CSU Pueblo Comes From Behind To Beat Western Colorado
November 3, 2025
Trailing 21-0 in the second quarter, Colorado State-Pueblo scored 24 unanswered points and shutout Western Colorado in the second half to win 24-21. This was the ThunderWolves largest come-from-behind victory in program history. The win moves CSU Pueblo to No. 6 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while the Mountaineers fall five places to No. 11.
The top five teams remained the same and all five, Ferris State, Harding, West Florida, Kutztown and Augustana (S.D.), moved to 9-0 on the season. The only other 9-0 team is No. 9 Findlay, who beat Northwood 31-16, and will travel to No. 15 Ashland for a winner-take-all game for the Great Midwest Athletic Conference title. Ashland has won two of the last three conference championships with Findlay last winning the title in 2021.
West Alabama and Frostburg State both loss to unranked opponents, dropping them out of the poll and making room for Assumption and Newberry to enter for the first time this season. Assumption is No. 24 and 7-1 on the season as they travel to Bentley with the winner taking the Northeast-10 Conference crown. Newberry comes in at No. 25 with an 8-1 overall record. If the Wolves beat Carson-Newman on Saturday, they win the South Atlantic Conference outright.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 10 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (31) 9-0 775 1 D. Northern Michigan, 70-35 Nov. 8 at Saginaw Valley St.
2 Harding 9-0 743 2 D. Oklahoma Baptist, 69-0 Nov. 8 at Southern Nazarene
3 West Florida 9-0 709 3 D. No. 15 Delta St., 51-38 Nov. 15 vs. Valdosta St.
4 Kutztown 9-0 684 4 D. East Stroudsburg, 49-6 Nov. 8 at Bloomsburg
5 Augustana (S.D.) 9-0 640 5 D. Northern St., 27-14 Nov. 8 vs. No. 16 Minnesota St.
6 Colorado St.-Pueblo 8-1 616 7 D. No. 6 Western Colorado, 24-21 Nov. 8 at Colorado School of Mines
7 Central Washington 8-1 566 8 D. No. 16 Angelo St., 38-21 Nov. 8 at Sul Ross St.
8 Pittsburg St. 7-2 515 9 D. Missouri Southern St., 30-10 Nov. 8 at Central Missouri
9 Findlay 9-0 487 11 D. Northwood, 31-16 Nov. 8 at No. 15 Ashland
10 Virginia Union 8-1 483 10 D. Bluefield St., 70-14 Nov. 8 vs. Virginia St.
11 Western Colorado 8-1 479 6 Lost to No. 7 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 24-21 Nov. 8 at Chadron St.
12 UIndy 8-1 426 12 D. Quincy, 49-3 Nov. 8 at Southwest Baptist
13 Minnesota-Duluth 8-1 416 13 D. Jamestown, 45-29 Nov. 8 vs. Bemidji St.
14 Northwest Missouri St. 8-1 412 14 D. Emporia St., 41-14 Nov. 8 vs. Missouri Western St.
15 Ashland 8-1 325 17 D. Walsh, 23-16 Nov. 8 vs. No. 9 Findlay
16 Minnesota St. 7-2 275 18 D. Southwest Minnesota St., 48-7 Nov. 8 at No. 5 Augustana (S.D.)
17 UT Permian Basin 7-2 250 20 D. Western New Mexico, 66-7 Nov. 8 vs. Eastern New Mexico
18 Johnson C. Smith 8-1 242 19 D. Fayetteville St., 17-14 Nov. 8 vs. Livingstone
19 Albany St. 8-1 186 23 D. Savannah St., 21-18 Nov. 8 vs. Fort Valley St.
20 Slippery Rock 6-2 181 22 D. Clarion, 42-23 Nov. 8 at Edinboro
21 Delta St. 7-2 177 15 Lost to No. 3 West Florida, 51-38 Nov. 8 at Valdosta St.
22 Angelo St. 6-3 105 16 Lost to No. 8 Central Washington, 38-21 Nov. 8 vs. Western Oregon
23 Grand Valley St. 5-3 87 25 D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 59-13 Nov. 8 vs. Michigan Tech
24 Assumption 7-1 74 NR D. Southern Connecticut St., 38-7 Nov. 8 at Bentley
25 Newberry 8-1 69 NR D. Anderson (S.C.), 24-21 Nov. 8 vs. Carson-Newman
Dropped Out: West Alabama (21), Frostburg St. (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Benedict, 47; UNC Pembroke, 25; Chadron St., 19; Western Oregon, 16; Indiana (Pa.), 10; West Alabama, 10; Upper Iowa, 6; Bentley, 5; Michigan Tech, 5; North Greenville, 5; Frostburg St., 4; California (Pa.), 1.
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Trailing 21-0 in the second quarter, Colorado State-Pueblo scored 24 unanswered points and shutout Western Colorado in the second half to win 24-21. This was the ThunderWolves largest come-from-behind victory in program history. The win moves CSU Pueblo to No. 6 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while the Mountaineers fall five places to No. 11.
