The Colorado Mesa football team will hit the ground running in a tight spot today for their first game of the season, a road test in Ellensburg, Washington. The Mavericks take on the Wildcats of Central Washington in an early season matchup that could be crucial for the Mavericks’ postseason case.

Fresh off of an eight-win season and a second straight trip to the postseason, the Wildcats enter the season ranked No. 21 in the American Football Coaches Association’s preseason poll. They are one of two top-25 teams the Mavericks will face in the season’s first three weeks, alongside No. 6 CSU Pueblo, which travels to Grand Junction on Sept. 20.

In total, the Mavericks will face three preseason top 25 teams in their 2025 schedule. Western Colorado, who will host the Mavericks in both teams’

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