DURANGO, Colo. – October 3, 2015 – Facing the top passing team and top passing quarterback in NCAA Division II, the Fort Lewis College football team forced eight turnovers and held Western New Mexico to 188 passing yards as FLC rolled to a 34-13 Homecoming win Saturday afternoon at Ray Dennison Memorial Field.
 
The win improves the Skyhawks to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.  The last time the Skyhawks opened the season with three straight RMAC wins was in 1977.  FLC started the 2006 season 5-0 in the RMAC after winning their season opener on Aug. 26 against Western New Mexico.  The Skyhawks then played two non-conference games before winning their next four league games.
 
Western New Mexico entered Saturday's game leading the nation with 401.5 passing yards per game behind the nation's top quarterback – Mitch Glasmann.  Glasmann leads Division II with 1,588 passing yards and 397.0 passing yards per game.
 
The Skyhawks defense picked off three passes and recovered all three fumbles by the Mustangs while stopping WNMU twice on fourth down which resulted in 14 points.
 
Fort Lewis scored on their opening drive of the game.  After forcing the Mustangs to punt after six plays, FLC drove down the field 80 yards to cap off a 14-play drive.  Quarterback Jordan Doyle found Esley Simmons for a six yard pass to give FLC a 7-0 lead at 7:16 in the first quarter.
 
Daniel Walker forced the first turnover when he intercepted Glasmann's pass at the FLC one-yard line.  The Skyhawks were unable to score on the drive but three plays later, Juan Hull recovered a fumble to give FLC a short field on the Mustangs 40-yard line.  WNMU held the Skyhawks on fourth and two to regain possession of the ball.
 
WNMU scored their first touchdown of the game running two plays and going the length of the field.  Marques Rodgers took a handoff from Glasmann and ran 92 yards down the field on the second play of the drive to knot the game at 7-7 with 7:27 left in the first half.
 
The Skyhawks quickly answered and ran four plays to regain the lead, 14-7, on the ensuing drive.  On the first play of the drive, a face mask penalty on WNMU moved the ball to the FLC 42-yard line where Doyle rushed for five yards followed by a 14-yard pass completion to LyDell Williams.  Hall carried the ball the next two plays for 39 yards to notched his first touchdown of the game at 5:36.
 
On the Mustangs next drive, Sione Folaumoeloa forced a fumble at the WNMU 46-yard line that was recovered by Dexter Webb.  Doyle led the Skyhawks down the field 46 yards to take a 21-7 lead with 1:30 left in the first half.  Doyle found Juquelle Thompson who made a one-handed catch and ran in seven yards for the score. 
 
FLC's defense foreced WNMU to a three-and-out to regain possession with 41 ticks left in the half.   After a four yard sack on Doyle to push the ball back to the WNMU 40-yard line, Doyle found Williams for a seven yard gain and then rushed for eight yards to the WNMU 29 yard line where Kipp Castanha made a 47-yard field goal, tying a season high made field goal.  FLC took the lead into halftime, 24-7.
 
Fort Lewis' opening drive of the second half resulted in a 54-yard punt by Allen Thigpen, setting up the Mustangs on their 40-yard line. Glasmann's fourth pass of the drive was picked off by linebacker Andrew Ike returned two yards.  Starting the drive on the WNMU 25-yard line, Thigpen rushed into the end zone for a Skyhawks 31-7 lead with 7:35 left in the third quarter.
 
Western New Mexico's second and final score of the game came from a 27-yard reception from Glasmann to Rodgers.  A failed two-point conversion gave FLC a 31-13 lead with 13 minutes left in regulation. 
 
Castanha sealed the win at 3:17 with a 39-yard field goal.
 
Fort Lewis finished the game with 480 yards of total offense, 345 of which came on the ground.  Hall netted 190 yards on 25 attempts.  Doyle added 115 yards on 18 carries and threw for 129 yards after connecting on 15-of-23 passes.  Thompson caught five passes for 52 yards and Williams added five passes for 33 yards. 
 
Juan Hull led the Skyhawks defense with eight tackles and two fumble recoveries.  Kohlton Tegeler tallied five tackles and two sacks for a loss of 17 yards.  FLC's defense sacked the Mustangs eight times for a loss of 38 yards.
 
Glasmann finished the game completing 23 of 42 passes for 188 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
 
The Skyhawks will play at Colorado State-Pueblo on Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Comcast TV.