The top five teams remained the same and all five, Ferris State, Harding, West Florida, Kutztown and Augustana (S.D.), moved to 9-0 on the season. The only other 9-0 team is No. 9 Findlay, who beat Northwood 31-16, and will travel to No. 15 Ashland for a winner-take-all game for the Great Midwest Athletic Conference title. Ashland has won two of the last three conference championships with Findlay last winning the title in 2021.
West Alabama and Frostburg State both loss to unranked opponents, dropping them out of the poll and making room for Assumption and Newberry to enter for the first time this season. Assumption is No. 24 and 7-1 on the season as they travel to Bentley with the winner taking the Northeast-10 Conference crown. Newberry comes in at No. 25 with an 8-1 overall record. If the Wolves beat Carson-Newman on Saturday, they win the South Atlantic Conference outright.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 10 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 9-0 | 775 | 1 | D. Northern Michigan, 70-35 | Nov. 8 at Saginaw Valley St. | |
| 2 | Harding | 9-0 | 743 | 2 | D. Oklahoma Baptist, 69-0 | Nov. 8 at Southern Nazarene | |
| 3 | West Florida | 9-0 | 709 | 3 | D. No. 15 Delta St., 51-38 | Nov. 15 vs. Valdosta St. | |
| 4 | Kutztown | 9-0 | 684 | 4 | D. East Stroudsburg, 49-6 | Nov. 8 at Bloomsburg | |
| 5 | Augustana (S.D.) | 9-0 | 640 | 5 | D. Northern St., 27-14 | Nov. 8 vs. No. 16 Minnesota St. | |
| 6 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 8-1 | 616 | 7 | D. No. 6 Western Colorado, 24-21 | Nov. 8 at Colorado School of Mines | |
| 7 | Central Washington | 8-1 | 566 | 8 | D. No. 16 Angelo St., 38-21 | Nov. 8 at Sul Ross St. | |
| 8 | Pittsburg St. | 7-2 | 515 | 9 | D. Missouri Southern St., 30-10 | Nov. 8 at Central Missouri | |
| 9 | Findlay | 9-0 | 487 | 11 | D. Northwood, 31-16 | Nov. 8 at No. 15 Ashland | |
| 10 | Virginia Union | 8-1 | 483 | 10 | D. Bluefield St., 70-14 | Nov. 8 vs. Virginia St. | |
| 11 | Western Colorado | 8-1 | 479 | 6 | Lost to No. 7 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 24-21 | Nov. 8 at Chadron St. | |
| 12 | UIndy | 8-1 | 426 | 12 | D. Quincy, 49-3 | Nov. 8 at Southwest Baptist | |
| 13 | Minnesota-Duluth | 8-1 | 416 | 13 | D. Jamestown, 45-29 | Nov. 8 vs. Bemidji St. | |
| 14 | Northwest Missouri St. | 8-1 | 412 | 14 | D. Emporia St., 41-14 | Nov. 8 vs. Missouri Western St. | |
| 15 | Ashland | 8-1 | 325 | 17 | D. Walsh, 23-16 | Nov. 8 vs. No. 9 Findlay | |
| 16 | Minnesota St. | 7-2 | 275 | 18 | D. Southwest Minnesota St., 48-7 | Nov. 8 at No. 5 Augustana (S.D.) | |
| 17 | UT Permian Basin | 7-2 | 250 | 20 | D. Western New Mexico, 66-7 | Nov. 8 vs. Eastern New Mexico | |
| 18 | Johnson C. Smith | 8-1 | 242 | 19 | D. Fayetteville St., 17-14 | Nov. 8 vs. Livingstone | |
| 19 | Albany St. | 8-1 | 186 | 23 | D. Savannah St., 21-18 | Nov. 8 vs. Fort Valley St. | |
| 20 | Slippery Rock | 6-2 | 181 | 22 | D. Clarion, 42-23 | Nov. 8 at Edinboro | |
| 21 | Delta St. | 7-2 | 177 | 15 | Lost to No. 3 West Florida, 51-38 | Nov. 8 at Valdosta St. | |
| 22 | Angelo St. | 6-3 | 105 | 16 | Lost to No. 8 Central Washington, 38-21 | Nov. 8 vs. Western Oregon | |
| 23 | Grand Valley St. | 5-3 | 87 | 25 | D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 59-13 | Nov. 8 vs. Michigan Tech | |
| 24 | Assumption | 7-1 | 74 | NR | D. Southern Connecticut St., 38-7 | Nov. 8 at Bentley | |
| 25 | Newberry | 8-1 | 69 | NR | D. Anderson (S.C.), 24-21 | Nov. 8 vs. Carson-Newman |
Dropped Out: West Alabama (21), Frostburg St. (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Benedict, 47; UNC Pembroke, 25; Chadron St., 19; Western Oregon, 16; Indiana (Pa.), 10; West Alabama, 10; Upper Iowa, 6; Bentley, 5; Michigan Tech, 5; North Greenville, 5; Frostburg St., 4; California (Pa.), 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
