PUEBLO, Colo. – The No. 8 Colorado State University-Pueblo football team is set to host No. 23 Angelo State University Saturday, Nov. 29 in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. The game is set for noon at the Neta & Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl.
CSU-Pueblo (10-1, 8-1 RMAC) Game Notes (PDF)
Angelo State University (9-2, 5-2 LSC) Game Notes Live Stats
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SCOUTING THE PACK: The ThunderWolves enter their fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs coming off their fourth straight RMAC Championship, as the Pack's 8-1 conferenec record allowed them a share the league title with Colorado Mines. The ThunderWolves closed the season on a five-game win streak, following a loss at Fort Lews Oct. 11 that ended a then-NCAA-best 42 game regular season win streak. Eighteen members of the CSU-Pueblo football team earned All-RMAC recognition, led by RMAC Defensive Player of the Year, Darius Allen, RMAC Special Teams Player of the Year, Stephan Dickens and RMAC Coach of the Year, John Wristen.
NCAA PLAYOFF HISTORY: The ThunderWolves own a 1-3 record in NCAA Playoff Games. All four games have occurred at home.
2011 - Second Round - Minnesota Duluth - L, 24-21
2012 - Second Round - Indianapolis - W, 28-7
2013 - Quarterfinals - West Texas A&M - L, 34-13
2013 - Second Round - Grand Valley State - L, 34-30
VS. RANKED SQUADS: CSU-Pueblo owns a 6-2 (3-2 at home) record versus ranked opponents (Division II) since 2011. The Pack rebounded from a 34-30 loss to then-No. 22 Grand Valley State in the second round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament with the win versus then-No. 11 West Texas A&M in the 2014 season opener, 35-6. CSU-Pueblo again faced a team ranked No. 11, Oct. 25 when it traveled to Colorado Mines and defeated the Orediggers, 20-12. The ThunderWolves defeated then-No. 21 Chadron State 51-42 in 2013, downed West Texas A&M (24th) and Indianapolis (18th) in 2012 (both at home) before falling to then-No. 16 West Texas A&M in the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2012. The 47-21 win against Sam Houston State (No. 15) this season is the team's first against a ranked FCS team.
THE POLLS: CSU-Pueblo finished the regular season No. 8 in the AFCA poll and earned the No. 7 ranking in the d2football.com media poll. The Pack finished the 2013 season No. 7 in the AFCA Division II poll, but rose to No. 4 in the 2014 preseason poll. The ThunderWolves were No. 3 in the preseason d2football.com poll. The ThunderWolves had been ranked in the top 10 nationally for an NCAA Division II-best 37 straight weeks before the Fort Lewis loss Oct. 11 dropped them to No. 14 in the week six ranking. CSU-Pueblo garnered its first top-ten ranking Oct. 17, 2011 (eighth).
TEAM NOTES
The ThunderWolves finished the regular season second in the nation in turnover margin with a +20. The Pack have gained 35 turnovers (3rd nationally) and lost just 15 (22nd in NCAA Division II).
CSU-Pueblo has outscored its opponent 191-77 (+114) in the second half this season and held the opponent to just 66 points in the first half.
In the final five games, the ThunderWolves outscored their opponent 206 (41.2 ppg) to 56 (11.2 ppg). During the same stretch, the Pack recorded a +8 turnover ratio.
CSU-Pueblo scored 134 points off turnovers (12.2 ppg) this season, while allowing 44 points off giveaways (4.0 ppg).
SCOUTING ANGELO STATE
THE RAMS: The Rams (9-2) enter Saturday's contest on a six-game win streak. ASU went 5-2 in Lone Star Conference play and won the first-ever LSC Championship Game, 35-33 versus Texas A&M Commerce. Angelo State earned a trip to Pueblo with a 42-41 victory at Michigan Technological University, Nov. 22. ASU trailed 21-0 until a touchdown with 6:47 left in the second quarter opened the scoring for the road team. The Rams trailed 21-14 at the half, but needed a 21-point fourth quarter to erase a 35-21 deficit to escape with the victory.
STRONG ARM: Junior Kyle Washington is the school's first quarterback to surpass 3,000 yards in a season and also owns a single-season ASU record with 32 touchdowns. He ranks third nationally in total offense with 357.4 yards per game, as he leads the team with 922 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.
ONE-TWO PUNCH: Washington has two main targets in Talon Smith, who has recorded back-to-back 100-yard receiving efforts and Dakaral Pecikonis. Smith owns 740 yards on 41 receptions and nine scores, while Pecikonis owns 639 yards on 47 catches and eight touchdowns.
