards per return). Junior safety Colton Olson (Spanish Fork, Utah/Spanish Fork HS) ranks fourth in the RMAC in tackles with 38 tackles (9.5 per game), while sophomore linebacker Peter Brown (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) is fifth with 28 tackles (9.3 per game).

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: The Trailblazers hit the road for another two-game swing, starting with Chadron State in Chadron, Nebraska, on Saturday, Oct. 8, at 1 p.m.