As Northern Colorado’s difficult season winds down, Andre Wilson’s quest to make history takes center stage.
George Washington High School product Wilson has rushed for 3,256 career yards, ranking him third at the school. He needs 264 yards in the last three games to surpass the record set by Billy Holmes from 1994-97. Wilson rushed for 141 yards on 37 carries in the Bears’ 14-9 loss to Sacramento State last week. The bruising performance was his third 100-yard game of the season.
“As with any great player, it’s all related to his work ethic,” coach Scott Downing said. “He does everything, and more, that’s asked of him. I call him a nasty runner. He puts everything he has into every carry.”
Saturday, when the Bears play No. 23 Montana State in Bozeman, they’re going to need a Wilson-type of effort from everyone to have any shot at knocking off the Bobcats. Montana State (6-3, 5-1 Big Sky) began the season by shocking Colorado 19-10 at Folsom Field, but then lost three straight, including a 35-24 defeat to Division II Chadron State. But the Bobcats have won five straight to climb back into the I-AA top 25.
“Right now they might be one of the hottest teams in the nation,” Downing said. “So we’re playing an opponent that has a lot of confidence. I’m sure they look at us at 1-7 and 0-5 in the league, and I’m sure they are licking their chops thinking they have a chance to build even more momentum.”
Wilson understands the Bears are huge underdogs, but says they still have some fight left in them.
“The attitude’s pretty upbeat,” he said. “We don’t go in thinking we have any lesser talent. We know that week in and week out we aren’t going to get blown out unless we do things to beat ourselves. We know we can compete.”
Wilson also said a victory over the Bobcats would do a lot to boost the UNC program.
“It would be pretty big for everyone here and for outside eyes looking in, too,” he said. “People wouldn’t be able to say the Bears are a pushover.”
UNC’s struggles to establish a foothold in the tough Big Sky Conference – as well players involved in off-field run-ins with the law – have made Downing’s first season at UNC a trying one. Yet even though the Bears have been outscored 160-46 in conference play, Downing continues to project optimism.
“I have seen growth with our team,” Downing said. “I think our players are coming to understand that there is a very high level of competition here. The Big Sky is one of the top, if not the top power conference in the I-AA. It’s like the Big 12 or Big Ten for our division in the NCAA. Our players are learning that and facing up to it. I think we’re coming together as a team.”
