The 2024-2025 Mountaineer football season will be remembered by the team and the whole Gunnison community. With the opening of the newly refurbished Mountaineer Bowl at the Rady Family Sports Complex to kick it off, the excitement of breaking in the new stadium with the first night game in Western history was a night to remember.
This past season was full of unforgettable firsts, like the record-breaking attendance from that first game, the first 11-win season in school history, and our first playoff win. The team took on their hardest rivals this year, beating Colorado School of Mines for the first time since 2015. The team’s dedication this year was unmatched; it was unlike any season the Mountaineers had ever played, and each game was a dedication to the spirit of the players, coaches, and fans uniting together in pursuit of victory.
The season started at home on September 7, marking the opening of the new stadium and the first night game played in Western history, against Midwestern State. “It was cool to play under the lights for the first time,” senior long snapper Zac Heaton said later. “It took me back to high school because that was the last time I was able to play a night game. The atmosphere of not only being able to play under the lights but also having so many people show up was amazing. Overall, it was an amazing experience.” The attendance set a school record at 2,603, breaking the previous record of 2,589 set in 2014. The outcome of the first home game of the 2024-2025 season was a Western victory.
After the first away game of the season against West Texas A&M, the Mountaineers returned home for the 77th Colorado Classic against Adams State University, also the homecoming game for Western. The game was a blowout, with Western demolishing Adams State 38-0 and bringing home the Colorado Classic trophy for the fourth time in a row.
After defeating Adams State, the Mountaineers went on an undefeated streak, beating even the Colorado School of Mines. That rivalry is almost 100 years old, so that was a big win for Western. The weekend after was the Mountaineers’ only regular-season loss against CSU Pueblo, when even a 49-yard hail mary thrown by Drew Nash and caught by Cole Ritters wasn’t enough to defeat the Thunderwolves.
“I didn’t even see him catch it. I was on the ground,” Nash said when asked about that moment. “I just saw him stand up with the ball, and I was kind of shocked.” That game lit a fire in the Mountaineers, as they took back their win streak and ended the regular season by beating Chadron State 21-17 and rival Colorado Mesa by a whopping 30 points.
With the playoffs only a week away, the Mountaineer’s fate rested on their final regular-season game against Mesa. After their victory, their spot in the postseason was secured and they were headed to the playoffs. The following day’s selection show revealed if they would have a home-turf advantage or not and who they were up against.
This year’s playoffs were memorable: it was a rematch against the opponent that had knocked Western out of the playoffs in overtime last year, Central Washington. This time, the Mountaineers were determined to redeem themselves, and they did. Western was able to win its first-ever playoff game and advance to the second round.
This win also secured the first-ever 11-win football season in the program’s history. With this being Western’s first trip to the second round of the playoffs, the stakes were higher than ever, mainly because the game was played at home in the Mountaineer Bowl. But with just six minutes left in the game, Nash suffered an injury and was pulled off the field. That very next play, Western fumbled the ball, and the visiting Bemidji State Beavers took the lead they would hold for the rest of the game, knocking the Mountaineers out of the playoffs. “It was not the way we wanted it to end,” Nash said in an interview later. “It was kind of a tough pill to swallow.”
The 2024 Mountaineer football season was nothing short of legendary, from the first night game to our first-ever playoff win. This year’s team has certainly left a legacy for years to come. This season’s victories were not the only thing that helped our team. Their spirit and determination drove them to do better each week and to work harder. As the team begins to gear up for next season, players and fans alike will remember this historic season that will continue to inspire when the 2025 season kicks off on August 30th.