DURANGO, Colo. – September 24, 2016 – Facing the 18^th-ranked team in the nation, the Fort Lewis College football team nearly handed Colorado Mesa University its first loss of the season, but the Skyhawks could not hang on to the lead, falling 34-28 Saturday afternoon at Ray Dennison Memorial Field.
 
FLC held an 11-point lead, 28-17, with 11:29 remaining in the fourth quarter, but were out-scored 17-0 to close out the game.
 
Bo Coleman connected with Jordan Gillen for a 17-yard touchdown strike to give FLC a 28-17 lead.
 
The Mavericks cut the lead down by three points on the ensuing drive after Ryan Sheehan made a 22-yard field goal.
 
Three plays later the Skyhawks fumbled the ball on their own 44-yard line that led to an eventual CMU touchdown with 4:31 left in the game.  Trailing 28-26 to the Skyhawks, the Mavericks were flagged for an unsportsmanlike penalty after the touchdown score, moving the point after attempt to the 18-yard line.  The Mavericks two-point conversion attempt failed, keeping FLC's lead at 28-26.
 
The Skyhawks started their drive on their own seven yard line.  Four plays later, the Skyhawks were forced to punt from their own 28-yard line.  A botched snap resulted in Blake Nelson recovering the ball in the end zone to give the Mavericks their first lead of the game, 34-28.
 
After two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on CMU, the Mavericks kicked off from their own 10-yard line.  An illegal block on FLC put the Skyhawks back on their 39-yard line.  The Skyhawks were forced to go for the first down on fourth-and-two and were unable to convert, turning the ball over on downs with only 1:48 left in regulation.
 
The Skyhawks started the game winning the coin toss and electing to receive.  FLC scored on their opening drive when Coleman rushed in from 15 yards out to cap a 14-play, 75-yard drive. 
 
Fort Lewis' next drive resulted in an interception that was returned 30 yards to the FLC 14-yard line.  The Skyhawks held the Mavericks to four plays and a 35-yard field goal by Sheehan.
 
The Mavericks next drive of the game ended on a missed 49-yard field goal attempt, starting the Skyhawks drive on their own 32-yard line.  Four plays into the drive Coleman found Arealous Hughes for a 65-yard touchdown strike and a 14-3 Skyhawks lead.
 
The Mavericks responded on the following drive and marched down the field 65-yards on nine plays for their first touchdown of the game, cutting the Skyhawks lead down to four, 14-10, at the half.
 
The second half started with CMU receiving the kickoff and the Skyhawks defense holding the Mavericks to a three-and-out.  The Skyhawks opening drive ended when Coleman found DJ Robinson for a 66-yard touchdown score, marking Robinson's first touchdown of the year and giving FLC a 21-10 lead.
 
CMU found the end zone for the second time of the game with 1:38 left in the third quarter, bringing them within four points of the Skyhawks, 21-17.  The 21-17 Skyhawks lead expanded to 28-17 on the Coleman-Gillen connection in the fourth quarter, marking the last score of the game for FLC.
 
The Skyhawks recorded 478 yards of total offense on 74 plays.  FLC's defense held CMU to 139 rushing yards.  Twenty-four of the Mavericks 34 points came from Skyhawk turnovers.
 
Hall carried the ball 22 times for a game high 151 yards.  Coleman rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. 
 
Coleman completed 9-of-19 passes for 223 yards and three scores.  Hughes caught five of Coleman's passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.
 
FLC's defense was led by Shane Nelson who notched 12 tackles (four solo).  Andrew Ike tallied eight tackles and one sack for a loss of eight yards.  Maomao Niko broke up two passes to go with his seven tackles.  The Skyhawks sacked the Mavericks twice for a loss of 17 yards.
 
The Skyhawks will play host to Colorado School of Mines on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 12 p.m.