CHADRON – The Chadron State College football team, which moved up two notches to 19th in the American Football Coaches Association poll this week, hopes to treat its homecoming fans to another victory on Saturday when it takes on Adams State in an RMAC encounter. Kickoff will be at 1:30.
 
Now 3-1 for the season, the Eagles have fared well during the past 45 years on homecoming, compiling a 31-13-1 record. They have lost just one of their last 15 homecoming contests.
 
Adams State is also 3-1 this season. The Grizzlies won their non-conference contests 44-0 over Wayland Baptist, a Texas school, and 26-10 over Oklahoma Panhandle. They also edged Western State 16-14 to open play in the RMAC. 
 
CSC defeated the Western State Mountaineers 35-13 last Saturday.
 
Things did not go well for Adams State last Saturday, when it hosted defending RMAC champion Colorado State-Pueblo. The ThunderWolves led 17-7 at halftime, but exploded for 24 points in the third period and won 48-7.
 
The Grizzlies lost four fumbles and Pueblo converted each of them into points.
 
Adams State quarterback Cody Davis was sacked for a nine-yard loss on the game's opening play and also fumbled the ball in the end zone, where it was recovered by the ThunderWolves for a touchdown.
 
Adams State also lost the ball three times in the third period in its own territory, leading to a field goal and two more TDs. The other Pueblo TDs came on an 83-yard pass and a 69-yard drive. The ThunderWolves finished with 501 yards while Adams State had 274.
 
CSC coach Jay Long noted that his team needs to be ready for the Grizzlies.
 
"They are upset about the way they played against Pueblo and will be trying to get going again," Long said. "On the other hand, we're feeling pretty good about ourselves after winning at Western State. They're mad and we're happy.  We'll have to bear down in practice this week and make sure we're ready to play on Saturday."
 
Long called the Grizzlies' schemes "kind of non-traditional." He said the offense uses numerous misdirection plays and the defense likes to blitz and show various coverages.
 
Defensive coordinator Jeff Larson said Adams State has been playing at least two and sometimes three quarterbacks. He said Davis, a 6-foot-2 senior, is a prototypical passer while backups Auston Hillman and Justin Jada are more mobile.
 
The Grizzlies' offensive line features center Chris McGee, a 6-1, 275-pound senior who was placed on the RMAC preseason first-team.
 
As usual, Adams State has a good kicking game. Freshman Logan Beck has hit on six of 10 field goal tries with a long of 53 yards and sophomore Evan Dick averaged 48 yards on nine punts against CSU-Pueblo.
 
The Eagles are averaging 482.5 yards offensively while the foes are averaging 398.0. Tailback Glen Clinton continues to lead the RMAC in rushing with 535 yards on 92 carries for a 5.8-yard average. He's scored six touchdowns, which is the top mark in the conference, as well. Quarterback Jonn McLain has clicked on 107 of 158 passes for 1,018 yards and eight TDs.   
 
Defensively, Shea Koch is tied for the conference lead with 51 tackles.