The CSU Pueblo football team had a playoff victory within its grasp on Saturday afternoon, only to see it slip away in a heartbreaking final minute inside the ThunderBowl in Pueblo.
Minnesota State’s Matthew Jaeger booted a pair of field goals in the last 60 seconds, the second after a costly CSU Pueblo interception on its side of the field, as the Mavericks escaped with a 26-23 victory in the second round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs.
The RMAC champion ThunderWolves (11-2) got a big day from junior quarterback Roman Fuller, who completed 24 of 33 passes for 273 yards and one touchdown. Senior running back Howard Russell V added 158 total yards, while receiver Zack Rakowsky had nine catches for 82 yards.
Fuller’s 16-yard scoring pass to Russell put CSU Pueblo ahead 23-20 with 4:02 to go — the second lead change in a tightly contested affair. But the Mavericks marched right back down the field to set up Jaeger’s game-tying field goal from 40 yards out, then Fuller was picked off on the second play of the ThunderWolves’ next possession to set up the game-winner.
The kick was Jaeger’s fourth field goal of the day, as well as the fourth consecutive scoring drive from the Mavs to close out the game.
Junior Jacob Willig’s third field goal gave CSU Pueblo a 16-6 lead with 5:22 left in the third quarter, but the Mavericks scored touchdowns on their first two drives to surge ahead 20-16 and set up the late dramatics.
Bemidji State 20, Western Colorado 19: With the Mountaineers driving to put away their second playoff victory in as many weeks, fate took a cruel turn.
Sophomore running back Josiah Roy fumbled at the Bemidji State 25-yard line, and Gabe Ward returned it 75 yards for the go-ahead score with 4:30 remaining to ultimately eliminate Western Colorado (11-2).
Junior quarterback Drew Nash ran for 144 yards and a pair of touchdowns, the last a 52-yard scamper that put the Mountaineers ahead 19-7 with 4:36 left in the third quarter. But Bemidji State quarterback Jayden Washington found Sam McGath for a 3-yard scoring pass on the Beavers’ next possession to pull within five, and Western Colorado didn’t score again.