TACKLES LEADER: Rush Seaver owns 141 tackles (62 solo) this season to lead the team and rank No. 7 in NCAA Division II. He has racked up 12.8 tackles per game.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING:
• The Rams established new program records with 482.6 yards per game and 41.7 points per game. ASU averages 284.3 passing yards per game and 198.4 rushing yards per contest.
• Angelo State owns 24 turnovers in 2014, while only allowing 14 giveaways to record a +10 turnover margin that ranks 23rd nationally.
ALL-TIME SERIES:
• The two teams have met just once as the ThunderWolves and Rams battled at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Sept. 14, 2013. CSU-Pueblo scored on the first play from scrimmage (a 64-yard catch and run by Paul Browning from Chris Bonner), en route to a 45-24 victory.
CSU-PUEBLO POSITION NOTES
OFFENSE
The ThunderWolves offense has scored on 43 of 51 opportunities (84.3%) in the red zone this season (32 touchdowns) to rank 29th in the nation in the category.
The Pack are first in the league in least passes intercepted (18th nationally - 6 interceptions) and least amount of sacks allowed (17th nationally - 1.09 sacks per game).
Senior quarterback Chris Bonner finished 32nd in the nation in passing touchdowns with 23.
Junior running back Cameron McDondle enters the second round eighth in the nation in rushing yards (1,555), eighth in rushing yards per game (141.4 ypg), 20th in rushing yards per carry (6.37 ypg) and 25th in NCAA Division II in rushing touchdowns (13 TDs).
McDondle finished the season with eight consecutive games with 100 or more yards rushing and totaled nine on the season. He eclipsed the 1,000 yards mark for the first time in his career in just the eighth game of the season at No. 11 Colorado Mines.
Nine different receivers own 10 or more receptions this season. Junior Kieren Duncan leads the team in receptions (34) and reception yards (564).
DEFENSE
The Pack finished the regular season in the top five nationally in five categories and top 20 in four more: first in passes intercepted (23 interceptions), second in defensive touchdowns (6), third in scoring defense (13.0 ppg allowed), fourth in team passing efficiency defense (89.7), fifth in team sacks (3.55 sacks per game), seventh in third down conversion defense (26.9%), 10th in total defense (287.9 yards allowed per game), 13th in tackles for loss (8.6 tflpg) and 20th in first down defense (180 first downs).
The defensive end tandem of Morgan Fox and Darius Allen finished one and two, respectfully in the RMAC in sacks. Fox's 0.86 sacks per contest ranks 23rd nationally, while Allen's 0.82 sacks per game is 31st in NCAA Division II. Fox was fourth in the RMAC tackles for loss (1.4 tflpg), while Allen was fifth (1.3 tflpg).
Cornerback Stephan Dickens totaled seven interceptions this season to rank seventh nationally in interceptions per game (0.6 intpg). His partner at corner, C.J. Roberts, totaled four interceptions in the final three games to rack up six picks. He ranks 10th nationally in interceptions per game (0.6 intpg). Dickens had one interception for a touchdown this season, while Roberts brought a pick to the house in back-to-back games, Nov. 8 and Nov. 15.
Sophomore linebacker Seth Brown led the team in tackles with 74 (38 solo).
The Pack defense have forced 35 turnovers and held its opponents to 13.0 points per game. The ThunderWolves have allowed less than 10 points five times this season to improve to 24-0 since 2008 when holding an opponent to 10 points or less.
The ThunderWolves forced three or more turnovers in eighth of 11 games this season to improve to 33-3 since 2008. The Pack have also totaled at least three sacks in seven of 11 contests, posting eight in the win at Sam Houston State Sept. 13. Three times in 2013 CSU-Pueblo recorded eight or more sacks (10 versus Fort Lewis, Oct. 5).
The CSU-Pueblo defense has produced six touchdowns on turnovers this season, getting interception returns for scores from Brown (Sept. 20 - 49 yards), Dickens (Sept. 27 - 30 yards), Josiah Flack (Nov. 8 - 16 yards) and C.J. Roberts (Nov. 8 - 19 yards and Nov. 15 - 60 yards) and a fumble return for a touchdown from Josh Bredl (Oct. 11 - 66 yards).
SPECIAL TEAMS
The ThunderWolves finished second in the nation in net punting (39.5 ypp), thanks mostly to sophomore Ken Kester's 44.7 punting yards per game, which ranks fourth in the nation.
Greg O'Donnell owns 90 points, going 48-for-49 on extra points and 16-for-27 on field goal attempts. He ranks 11 in the nation in field goals per game (1.45 fgpg).
The Pack punt returners rank fifth in the nation with 17.8 yards per return. Senior Stephan Dickens finished the regular season first in the nation in punt returns with 20.9 yards per return. He returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown Nov. 1 against Black Hills State.