WICHITA FALLS - For the first time since 1997, Midwestern State suffered a season-opening loss at home as Colorado State University Pueblo handed the Mustangs a rare September defeat at Memorial Stadium. The ThunderWolves rolled up 574 yards of total offense Saturday night and coasted to a 59-27 victory.
Midwestern State entered the game ranked No. 24 in the nation and took an early 7-0 lead.
Neiko Hollins completed a 73-yard touchdown pass to
Jayden Moore but the lead was short lived.
After falling behind, the ThunderWolves scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions to take a 21-7 lead.
CSU Pueblo quarterback Steven Croell completed 24-of-38 passes for 396 yards and five touchdowns in the victory.
Senior defensive end
Khristian Lee pressured Croell midway through the second quarter, and
Justin Guillory intercepted an errant pass, returning it 66 yards for a touchdown to bring MSU within seven points.
The ThunderWolves wasted no time re-establishing a 14-point lead by going 75 yards in three plays. Croell threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Cook with 4:50 to play in the second quarter.
A Midwestern State fumble at its own 23-yard line with 2:19 to play in the first half gave CSU Pueblo a chance to extend its lead. The Mustang defense did not allow a touchdown, but Sullivan Moon hit a 20-yard field goal to give the visitors a 31-14 lead at the half.
Any hopes of MSU getting back in the game early in the third quarter were thwarted as the ThunderWolves ran 14 plays and marched 75 yards in 8:25 on their first possession of the second half. Running back Austin Bacher rushed into the end zone from the 6-yard line, and CSU Pueblo led 38-14.
Midwestern State failed to convert 3rd-and-1 at its own 44-yard line and punted the ball back to the ThunderWolves, who scored on the first play of the fourth quarter to take 45-14 lead. Croell threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to C.K. Poulos, capping an 11-play 80-yard drive that consumed 4:49.
Hollins threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to
Sam Hodges, and a 26-yard touchdown pass to
Ja'Marzeyea Arvie, as the Mustangs pulled within 18 points but trailed 45-27 with 10:03 to play in the fourth quarter.
Croell guided CSU Pueblo on another drive that consumed more than eight minutes, and the ThunderWolves sealed their victory with Croell's 23-yard touchdown pass to Kiahn Martinez.
Eli Pittman picked off a Hollins pass and scored on a 45-yard interception return with 42 seconds remaining.  The ThunderWolves began celebrating a 59-27 victory.
Midwestern State fell to 32-13 all-time in season opening games and 18-3 under the guidance of head coach
Bill Maskill. Since the start of 2014, the Mustangs are 25-2 in the month of September. The only prior blemish was a loss to Angelo State in 2019. Overall, Maskill is 61-11 in the opening month of the season at MSU.
The Mustangs are 83-19 at home since Maskill grabbed the reins in 2002.
Northwest Missouri State was the last school to beat Midwestern State in a season-opening game at Memorial Stadium. The Bearcats thumped MSU, 52-14, in 1997.
Midwestern State is on the road to Portales and will face Eastern New Mexico on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. central time at Greyhound Stadium.
--MSU Mustangs.com--
