Adams State University is looking for their first win of the season as they host the Hardrockers of South Dakota Mines in the 2021 Hall of Fame Game on Saturday inside Rex Stadium
 
LIVE COVERAGE
The game will be streamed online through the RMAC Network. The radio broadcast will feature ASU Women's Soccer Coach Colin Baker on the call and will be simulcast on the RMAC Network. Adams State University and KSPK-FM have extended their broadcast partnership for three years. Listeners can tune in to KSPK on-air throughout all southern Colorado on 100.3 in Colorado Springs, Alamosa, and the San Luis Valley, 104.1 in South Fork and Trinidad, and 102.3 in Pueblo and Walsenburg. Fans nationwide can also tune in on KSPK's website (kspk.com).
 
WEATHER REPORT
Saturday's weather forecast is for partly cloudy skies with a 15 percent chance of rain. The temperature will be a balmy 56 degrees and there will be a breeze at 4 miles per hour headed from south to north.
 
LEADING THE WAY
The Adams team has elected five captains for 2021: senior defensive lineman Alu Taito, senior tight end Ian Fryday, senior linebacker Braeden Meyer, senior running back Tyreik Campbell, and senior defensive end EJ Labaze.
 
WHERE WE LEFT OFF
The Grizzlies enter the game 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the RMAC after falling to Black Hills State University on Saturday in double overtime.
 
The Grizzly defense came out strong on both sides of the ball as they led 24-3 at the halftime break, however, the Yellow Jackets stung and force overtime. In the first overtime both teams scored touchdowns but the second overtime the Grizzlies had to settle for a field goal before they Yellow Jackets went down and scored on a third down for the 51-48 win.
 
Offensively, senior quarterback John Buska was the catalyst for Adams State as he was responsible for 429 yards. He completed 19-of-35 passes for 320 yards including a 63-yard strike to Ian Fryday and one touchdown while carrying the ball ten times for 109 yards and two touchdowns.
 
GETTING NIPPED
South Dakota Mines enters the game with a 2-2 record and an 0-2 RMAC record as their two wins this season come against Missouri S&T (34-31) and Mayville State University (52-7).
 
Since then, the Hardrockers have lost two straight games as they lost to Chadron State (20-31) in the Battle for the Eagle Rock Trophy and last week they had their homecoming spoiled by CSU Pueblo as the ThunderWolves won the game 49-7.
 
YOUNG SERIES
This will be just the fifth time that these two teams have meet. The Hardrockers joined the RMAC in 2015.  The teams have alternated wins and enter with a 2-2 record with Adams State winning the last contest back in 2019 by a count of 37-32.
 
This has been a high-scoring series with there being an average of 90 points per game combined, with South Dakota Mines averaging 48.5 in the series.
 
GETTING INTO THE MINE
The Hardrockers have been great on third down offensively, converting 27 of 58 for a percentage of 46.6, the second-best in the RMAC. When the offense gets to the redzone, it usually converts, scoring at a rate of 81.3 percent, the fourth-best mark in the conference, with 11 of the 16 appearances resulting in six points. The offensive line has allowed just 5 sacks thus far on the season.
 
Defensively, the Hardrockers have nine takeaways. The Hardrockers are tied for third in the conference with a total of eight sacks. The Hardrockers boast three wide receivers in the top 12 in the RMAC in receptions. Colin Zur has 16, Jeremiah Bridges has 15, and Isaiah Eastman has 14, placing them in 8th,9th, and 10th. Zur is 5th in receiving yards, while Eastman is 10th. Ahmad Lewis has scored 5 touchdowns this season, tied for the 3rd most in the RMAC. Kyante Christian and Gavin Chaddock have 3 sacks each, putting them in a tie for 2nd in the conference.
 
COMING FULL CIRCLE
This weekend is Adams State Athletics Hall of Fame weekend and the Grizzlies are set to induct 11 individuals and four teams. Included in the Class of 2021, Adams State will have two football players, Dr. Bill Rakow and Ray Ramsey, Sr.  In addition, several members of the 1969 Mineral Water Bowl Championship team will attend the game. All the inductees and members of the Water Bowl team will be honored during halftime.
 
NEW LEADERSHIP
On April 26th, Adams State University removed the interim tag from Head Football Coach Jarrell Harrison, who officially became the 24th coach in Adams State football history.
 
Harrison joined Adams State football in 2016 as a Running Backs Coach and Special Teams Assistant under former Head Coach Timm Rosenbach. He was promoted to interim head coach on January 5, 2021, after the resignation of former Head Coach Josh Blankenship. Blankenship finished his two-year tenure with the Grizzlies with an 8-14 (.364) overall record; 8-12 (.400) RMAC.
 
Harrison makes history for Adams State University as he becomes the first African American to lead the football program, in this, the University's 100th year.
 
IN THE POLLS
The Adams State Grizzlies earned one first-place vote and were selected to finish in seventh place in the RMAC by the conferences' ten head coaches while the Hardrockers  were selected to finish sixth in the conference.
 
AROUND THE RMAC
Black Hills State's Chance Eben and Nathaniel Quinones and Colorado School of Mines' Jacob Click are the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Football Players of the Week.
 
In the standings, Western Colorado is the top team in the conference with a 4-0 overall record and a 3-0 RMAC record. Meanwhile Colorado Mesa, Colorado School of Mines and CSU Pueblo are all undefeated in the conference.
 
Five games are on the docket this weekend in the RMAC as the Grizzlies and Hardrockers will be one of two 1:00 p.m. kickoffs. Colorado Mesa and CSU Pueblo are set to kick off at 1:00 p.m. as well. Chadron State and New Mexico Highlands will join Western and Colorado School of Mines and Black Hills State and Fort Lewis with 12:00 p.m. kickoffs.
 
NEXT TIME
Adams State be back on the road when they travel to Grand Junction to take on the Colorado Mesa Mavericks.