GUNNISON, Colo. — Adams State football grabbed an early lead and scored in all four quarters Saturday night, but No. 8 Western Colorado pulled away for a 70-21 victory at Mountaineer Bowl. The Grizzlies moved to 0-5 overall and 0-3 in RMAC play, while Western Colorado improved to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in conference action.
Andre Branch accounted for both Adams State touchdowns, scoring once on the ground and once through the air. Branch rushed 11 times for 23 yards and a touchdown while adding five receptions for 19 yards and another score. Khalil Abdul-Aziz completed 19 of 32 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown without an interception, while Kayden LaFramboise led the receiving corps with five catches for 100 yards, highlighted by a 55-yard reception.
Western Colorado opened the scoring on its first possession, but Adams State answered with a six-play, 75-yard drive. Branch finished the possession with a 1-yard touchdown run, and Hayden Rodriguez ran in the two-point conversion to give the Grizzlies an 8-7 lead with 5:19 remaining in the first quarter.
The Mountaineers responded on the ensuing kickoff, as DJ Allen Jr. returned the kick 100 yards for a touchdown just 12 seconds later to put Western Colorado back in front, 14-8.
Adams State then put together its longest scoring drive of the night, using 14 plays to cover 59 yards while taking 7:18 off the clock. Ant Arnusch finished the possession with a 32-yard field goal early in the second quarter, pulling the Grizzlies within 14-11.
Western Colorado created separation over the remainder of the half. Cole Kerr connected with Allen for a 44-yard touchdown before Nolan McCullough scored on a 7-yard run. Kerr added a 20-yard touchdown pass to Antwuan Jackson with 1:12 remaining, sending the Mountaineers into halftime with a 35-11 advantage.
Western Colorado extended its lead with three touchdowns in the third quarter, including two rushing scores and a special-teams touchdown following a blocked punt.
The Adams State defense created an opportunity late in the quarter when Joshua Sparks recovered a Western Colorado fumble at the Mountaineers' 33-yard line. The Grizzlies turned the takeaway into points four plays later when Abdul-Aziz found Branch for a 14-yard touchdown on fourth down. Arnusch's extra point made the score 56-18 with 3:32 remaining in the third.
Adams State added three more points in the fourth quarter. The Grizzlies drove 45 yards before Arnusch connected on a 47-yard field goal, giving him makes from 32 and 47 yards on the night. He finished 2-for-2 on field-goal attempts and converted his lone extra-point attempt.
The Grizzlies finished with 297 yards of total offense, including 219 through the air and 78 on the ground. Adams State scored on all four of its red-zone trips and held possession for 34:56. The Grizzlies also finished without an interception and converted two of three fourth-down attempts.
Western Colorado totaled 573 yards, averaging 11.5 yards per play. The Mountaineers rushed for 264 yards and five touchdowns while adding 309 yards and three touchdowns through the air.
Defensively, Kaden Souders led Adams State with seven tackles, including five solo stops, and recovered a fumble that he returned 16 yards. Anthony Henry and Thomas Perea each recorded five tackles, while Sparks added a tackle for loss along with his fumble recovery. Adams State recovered two Western Colorado fumbles in the contest.
Up Next
The Grizzlies return back home to Alamosa, CO in Rex Staduim to play #5 ranked Colorado State University Pubelo on October 3, 2026 at 12 p.m
