After being defeated 33-18 by Colorado Mines on Saturday, the Chadron State football team will try to rebound when it meets Colorado Mesa in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game in Grand Junction on Saturday. Kickoff will be at 1 p.m.
 
The Eagles are 1-2 while Mesa is 2-1. The Mavericks edged Dixie State of Utah 44-37 in overtime during their season-opener and lost 17-14 to Texas A&M-Kingsville the following Saturday. Last Saturday, Mesa opened its RMAC schedule by holding off Adams State 28-20.
 
Mesa led 28-0 after three periods at Alamosa, but gave up touchdowns on drives of 85, 80 and 85 yards in the fourth period before intercepting a pass with 51 seconds remaining to secure the victory.
 
Chadron State head coach Jay Long said the Eagles' defense "played OK" against Colorado Mines, but added that the offensive line did not have a good game against the Orediggers. 
 
"We need to focus on playing better up front so our quarterbacks will have more time to throw," Long said. 
 
Long also is the Eagles' primary offensive line coach.
 
The coach had kudos for several players. He noted that inside receiver Ethan Bauer got a hand on field goal and extra point attempts by all-star placekicker Avery Llewellyn that missed. In addition, Bauer was the ball carrier when the Eagles picked up a first down out of punt formation.
 
Long also recognized middle linebacker Dylan Furrier for having an excellent game. Furrier was credited with 15 tackles, 13 of them solos, including the Eagles' only quarterback sack. 
 
Mesa is coached by Russ Martin, a Scottsbluff native who played linebacker for the Eagles in the mid-1970s. He earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from CSC. His son Ben helped coach the Eagles for five years before he joined the Mavericks' staff three years ago when the elder Martin assumed the head job.
 
After three games this fall, Mesa's starting quarterback, Aric Kaiser, has completed exactly half of his 76 passes for 441 yards and four touchdowns. He has not been intercepted.
 
Tailback DJ Hubbard, who is just 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, has rushed 42 times for 234 yards and a 5.6-yard average.
 
The Mavericks' defensive leaders include cornerback Dustin Rivas, who picked off the Adams State pass to secure Mesa's latest victory. He also intercepted a pass in overtime to end the game during the win over Dixie State in the season-opener.