SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University football team is back on the road once again as they visit another contending team atop the RMAC standings as they travel to Colorado Mesa on Saturday, November 2. The Yellow Jackets and Mavericks are slated for a 1 p.m. kick-off at Ralph Stocker Stadium in Grand Junction, Colorado, as BHSU looks to keep their winning streak against CMU alive.
 
GAME DETAILS
Date & Time: Saturday, November 2 at 1 p.m.
Location: Grand Junction, Colo. – Ralph Stocker Stadium
 
BLACK HILLS STATE STORYLINES

• Black Hills State enters Saturday's match-up with a record of 4-4 (3-3 RMAC), following a 21-18 victory at home against Chadron State last Saturday as the Eagles missed the potential game-tying field goal as time expired, snapping a 2-game losing streak for the Yellow Jackets.
• BHSU is averaging 21.6 points per game with 238.0 passing and 96.0 rushing yards per game, accumulating an average of 334.0 yards of total offense through eight games. The Yellow Jacket offense have scored 11 touchdowns through the air and 11 on the ground during the season.
• Luke Duby has been the primary quarterback for BHSU this season, completing 174-of-294 passes for 1,852 yards and 11 touchdowns while throwing five interceptions. He has passed for 250 or more yards in four games this year, and tallied a pair of touchdown passes in four games as well.
• Cameron Goods has been the featured running back in the Yellow Jacket backfield, rushing the ball for 407 yards and six touchdowns. Another player to keep an eye on is freshman Navarre Dixon III who has posted 167 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
• Goods rushed a season-best 98 yards as he averaged 9.8 yards per carry against CSC, which included finding the end zone twice. His season-long rush of 45 yards with 2:46 remaining in the game was the game-winning touchdown against Chadron State.
• Damien Boozer, Connor Boyd, and Kelby Olson have been the top receivers for Black Hills State, as they have hauled in 425, 267, and 262 yards receiving respectively. The balanced air attack of the Yellow Jackets has resulted in seven different players recording a receiving touchdown, including a team-high of three for Jayden Williams who has recorded 242 receiving yards on the year.
• On the defensive side of the ball Black Hills State has held their opponents to 24.3 points per game with 255.9 passing and 75.0 rushing yards per game, accumulating an average of 330.9 yards of total defense through eight games. BHSU has tallied 477.0 tackles with 57.0 tackles-for-loss and 22.0 sacks. The Yellow Jacket defense has forced 11 turnovers this year, picking off six passes and recovering five fumbles.
• BHSU has won the turnover battle in four of their eight games this season, holding a 3-1 mark in those contests. The Yellow Jacket defense has forced two or more turnovers in three games this season, including four against the Hardrockers which were the most since they forced five against Adams State in 2022.
• The top player in the secondary this year for Black Hills State has been Nicc Quinones who has recorded a team-leading 56.0 tackles, 0.5 tackles-for-loss, four interceptions, three pass break-ups, and one quarterback hurry. He recorded a career-high of 12 tackles against the Hardrockers in a win for the Homestake Trophy and has reached double digit tackles in twice this year. He recorded his fourth interception of the year last weekend against the Eagles, keeping him tied for the RMAC lead, and helping him earn RMAC Defensive Player of the Week honors as the pick set up the game-winning touchdown drive in the closing minutes by the BHSU offense.
•  Another defensive back to keep an eye on is Zecheriah Rodriguez-Brown who has tallied 40.0 tackles, 3.0 tackles-for-loss, 1.0 sack, four pass break-ups and one quarterback hurry.
• Leading BHSU from the linebacker position is Sebastian O'Farrell, who is second on the team with 46.0 tackles, while making 3.0 tackle-for-loss, 1.0 sack, two pass break-ups, and one quarterback hurry. His nine tackles against South Dakota Mines and Western Colorado marked a new career-high.
• Mylic Ritche has been the dominant force up front for the Yellow Jackets, tallying 40.0 tackles, 12.5 tackles-for-loss, 2.5 sacks, three pass break-ups, two forced fumbles, and two blocked field goals from his defensive line position.
• Josh Breske is in his fifth season as the head coach at Black Hills State, guiding the Yellow Jackets to a record of 21-22 during his career. 

#RV/-- COLORADO MESA STORYLINES

• Colorado Mesa enters this week's RMAC game with a 6-2 (5-1 RMAC) record in 2024 following a 49-0 win at Fort Lewis to extend their winning streak to five games.
• The Mavericks are receiving votes in this week's AFCA Coaches' Poll; however, they are unranked in the D2Football Media Poll.
• CMU is averaging 24.5 points per game with 162.5 passing and 184.6 rushing yards per game, accumulating an average of 347.1 yards of total offense through eight games. The Colorado Mesa offense has scored 13 touchdowns on the ground and ten touchdowns through the air this season.
• Liu Aumavae is the player to watch under center at quarterback for Colorado Mesa as he has completed 99-of-153 pass attempts for 1,104 yards, ten touchdowns, and five interceptions. He has only thrown for more than 200 yards in one contest against CSU Pueblo but has recorded a pair of touchdown passes in each of his last four games.
• The duo of Aiden Taylor and Brandon Belgrave will be the players to watch in the backfield for the Mavericks as they have rushed for 557 and 536 yards respectively. Taylor has found the end zone on four occasions while Belgrave has three times. Taylor has notched three 100-yard rushing games, and Belgrave has one.
• Quezon Villa has hauled in a team-leading 358 yards receiving this season as he has caught 30 passes. He is one of three players with a pair of touchdown receptions, joined by Jack Burke and Trek Keyworth.
• On the defensive side of the ball Colorado Mesa has held their opponents to 14.4 points per game with 119.4 passing and 123.0 rushing yards per game, accumulating an average of 242.3 yards of total defense through eight games. CMU has tallied 521.0 tackles with 54.0 tackles-for-loss and 23.0 sacks. The Maverick's defense has forced 14 turnovers this year, picking off 11 passes and recovering three fumbles.
• Spearheading the Maverick defense at the linebacker position is Charlie Smith, who has recorded a team-leading 70.0 tackles with 7.0 tackles-for-loss, 0.5 sacks, one interception, one pass break-up, and one quarterback hurry. He started the season with four consecutive double digit tackle performances.
• The defensive back to watch for in the secondary is Jason Thome, as he has tallied 43.0 tackles, 1.0 tackle-for-loss, four interceptions, and two pass break-ups. Two of his four interceptions occurred in the game against Chadron State.
• On the defensive line Colorado Mesa is led by freshman Hunter Hamilton, as he has notched 27.0 tackles, 8.0 tackles-for-loss, 6.0 sacks, seven quarterback hurries, and one forced fumble. He has collected a pair of sacks and tackle-for-losses in each of the last two games.
• Miles Kochevar is in his third season as the head coach at Colorado Mesa and has posted a career record of 16-13 during his time with the Mavericks.

SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday will mark the 13^th meeting between Black Hills State and Colorado Mesa as RMAC opponents on the gridiron, with the Mavericks holding an 8-4 advantage in the series.
• With a 25-23 win at Stocker Stadium in Grand Junction on September 23, 2023, the Yellow Jackets extended their win streak to two games in the series as Coleman Chapman connected on a 50-yard field goal with one second remaining in the contest.