MEDIA INFORMATION Date Sat., Sept. 7 | 7 p.m. MT Location Trailblazer Stadium (10,000) | St. George, Utah TV CEC-TV (TDS Channel 108) Radio ESPN Radio 97.7 FM Watch/Listen WATCH (Dixie State Live Video) LISTEN (Dixie State Radio)   Live Stats Dixie State Live Stats Ticket Info Purchase Tickets Game Notes Dixie State (PDF) , CSU-Pueblo Twitter @DixieAthletics #RMACfb #DixieBlazers DIXIE STATE - CSU-PUEBLO SERIES Series CSU-Pueblo leads, 3-0 At DSU CSU-Pueblo leads, 1-0 At CSU-Pueblo CSU-Pueblo leads, 2-0 First Meeting 11/5/16; CSUP 24, DSU 13 (Pueblo, Colo.) Last Meeting 9/1/18; CSUP 56, DSU 14 (Pueblo, Colo.) DIXIE STATE TRAILBLAZERS Record 0-0, 0-0 RMAC Ranking NR Last Game Nov. 10, 2018 (Won at Adams State, 52-10) Head Coach Paul Peterson (Boston College, 2005) Career: 18-4 (3rd Season) DSU Record: 0-0 (1st Season) COLORADO STATE-PUEBLO THUNDERWOLVES Record 0-0, 0-0 RMAC Ranking AFCA No. 9 Last Game Nov. 24, 2018 (Lost at Minn. St-Mankato, 10-24) Head Coach John Wristen (CSU-Pueblo, 1984) Career: 106-25 (12th Season) CSU-Pueblo Record: Same

Dixie State football is set to open its 2019 campaign on Saturday, hosting No. 9 Colorado State-Pueblo at 7 p.m. inside Trailblazer Stadium.
 
Live coverage is scheduled on television (CEC-TV – TDS Channel 108), radio (ESPN 97.7 FM), and internet (DSU Stretch Internet Portal), with Keric Seegmiller providing play-by-play and Drayson Ball and Andy Thompson providing analysis. Live stats will also be available at DixieStateAthletics.com.
 
JIMMY JOHN'S KICKOFF CLASSIC: The first 1,000 fans to arrive at Trailblazer Stadium will receive a free jersey-style red t-shirt, sponsored by Jimmy John's.
 
ALL-TIME IN SEASON OPENERS: Dixie State is 2-11 all-time in season openers. The Trailblazers snapped a six-game season-opening losing streak with a 21-14 win over New Mexico Highlands on Sept. 1, 2016. DSU's last season-opening win before then was a 37-28 win over Adams State on Aug. 27, 2009. DSU has opened the season at home five times (2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016), logging a 2-3 record in those games.
 
ALL-TIME VS. CSU-PUEBLO: Saturday's game marks the fourth meeting between Dixie State and CSU-Pueblo. The Thunderwolves held on for a 24-13 victory on Nov. 5, 2016, in the inaugural matchup between the teams in Pueblo. DSU outgained CSUP 313-268, and held the Thunderwolves to a season-low mark in total offense. However, the Trailblazers settled for a field goal twice in CSUP territory and conceded a fumble recovery touchdown just before halftime. The Thunderwolves turned a third-quarter, one-score game into a 31-10 win in St. George in 2017, before running away with a 56-14 victory in Pueblo in 2018 to build a 3-0 series lead.
 
KNOW YOUR FOE: CSU-Pueblo finished the 2018 season with an 11-2 overall record and a 9-1 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. The Thunderwolves claimed a share of the 2018 RMAC title, marking their seventh conference championship in the last eight years.
 
CSU-Pueblo enters the new season ranked ninth in the Division II AFCA Coaches Poll, and was tabbed as the favorite to win the RMAC title in 2019.
 
The Thunderwolves return 12 starters, including six on offense and six on defense. Running back Austin Micci represents the leading returner on offense after rushing for 873 yards and eight touchdowns in 2018.
 
Linebacker Kyle Rosenbrock represents CSU-Pueblo's leading defensive returner after posting 91 tackles (17.5 for loss), six sacks, and two interceptions in 2018. Jackson Wibbels also returns on the defensive line after finishing the 2018 season with 78 tackles (20.5 for loss) and 11.5 sacks.
 
Kicker Mitchell Carter (19-29 FG/57-58 PAT) returns as the CSUP special teams leader.
 
ALL-TIME VS. AFCA RANKED OPPONENTS: Saturday's game marks DSU's third opponent ranked in the AFCA Top-10 in its last seven outings. The Trailblazers are 2-15 all-time in matchups against ranked opponents, securing its second win over a ranked opponent at Trailblazer Stadium on November 3 in a 52-45 thriller against No. 6 Colorado School of Mines.  DSU claimed its first win over a ranked opponent in a 38-31 victory over No. 23 Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction in 2016.
 
2019 SEASON OUTLOOK: Dixie State looks to continue its upward trend after posting its second winning season in three years in 2018. The Trailblazers finished the 2018 campaign with a 7-4 overall record and a 7-3 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play, marking the most overall and conference wins of the program's NCAA-era.
 
The Trailblazers were picked to finish fifth in the 2019 RMAC Coaches' Poll, behind CSU-Pueblo, Colorado School of Mines, Chadron State, and Colorado Mesa. While the conference did not publish a preseason All-RMAC squad, Sei-J Lauago and Alex Lilliard each landed on the league's Preseason Players to Watch list.
 
Dixie State returns nine starters from its record-setting 2018 squad, including seven on offense and two on defense.
 
THE OFFENSE
 
Three starters return on the offensive line, led by sophomore Nathen Aceves, who garnered 2018 All-RMAC honorable mention recognition last season. The Trailblazers also return the 2018 statistical leaders in rushing, senior running back Sei-J Lauago, and receiving, redshirt senior receiver Dejuan Dantzler.
 
Lauago rushed for 820 yards and eight touchdowns during the 2018 season to become DSU's career rushing leader with 1,773 total rushing yards. He also caught 28 passes for 312 yards to post a team-best 1,132 all-purpose yards.
 
Dantzler logged 46 receptions for 932 yards and seven touchdowns, and set the DSU single-game receiving record with 241 yards and three touchdowns in a 52-45 win over No. 6 Colorado School of Mines.
 
THE DEFENSE
 
Senior defensive back Alex Lilliard represents the Trailblazers' returning leader in tackles from the 2018 campaign, and one of just two returning starters on defense.
 
Lilliard recorded 48 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss, and assisted on one sack during the 2018 season. He also logged one interception and posted three pass breakups.  
 
Redshirt Sophomore Anthony Yarbrough also returns on the defensive line. Yarbrough earned RMAC Defensive Freshman of the Year honors in 2018, recording 24 tackles and 13.5 tackles for loss. Additionally, Yarbrough tied a DSU single-season record with 7.5 sacks.
 
COACHING STAFF
           
After joining the Trailblazer family in December, head coach Paul Peterson is set for his first season on the Dixie State sideline.
 
Peterson is joined by defensive coordinator Tyler Almond, along with assistant coaches Loni Fangupo (defensive line), Misi Tupe (linebackers), Mike Smith (cornerbacks), John Hughes (offensive line), Peter Tuitupou (running backs), JD Falslev (wide receivers), Mike Fassel (director of football operations/special teams), Terrance Grant (defensive quality control), and Tanner Balderree (offensive assistant).  Football athletic trainer Bruno Silva also returns for his fourth season on the DSU staff.
 
UP NEXT: Dixie State opens a season-long, three-game road swing next week at Fort Lewis in Durango, Colorado. The Trailblazers will kick off at Noon on September 14.