PUEBLO, Colo. – With the home portion of the schedule complete, the Fort Lewis College football team will now hit the road for the final two games of the regular season starting first with #13 CSU-Pueblo this Saturday at noon.

FLC (1-7, 1-7 RMAC) ran into an opportunistic Western Colorado team this past Saturday at home as the Mountaineers were able to generate six turnovers in taking the 40-20 victory. Running back Brayden Lucero rushed for over 100 yards and added a touchdown.

This will be the first road game in almost a month as the Skyhawks played three straight at home and last played away from Ray Dennison on Sep. 29 in Alamosa against Adams State.

FLC averages almost 24 points per game and allows just over 35 points per contest. The Skyhawks have 2,517 yards of total offense and 25 scores, while opponents have tallied 3,472 yards and 38 scores. On the ground, Lucero leads the team rushing for 574 yards on 124 carries and two touchdowns. He averages just under 72 yards per game. Nick McNamee has completed 98-176 for 1,071 yards and 11 touchdowns. Erik Ornduff has also seen action in three games this year completing 19-38 for 109 yards and a touchdown. Ta'Jon Mondy-Smith leads the receivers with 438 yards and six touchdowns on 19 receptions. Mason Hatton has the most receptions with 46 for 406 yards and three scores. Parker Strahler and Arealous Hughes added a pair of touchdowns each. Mondy-Smith caught a TD pass for 91 yards this past week against Western Colorado and Strahler had a 78-yard TD versus Colorado Mesa.

On defense, Isiah Mayberry leads the team with 62 tackles, with 28 solo, along with 10 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two passes defended, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Donell Pleasant III adds 57 tackles, with a team-high 38 solo. He also has three tackles for loss, two interceptions, a pass defended and a forced fumble. Suli Tukumoeatu is tied with Pleasant III with a pair of interceptions and he also has 49 tackles and two fumble recoveries. Lorenzo Tanner leads the team in sacks with three and George Marpaung has 13.5 tackles for loss.

FLC ranks high in the RMAC and nationally in several categories including first in the RMAC and second nationally in defensive touchdowns (4), fourth in the RMAC and 80^th nationally in fewest penalty yards (503), fourth in the RMAC and 66^th nationally in fewest penalty yards per game (62.88), fourth in the RMAC and 57^th nationally in fumbles lost (5), sixth in the RMAC and 64^th nationally in fumbles recovered (6), third in the RMAC and 26^th nationally in net punting (37.45), third in the RMAC and 74^th nationally in rushing defense (145), sixth in the RMAC in tackles for loss allowed (7.50), seventh in the RMAC and 88^th nationally in team sacks (1.88), third in the RMAC and 39^th nationally in team tackles for loss (7.5), fifth in the RMAC in total defense (434), sixth in the RMAC in turnovers gained (13).

Individually, Javonte Norman is fifth in the RMAC and 82^nd nationally in combined kick return yards (342), he's also ninth in the RMAC in kickoff return yards per game (20.1). McNamee is fifth in the RMAC and 83^rd nationally in completion percentage (.557), ninth in the RMAC and 104^th nationally in completions per game (12.25), ninth in the RMAC in passing efficiency (112.7), sixth in the RMAC and 72^nd nationally in passing touchdowns (11), ninth in the RMAC in passing yards (1,071), 10^th in the RMAC in passing yards per game (133.9), ninth in the RMAC in passing yards per completion (10.93). Mayberry is third in the RMAC and 64^th nationally in forced fumbles (0.25), tied for ninth with Trevor David and Tim Paogofie for fumbles recovered (1) and he is also ninth in the RMAC and 80^th nationally in tackles for loss per game (1.3). Tukumoeatu is fourth in the RMAC and ninth nationally in fumbles recovered (2) and ninth in the RMAC and 83^rd nationally in passes defended (1.1). Pleasant III is ninth in the RMAC in interceptions per game (0.3) and third in the RMAC and 31^st nationally in solo tackles per game (5.4). Ethan Williams is seventh in the RMAC and 73^rd nationally in kickoff return yards per game (22.2). Reigning RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week Max Peets is first in the RMAC and third nationally in punting average (45.0). Mondy-Smith is fifth in the RMAC and 46^th nationally in receiving touchdowns (6), eighth in the RMAC in receiving yards per game (62.6) and first in the RMAC and eighth nationally in yards per reception (23.05). Hatton is eighth in the RMAC and 36^th nationally in receptions per game (5.8). Lucero is 10^th in the RMAC and 68^th nationally in rushing yards (574) and 11^th in the RMAC and 81^st nationally in rushing yards per game (71.8). Marpaung is second in the RMAC and 20^th nationally in tackles for loss per game (1.7).

In last year's matchup with CSU-Pueblo, the Skyhawks pulled off the upset defeating then #12 CSU-Pueblo, 35-24 in Durango. Backed by touchdowns from TJ Telphy, Tyrell Thomas and Hughes, FLC jumped out to a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter. The last meeting in Pueblo took place in 2016 and the ThunderWolves claimed a 33-12 victory.

CSU-Pueblo enters the game 7-1 overall and 6-1 in RMAC play. They are ranked 13^th nationally and four in Super Region 4. The ThunderWolves are riding a five-game winning streak since suffering their only loss at Colorado School of Mines (35-21). They picked up a big win at Texas A&M-Commerce earlier this season when the defending champs were ranked No. 1 at the time. That was the start to the current win streak.

This past week CSU-Pueblo got past a strong effort from Adams State hanging on to beat the Grizzlies 29-22 in Alamosa. The ThunderWolves average 36 points per game and 413.6 yards per game, tallying 34 touchdowns, with 26 coming on the ground. Brandon Edwards has completed 78-143 for 1,046 yards and six touchdowns. Four players have rushed for at least 220 yards, led by 638 yards and seven touchdowns on 91 carries by Austin Micci. Marche Dennard adds 606 yards on six carries and a team-high eight touchdowns. Kevin Ribarich has 17 receptions for 230 yards and a touchdown. Cole Forsgren adds 15 catches for 241 yards and a score. On defense, Brandon Payer leads the way with 71 tackles, 34 solo, along with three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Michael Wristen adds seven sacks and both Emery Taylor and Jadon Garcia have four interceptions apiece.

Live video and stats will be available for the game.