The RMAC Approach: Football Week Four

Battle of unbeatens awaits in Gunnison between New Mexico Highlands and Western Colorado

9/26/2025 9:58:29 AM

By: Cody Bush, Associate Commissioner / Strategic Communications

The Weekly Preview

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The unstoppable force or the immovable object? That’s the test that awaits in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s Week 4 schedule as New Mexico Highlands travels to nationally-ranked Western Colorado in the week’s matchup of unbeaten teams.

New Mexico Highlands travels to Gunnison boasting the nation’s top offense (565.3 yards per game) and the second-best run game (401.7 ypg). That’s largely thanks to freshman running back Jeffery Jones’ Division II-leading 278.7 rushing yards per game. Meanwhile, Western Colorado returns home and will put the nation’s No. 8 rushing defense (59.0 yards allowed per game) and No. 23 overall defense (291.0 yards allowed per game) on the field to try to stop the Cowboys' attack. That defense is being led by sophomore Kade Musser (1.67 tackles for loss per game) and junior Ian Loomis (1.5 TFL pg), who are both among Division II’s Top 35 in tackles for loss this season.

Speaking of unbeatens, the RMAC’s other two unbeaten teams in league play – CSU Pueblo and Chadron State – are both at home. Chadron State looks to build on the momentum of last week’s win in Golden as they host Colorado Mesa. CSU Pueblo, which defeated Colorado Mesa on the road last week, hosts Adams State. The Black Hills area will be abuzz with RMAC football this weekend as both Black Hills State and South Dakota Mines are at home. The Yellow Jackets host Colorado School of Mines in Spearfish, S.D., while the Hardrockers have Fort Lewis College visiting Rapid City, S.D.

Week 4 Schedule

Saturday, Sept. 27
  New Mexico Highlands at #7/5 Western Colorado 1 p.m. RMAC Network
  Colorado Mesa at Chadron State 1 p.m. RMAC Network
  RV/– Colorado School of Mines at Black Hills State 1 p.m. RMAC Network
  Fort Lewis at South Dakota Mines 2 p.m. RMAC Network
  Adams State at #12/12 CSU Pueblo 2 p.m. RMAC Network

Early Storylines

  • New Mexico Highlands freshman running back Jeffery Jones has torn up opposing defenses in his first three games this season. He has rushed for more than 225 yards in all three games and is averaging 278.7 yards per game. Jones opened his career with 223 yards against Eastern New Mexico, broke the Division II freshman rushing record with 385 yards against Western New Mexico, and added 228 rushing yards against South Dakota Mines. He leads all Division II rushers by 105 yards per game and 226 total yards.
  • Thanks largely to Jones’ effort with the ball, the Cowboys lead all Division II teams in total offensive yards (565.3 per game) and rank second in rushing offense (401.7 ypg) and scoring offense (50.3 points per game).
  • Black Hills State junior TJ Chukwurah is among the Top 5 Division II receivers in receptions per game (5th, 7.5), receiving yards per game (4th, 124.5 ypg) and leads Division II with 498 receiving yards. He opened the season with three consecutive 100-yard receiving performances and has scored eight touchdowns in his first four games..
  • After being responsible for all six Western Colorado touchdowns in Week 3, senior quarterback Drew Nash is third among Division II quarterbacks with 90 points responsible for in 2025, passing for 11 touchdowns and running for four.  .

Division II Unbeaten Matchups in Week 4

The NMHU-WCU game is one of three in Division II this week, which has 24 unbeaten teams remaining entering the fourth week of play. The other two unbeaten matchups in Division II are:
  • Ohio Dominican at Walsh, 2 p.m. (MT)
  • California (Pa.) at Slippery Rock, 4 p.m. (MT)

RMAC Teams in the National Polls

AFCA Coaches: (7) Western Colorado; (12) CSU Pueblo; (RV) Colorado School of Mines
D2Football.com: (5) Western Colorado; (12) CSU Pueblo

NMHU’s Jones Grabs D2Football.com Weekly Honor

D2Football.com named Jeffery Jones its Week 1 National Offensive Player of the Week after his NCAA Division II freshman record 385-yard rushing performance against Western New Mexico. It is the first D2Football weekly award for an RMAC student-athlete since CSU Pueblo’s Cody Ramming claimed the Week 7 (Oct. 22) special teams honor last season.

RMAC Athletes Claim NFF Colorado Chapter Weekly Honor

The National Football Foundation’s Colorado Chapter recognizes a Player of the Week from the State of Colorado’s 10 football-playing institutions. An RMAC student-athlete claimed the honor in each of the first three weeks.
  • Week 1: Drew Nash, Western Colorado
  • Week 2: Roman Fuller, CSU Pueblo
  • Week 3: Landon Walker, Colorado School of Mines

Nine RMAC Athletes Included in D2Football.com Preseason Top 100

First Team: Flynn Schiele, CSM; Reggie Retzlaff, CSUP; Ricky Freymond, WCU; & Donovan English, CSUP.
Second Team: Drew Nash, WCU
Squad: Tyler Ethridge, CSUP; Gary Seidenberger, CSUP; Jackson Zimmerman, CSM; Dax Yeradi, CSC

RMAC Preseason Poll & Team

Defending champion CSU Pueblo and Western Colorado, both participants in the 2024 Division II Playoffs, shared the honor of preseason favorite in the RMAC Preseason Football Coaches Poll released during the league’s media day in July. Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Mesa were picked third and fourth, respectively.

In addition, Western Colorado redshirt junior defensive end Ricky Freymond and CSU Pueblo senior wide receiver Reggie Retzlaff – the league’s 2024 defensive and offensive players of the year, respectively – lead the 2025 Preseason All-RMAC Team. The RMAC’s preseason teams are determined by placing returning players in order of head coaches’ voting from the league’s 2024 All-RMAC Teams.

In addition to the league returning both Players of the Year, both Freshman of the Year selections return in New Mexico Highlands running back Tevita Valeti and Western Colorado linebacker Cameron Cooper. The 2025 Preseason All-RMAC Football Team sees the return of 13 members from the 2024 First Team All-RMAC return, along with 11 second team selections and five honorable mentions.

RMAC Championships

Western Colorado (19, 2021); Colorado School of Mines (16, 2023); Colorado Mesa (12, 2017); CSU Pueblo (9, 2024); Chadron State (8, 2008); Adams State (7, 1989); New Mexico Highlands (2, 1999); and Fort Lewis (1, 1984).
(Championships won and the last year the program won or shared a championship)

RMAC Network Now PPV

All RMAC football games broadcast by its 15 full-member institutions and associate members will only be available for purchase via a single-game pass or a monthly or annual subscription. A discounted annual subscription price is available to students, faculty, and staff of each member institution throughout the year. Revenue generated by the network will be redistributed to the league’s membership to enhance their programs. Visit RMACNetwork.com/Purchase for more information and to subscribe.

About the RMAC

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, headquartered in Colorado Springs, is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 institutions located in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Utah. The RMAC currently competes in 22 NCAA Division II sports and has earned 67 national championships and 53 national runners-up since 1992. Founded in 1909, the RMAC is the most historic athletic conference in the western United States and Division II.

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