Las Vegas, New Mexico - New Mexico Highlands travels to Chadron, Nebraska, for a 1:00 pm game with the Chadron State Eagles. The Cowboys fell to nationally ranked CSU-Pueblo last Saturday afternoon in historic Las Vegas 59-13 . NMHU is now 3-2 overall and 1-2 in RMAC play. The Eagles, receiving votes in this week's American Football Coaches Association Coaches' Poll, are 4-2 overall and 4-0 in conference play after topping Adams State 45-2 last week in Alamosa. The blemishes on Chadron State's schedule are at FCS Northern Colorado and in-state rival Nebraska-Kearney.
COACH KURT TAUFA'ASAU: 2025 marks the second season at the helm for Coach Taufa'asau at the helm of the NMHU football program after being named head coach on May 29, 2024. Taufa'asau earned his first career win at NMHU when he led the Cowboys to a thrilling 33-30 win on October 12th of last season in front of raucous Home Coming Crowd in historic Las Vegas. NMHU scored two touchdowns in the last 6:54 of that game to earn the win. Prior to coming to New Mexico Highlands Taufa'asau was the head coach at New Mexico Military Institute where led the Broncos to the 2021 NJCAA Division I National Championship. 2025
RMAC PRESEASON POLL: New Mexico Highlands University, 2-9 overall and 2-7 in the RMAC a year ago, was picked to finish tied for 7th, with Chadron State, in the poll with 31 points in voting by the ten conference football coaches.
Sophomore running back
Tevita Valeti, the 2024 Freshman Offensive Player of the year in the RMAC, was named to the Preseason All-RMAC Team. Valeti finished second among all RMAC backs last season with 880 rushing yards on a league-high 166 carries and eight touchdowns.
LAST TIME OUT: Nationally ranked Colorado State - Pueblo was too much for the Cowboys as they left Las Vegas with a 59-13 win over New Mexico Highlands on Saturday. Ten first quarter points and three second quarter touchdowns propelled CSU-Pueblo to a 31-0 lead at the half on Saturday.
Mike Jones and
Tevita Valeti scored the touchdowns for NMHU.
NEW MEXICO!: For the first time since the 2012 season, the Cowboys defeated Western New Mexico and Eastern New Mexico in the same season. Once again this season Coach Taufa'asau and his staff diligently recruited their home state as the 2025 New Mexico Highlands football roster features 45 players who played high school football in the state of New Mexico.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES: Saturday marks the 33rd meeting all-time between the two schools. Chadron State, receiving votes in this week's American Football Coaches Association Coaches' Poll, is 4-2 overall and 4-0 in conference play after topping Adams State 45-2 last week in Alamosa. In addition to the win over the Grizzlies last week, the Eagles have conference wins over Black Hills State, Colorado School of Mines, and Colorado Mesa in 2025. Jay Long is in his 14th season as the head coach at Chadron State In last season's meeting between the two teams, the Cowboys entertained a Homecoming crowd in Las Vegas and earned Head Coach Kurt Taufau'asau his first win at New Mexico Highlands University with a 33-30 win over the Eagles.
Tevita Valeti gained 166 rushing yards and had a touchdown to pace NMHU offensively.
CHADRON STATE/NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS SERIES NOTES:
Chadron State leads the series 27-5
Last Eagles win October 28, 2023, 24-21 in Las Vegas
Last Cowboys win October 12, 2024, 33-30 in Las Vegas
Chadron State won the first meeting 38-0 on October 10, 1992
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Through five games the Cowboys are third in the RMAC in scoring at 33.4Â points per game and lead the conference in Total Offense at 459.8 yards per game.
Senior
Mike Jones is eighth in the nation at 35.7 yards per kick-off return.
Freshman
Jeffery Jones leads the nation in All Purpose Yards Per Game (228.5/game), Rushing Yards Per Game (223.3/game), Yards Per Carry (12.1/carry). He is tied for third in scoring (12.0/points per game).
UP NEXT: The Cowboys are home next Saturday afternoon for a 1:00 pm game with Colorado Mesa.
RMAC NETWORK: All six of the remaining games on the schedule will be broadcast on the RMAC Network with New Mexico Broadcaster of the Year Scott Galetti returning as the Voice of the Cowboys for the games in historic Las Vegas this season. Visit
RMACNetwork.com for information on purchasing a subscription so you can follow the Cowboys all season long.
COWBOY TICKETS: Individual game tickets for the Cowboys' remaining home games are on sale now…purchase your tickets at
NMHUAthletics.com/Tickets!
CLEAR BAG POLICY: NMHU has implemented a Clear Bag Policy for all on-campus events.
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