DURANGO, Colo. – October 8, 2016 – All 13 points scored by Western State Colorado University came off of turnovers as the Mountaineers handed the Fort Lewis College football team a 13-6 loss on Homecoming Saturday afternoon at Ray Dennison Memorial Field.
 
The loss drops the Skyhawks to 1-5 overall and 1-5 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.  WSCU improves to 4-2 overall and 4-2 in league games. 
 
The first six drives of the game for both teams ended with each team having to punt. 
 
FLC's fourth drive of the game was stopped short on a fumble on Western State's 12-yard line. The Mountaineers capitalized on the turnover and scored a touchdown seven plays and 94 yards later.  WSCU attempt for a two-yard conversion failed but gave them the lead, 6-0, with 12:09 left in the first half.
 
FLC responded on their next drive to even the score at 6-6.  Bo Coleman completed two passes for 39 yards, rushed for two yards and running back Drake Griffith ran three times for 34 yards as part of the touchdown drive.  Coleman's last pass was a 25-yard catch by Arealous Hughes for a touchdown strike.  WSCU blocked the Skyhawks point-after attempt, tying the game at six a piece.
 
WSCU was forced to punt on the ensuing drive after gaining only five yards on three plays.  FLC took over with 5:56 left in the first half and starting the drive on their own 26-yard line.  Five plays and 14 yards later, the Skyhawks fumbled again.  WSCU's Carter Wasser recovered the ball on FLC's seven yard line. 
 
WSCU took a 13-6 lead with 1:50 left in the half after they rushed three times to get into the end zone.
 
Trailing 13-6 to start the second half, the Skyhawks OJ Thompson recovered a fumble forced by Dre Cortez on Western State's second drive of the third quarter.  FLC started the drive on their own 22-yard line but were forced to punt six plays and 13 yards later.
 
FLC's next drive resulted in a fumble that was recovered by Western State on FLC's 25-yard line.  One play later, Cortez recovered a fumble by Western State in the end zone, giving the Skyhawks the ball on their own 20-yard line with 11:22 left in regulation.
 
For the fifth time of the game, FLC was forced to punt, but a roughing the kicker penalty by WSCU gave the Skyhawks a new set of downs on their own 40-yard line.  FLC turned the ball over on downs after failing to convert on fourth-and-13.
 
WSCU lost their third fumble of the game as Thompson recovered the ball on WSCU's 33-yard line.  An unsportsmanlike conduct call on the Mountaineers led the Skyhawks final drive of the game to start on WSCU's 15-yard line with 2:18 left in regulation.
 
On fourth down and a half yard to score, the Skyhawks were stopped on the goal line with 36 ticks left in the game, sealing the win for WSCU, 13-6.
 
FLC's defense held Austin Ekeler to a season low 85 rushing yards on 23 carries.  Ekeler leads all NCAA Division I, II and III schools with 995 yards through the first five games.
 
The Skyhawks ran 60 plays for 258 yards, 160 of which came on the ground.
 
WSCU was penalized 11 times for 163 yards.
 
Griffith ran for a career high 165 yards on 30 carries.  Coleman completed 6-of-15 passes for 98 yards and one touchdown. 
 
Cory Witt led FLC's defense with nine tackles.  Thompson added seven tackles, two fumble recoveries, a half sack and 1.5 tackles for a loss of one yard.
 
After playing three straight games at home, the Skyhawks will travel to Colorado State-Pueblo Oct. 15 for a 2 p.m. game against CSU-Pueblo.