CHADRON, Neb. – After traveling west to Utah to face Dixie State last week, the Fort Lewis College football team will now travel north to Nebraska to go against Chadron State College this Saturday with a noon kickoff.

FLC is 0-2 on the season, with all their games coming inside the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). It was a tough matchup last week, as Dixie State took the 31-3 victory behind a pair of big plays in the second half. Jake Lowry passed for 95 yards and rushed for another 44. Mason Hatton caught four passes for 50 yards. On defense, Isiah Mayberry led the way with a game-high 10 tackles, with four solo and three tackles for loss. Donell Pleasant III added eight tackles, six solo. Dre Cortez and Darrian Stickney piled up seven tackles apiece.

Lowry has completed 31-69 for 419 yards and two touchdowns. He also leads the ground attack rushing 31 times for 180 yards and two scores. Brayden Lucero has 109 yards on 35 carries. Ta'Jon Mondy-Smith has five receptions for 165 yards and two scores. Hatton is also over 100 yards going for 118 yards on 11 catches. On defense, Pleasant III and Mayberry lead the way with 16 tackles apiece. Cortez added 14 tackles. Mayberry and Christopher Blanton have three tackles for loss.

As a team, the Skyhawks rank in the top-five in the RMAC in several categories including fourth and 56^th nationally in third down conversion percentage defense (.320), fifth in the RMAC and 76^th nationally in first downs defense (38), fifth in the RMAC and 48^th nationally in first downs offense (42), second in the RMAC and 29^th nationally in fumbles lost (1), fifth in the RMAC and 79^th nationally in kickoff return average (19.46), second in the RMAC and 14^th nationally in net punting (40.53), fifth in the RMAC and 49^th nationally in passing yards per completion (13.52), fourth in the RMAC in punt return defense (7.20), fifth in the RMAC and 51^st nationally in team tackles for loss (7.0), fourth in the RMAC and 64^th nationally in time of possession (31:21).

Individually, Javonte Norman is fourth in the RMAC and ninth nationally in combined kick return yards (227), Hogan Keasler is fourth in the RMAC and 46^th nationally in field goal percentage (.667) and third in the RMAC and 42^nd nationally in field goals per game (1.00). Cortez and Suli Tukumoeatu are fourth in the RMAC and 45^th nationally in passes defended (1.5), Lowry is fourth in the RMAC and 45^th nationally in passing yards per completion (13.52), Max Peets is first in the RMAC and third nationally in punting (47.3), Mondy-Smith is second in the RMAC and 23^rd nationally in receiving touchdowns (2), he is also fifth in the RMAC and 55^th nationally in receiving yards (165), Hatton is fourth in the RMAC and 63^rd nationally in receptions per game (5.5), Blanton and Mayberry are fifth in the RMAC and 78^th nationally in tackles for loss per game (1.5), Lowry is fourth in the RMAC and 22^nd nationally in total offense per game (299.5) and Mondy-Smith is first in the RMAC and sixth nationally in yards per reception (33).

Last year, the teams opened the season against each other in Durango with Chadron State taking the 25-19 victory. FLC jumped out to a 16-0 lead behind a Bo Coleman 28-yard TD run, a 37-yard field goal by Ben Raybon and a 30-yard interception return for a score by Cortez. The Eagles used a 25-0 run to come back and hold off the Skyhawks for the win.

The rushing attack accounted for 215 yards, with Coleman rushing for 87, PJ Hall with 80 and Lucero adding 35. Mayberry, OJ Thompson and Dominic Cochrane led the defense with seven tackles apiece.

In the previous meeting in Chadron back in 2016, the Eagles also won that game by a possession, 17-10. Back in 2015, also played in Chadron, FLC took the game in a high-scoring affair, 47-34.

Chadron State is 1-1 so far this season and 1-1 in the RMAC. They dominated Black Hills State in the season opener in Chadron, 45-8. Last week, they faced nationally-ranked CSU-Pueblo in Pueblo and the ThunderWolves claimed the 34-13 victory.

Dalton Holst has completed 29-49 for 321 yards and two touchdowns. TD Stein also has thrown for a pair of touchdowns, as both of his completions have gone for scores. Kevin Coy, Jr., leads the ground attack going for 159 yards and three touchdowns. Elijah Myles has tallied 131 yards and a scored, while Stevann Brown has added 84 yards this season. Jackson Dickerson has caught nine passes for 89 yards and a TD, while Tevon Wright has added four catches for 80 yards. Cole Thurness has the other TD reception, to go along with 48 yards on five catches. On defense, Malik Goss has 19 tackles, 11 solo. Tyree Fryar, Keenan Johnson and Tyler Lewis have added 17 tackles each. Calder Forcella has three sacks.

Live video, stats and audio (via Chadron State's Double Q Country) will be available for the game.