Both defenses dominated the game as the Mavericks pulled out their first victory of the year in overtime 10-7.
With 25 seconds left in the game, Chadron State College (CSC) quarterback Dalton Holst threw a 9-yard touchdown to Jalon’e Rice nearly tying the game. The Eagles kicker Dalton Holdren makes the extra point to send the game to overtime.
Colorado Mesa University (CMU) won the toss and chose to play defense first, giving the ball to the Eagles.
Holst started the overtime period with two incomplete passes before finding Chad Mikelson for a 17-yard catch, bringing them to the CMU eight-yard line. Two plays later, junior Jordan Ellis intercepted Holst’s pass in the endzone.
“I really didn’t get into the game until the fourth quarter, so I didn’t really see enough and get the feel for the game,” Ellis said. “I’ve played enough football in my life to understand once I saw a concept like that, something always coming backside when you see a quarterback rollout, so I just took it upon myself to do something great.”
Ellis hadn’t played a game since 2017, and only played in the fourth quarter and overtime, he was crucial to the victory. Ellis also recorded a fumble recovery for zero yards on the day.
CMU handed the ball off three times to redshirt sophomore running back Jesse Rodriquez, setting up redshirt junior kicker Lucas Ruiz Diaz. Rodriquez set up Diaz almost perfectly in the center of the field as he tried to help his kicker as much as possible.
The Eagles tried to ice Diaz with a timeout, but it didn’t seem to affect him as Diaz made the 38-yard kick to win the game.
“He missed the second kick, and I told him you’re going to win the game, so don’t go in the tank because you’re going to end up winning the game,” CMU Head Coach, Tremaine Jackson, said.
The lone score prior to the fourth quarter and overtime was a 61-yard touchdown run by Rodriquez early in the third quarter.
The Eagles quickly responded with Ethan Frey returning the kickoff for 77-yards, bringing his team to the Mavericks 16-yard line.
Rodriquez had a 63-yard run in the first quarter as he started from the Maverick’s own 2-yard line, completely flipping the field. He saw most of the carries due to redshirt junior and starter Isaac Maestas being injured on the first offensive play of the game.
Rodriquez did have a career-high 173-yards on the ground off 22 carries. That included an average of 7.9 yards per carry on the day which was also a career-high.
“I thought they complimented each other very well, living in this world we live in today. We could lose a guy any minute, doesn’t have to be to a football injury,” CMU Head Coach, Tremaine Jackson, said. “So, we’ve asked those guys to prepare as though they are the guy, and as though their number can get called at any moment because it can.”
Neither CMU nor CSC scored in the first half. Both teams had multiple opportunities to score but failed in the chances.
Diaz missed two field goals in the first half, as he missed from 45- yards in the first and 28-yards to end the half.
The Maverick’s blocked two field goals with one coming in the second quarter and the other in the third quarter. Both blocked field goals were inside 40-yards, with junior defensive lineman Pierre Hayes blocking the first one.
Redshirt junior defensive lineman Logan Bayus blocked the second field goal, as both Hayes and Bayus kept the Eagles off the scoreboard.
Redshirt junior quarterback Aaron Howard brought his team from their own 20-yard line to the Eagles 41-yard line. On the Eagles 41, Howard threw a pass to redshirt junior Dagan Reinks that went off his hands and was intercepted by Bobby Peele for CSC.
The Mavericks 10-7 victory over the Eagles was the lowest-scoring victory for CMU since they beat Western New Mexico University on Oct. 6, 1990, which was the same score.
CMU’s defense recorded four sacks and six tackles for loss. The Mavericks offense finished the day with 228 rushing yards on the day, eclipsing the Eagles 58 yards rushing.
CMU will be back in action as they go on the road to play Black Hills State University in South Dakota, at noon on Oct. 17.
