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Zachary Gaumont at CSU Pueblo
Antonio Clark/TC Images
Zach Gaumont (11) checks with the side judge before a snap against the ThunderWolves at the CSU Pueblo Thunderbowl (Oct. 11, 2025)

Skyhawks saddle up for duel with Cowboys in Las Vegas

11/7/2025 11:00:00 AM

By: Hayden Mangan, Assistant AD-Communications & Fan Engagement
Fort Lewis College at New Mexico Highlands University
Saturday, Nov. 8, 1 p.m. | Sanchez Family Stadium | Las Vegas, N.M.
Watch | Live Stats | Tickets | FLC Notes
DURANGO, Colo. – The Fort Lewis College football team (2-7, 1-6 RMAC) looks to continue soaring on Saturday afternoon as the Skyhawks head over to Las Vegas, N.M., for a 1 p.m. kickoff against the Cowboys of New Mexico Highlands University (5-4, 3-4 RMAC) at Sanchez Family Stadium.
 
Pound the Rock
Fort Lewis is riding high after its resounding 44-24 win over Adams State University (0-9, 0-7 RMAC) at home last weekend. Fueled by a near-unstoppable rushing game that racked up 318 yards and 7.2 yards per carry, the Skyhawks ran up 565 yards of total offense for the program's most rushing yards since 2016 and most yards of total offense since 2018. KB Broadus led the charge with 77 yards and two touchdowns, his third two-score effort of the campaign, on 12 carries. Nicholas Minacapelli found the end zone twice as well, while Jamal Johnson and Orland Guevara supplied rushing touchdowns as well. Jacob Morris also had a career day in the pocket, connecting on 12 completions in 18 attempts (66.7 percent) for a career-high 242 yards.
 
Stop the Run
Tomorrow will be the Skyhawks' toughest test of the season on the ground, as the Cowboys enter the weekend with the best running game in the conference, averaging 289.2 yards per game and 6.5 yards per carry. On the flip side, however, Fort Lewis boasts the league's fifth-best rushing defense, holding opponents to 144.9 yards per game and 3.9 yards per carry. The Skyhawks sit just eight yards back from third-place Chadron State College (136.6 yards per game). FLC has also limited opponents to the sixth-fewest rushing touchdowns (14) across the season.
 
Chasing the NCAA Leader
Simply put, redshirt junior and inside linebacker Jake Penney nearly stands alone atop NCAA football. The Spanish Springs High School product out of Sparks, Nev., leads all players across the Division II, Division III, and Football Bowl Series levels with 121 total tackles and an average of 13.4 tackles per game. Only Fordham University's (Football Championship Series) James Conway boasts more tackles, with 131. More impressively, however, is the fact that Penney helps the Skyhawks load the box in stopping the run, resulting in Penney's 8.0 tackles for 21 yards lost, a mark that is currently tied for the seventh-most tackles for loss in the RMAC. Additionally, Penney leads Conway by three tackles for loss.
 
Skyhawks Leaders
  • Jacob Morris (R-So., QB) (1,027 yards, 5 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 88-152 completions-attempts (57.9 percent), 11.7 yards per completion, 128.4 yards per game)
  • Jake Jones (R-Fr., QB) (209 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown, 1 interception, 19-33 completions-attempts (57.6 percent), 11.0 yards per completion, 29.9 passing yards per game, 224 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 37 carries, 6.1 yards per carry, 32 rushing yards per game)
  • KB Broadus (R-Jr., RB) (309 yards, 7 touchdowns, 72 carries, 4.3 yards per carry, 34.3 yards per game)
  • Jamal Johnson (R-So., RB) (213 yards, 2 touchdowns, 48 carries, 4.4 yards per carry, 23.7 yards per game)
  • Zachary Gaumont (Jr., WR) (381 yards, 2 touchdowns, 19 catches, 20.1 yards per catch, 42.3 yards per game)
  • Solomon Latimer (So., WR) (252 yards, 3 touchdowns, 19 catches, 13.3 yards per catch, 28.0 yards per game)
  • Jake Penney (R-Jr., ILB) (121 tackles, 8.0-21 tackles for loss-yards, 2.5-11 sacks-yards, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass breakup)
  • Elijah Portela (R-Jr., BS) (49 tackles, 0.5-2 tackles for loss-yards, 5 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries)
 
Stick to your Guns, Cowboy
Second-year head coach Kurt Taufa'asau has New Mexico Highlands rolling this season, with the Cowboys already securing the program's third five-win season since 2012. Not to mention that the Cowboys kicked off the 2025 season with three straight wins over Eastern New Mexico University (3-6, 3-4 LSC), 34-28, Western New Mexico University (2-7, 1-6 LSC), 69-55, and South Dakota Mines (2-7, 2-5 RMAC), 48-42, in overtime.
 
New Mexico Highlands secret? Run the ball. Heading into tomorrow, NMHU boasts the sixth-ranked rushing game in all of DII, with 2,602 yards of its 3,953 yards of total offense coming on the ground. The Cowboys have been held to under 200 yards rushing just four times, two of which have been by just seven yards or fewer. Freshman sensation Jeffery Jones, a five-foot-nine running back out of St. Petersburg High School in St. Petersburg, Fla., has gone ballistic, rushing for 1,359 yards, 10.6 yards per carry, and 12 touchdowns–marks that rank second, first, and tenth across all of DII.
 
Show Out at Home
New Mexico Highlands will look to bounce back in big fashion tomorrow afternoon with the Cowboys playing in their final regular-season home game. Not to mention NMHU is 3-1 at home thus far, with its lone loss coming by way of a 59-13 score against then No. 12-ranked Colorado State University Pueblo (8-1, 7-0 RMAC) back on Oct. 4. New Mexico Highlands will also be looking to get back in the win column after Colorado School of Mines (6-3, 4-3 RMAC) snapped the Cowboys two-game winning streak with a 48-21 win up in Golden, Colo., last Saturday. NMHU managed 405 yards of offense, including 197 yards rushing and 208 yards passing against the Orediggers. Jones had just 67 yards on 16 carries.
 
Cowboys Leaders
  • Collin Stucki (Fr., QB) (703 passing yards, 4 passing touchdowns, 1 interception, 55-78 completions-attempts (70.5 percent), 12.8 yards per completion, 117.2 passing yards per game, 292 rushing yards, 83 carries, 3.5 yards per carry, 48.7 rushing yards per game)
  • Ike Udengwu (Sr., QB) (648 yards, 8 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 35-68 completions-attempts (51.5 percent), 18.5 yards per completion, 92.6 yards per game)
  • Jeffery Jones (Fr., RB) (1,358 yards, 12 touchdowns, 128 carries, 10.6 yards per carry, 169.8 yards per game)
  • Tevita Valeti (So., RB) (414 yards, 10 touchdowns, 88 carries, 4.7 yards per carry, 46 yards per game)
  • Mike Jones (Sr., WR) (559 yards, 7 touchdowns, 34 catches, 16.4 yards per catch, 62.1 yards per game)
  • Maurice Collier, Jr. (Jr., WR) (261 yards, 2 touchdowns, 16 catches, 16.3 yards per catch, 32.6 yards per game)
  • Awsten Turnbow (Fr., DB) (51 tackles, 1.5-1 tackles for loss-yards, 1 blocked kick)
  • Trevor Romaldo (Sr., DB) (35 tackles, 2.0-3 tackles for loss-yards, 5 interceptions, 3 pass breakups)
 
Looking Ahead
Fort Lewis will cap the 2025 season at home and honor its graduating seniors next Saturday, Nov. 15, with a 12 p.m. showdown against the Orediggers from Colorado School of Mines. Tomorrow, Mines is hosting the No. 6/7-ranked ThunderWolves from CSU Pueblo at 12 p.m.
 
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