Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Northern Arizona
Game 9: Red Rock Rivalry Saturday at NAU
10/29/2024 4:07:00 PM | Football
Weber State returns to action against the Lumberjacks Saturday afternoon in Flagstaff.
• After both having a bye week last week, Weber State and Northern Arizona return to action this Saturday afternoon for the Red Rock Rivalry in Flagstaff, Arizona. Kickoff will be at 1 p.m. Pacific time (2 p.m. Mountain time) from the Walkup Skydome.
• Weber State is 3-5 overall and 2-2 in Big Sky play. The Wildcats last lost a double-overtime game 51-48 at Sacramento State on October 19.
• Northern Arizona is 4-4 overall and also 2-2 in conference play. The Lumberjacks beat Idaho State 30-26 in their last game on October 19.
• Saturday's game is the Red Rock Rivalry between the two schools. The all-time rivalry series record is tied 28-28.
• WSU junior running back Damon Bankston had a career-high 234 rushing yards in the last game and currently ranks seventh in the nation in rushing. He also surpassed 2,000 career yards.
• Wildcat freshman Frankie Edwards returned a 95-yard interception for a touchdown, the second-longest interception return in school history.
• Wildcat senior Kyle Thompson broke the Weber State career scoring record.
• Weber State has lost four FCS games by a total of 10 points.
Media coverage
Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ and the ESPN app with Mitch Strohman and Kevin Stephens calling the action.
The Weber State radio broadcast will be on 103.1 FM "The Wave" with Carl Arky and former WSU head coach and athletic director Jerry Graybeal calling the action.
Live stats available at WeberStateSports.com and the Weber State Wildcats app.
Wildcats drop double overtime game at Sacramento State
In their last outing, the Wildcats lost a heartbreaker 51-48 in double overtime at Sacramento State. Sac State led by 17 points entering the fourth quarter before a 17-0 unanswered fourth by the Wildcats to tie the game. Weber State posted 527 yards of total offense in the game, including a season-high 316 yards rushing.
Damon is Da-Man!
Weber State junior running back Damon Bankston had a career game against Sacramento State as he finished with a career-high 234 rushing yards and one touchdown. He had 25 carries for 234 yards, averaging 9.4 yards per carry, and had a 54-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter.
The 234 rushing yards are the most by any player in the Big Sky this season and the second-most of any player in the country this season. It is also tied for the 10th most rushing yards in a game in WSU history. It's the most yards by a Wildcat since Josh Davis in 2019.
Through eight games, Bankston ranks second in the Big Sky and seventh in the nation in rushing at 115.8 per game. He has rushed for 926 yards and six touchdowns this season.
He also moved into the WSU career top 10 list and surpassed 2,000 career rushing yards. He currently ranks 10th in school history with 2,146 yards and 22 touchdowns. He is the 12th player in WSU history to reach 2,000 career rushing yards.
Frankie Edwards with 95-yard interception return
Early in the fourth quarter of the game at Sacramento State, with the Wildcats trailing 41-24 and the Hornets driving for another score, Weber State true freshman Frankie Edwards made a game-changing play. Edwards picked off a Sac State pass at the five-yard line and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown. The play sparked WSU's 17-0 fourth quarter to second the game to overtime.
The 95-yard interception return is the second-longest in Weber State history, trailing only Luther White who had a 98-yard return in 1968. It is also the second-longest interception return in the nation this season.
Edwards also finished with a career-high seven tackles and had one pass breakup. Through eight games, the Moreno Valley, California native has 19 tackles with one tackle for loss and three pass breakups.
Kyle Thompson breaks career scoring record
In the game at Sacramento State, Weber State senior Kyle Thompson made two field goals and had four extra points, and in the process, broke a 26-year old school record. Thompson passed Scott Shields and became Weber State's all-time leader in career scoring. He now has 59 career field goals and 160 PAT's for 337 career points, the most in Weber State history. The 337 points is also the third-most of any active player in all of FCS football.
Thompson also ranks third in school history in career field goals with 59 and needs nine more to pass Shields as the all-time leader.
Jacob Sharp ties career-highs
Wildcat senior Jacob Sharp continued his strong play and tied his career-highs with 119 yards and three touchdowns in the game at Sacramento State. Sharp has 40 catches for 645 yards and eight touchdowns through eight games this season. The eight TD's is tied for the most of any player in the Big Sky and the fourth most of any player in the country. He ranks fourth in the Big Sky in receptions and receiving yards per game.
Sharp also reached two milestones as he now has became the 24th player in WSU history to reach 1,500 career receiving yards and the 30th player in history to reach 100 career receptions.
National/Big Sky rankings
As a team, Weber State ranks fourth in the country in net punting and fourth in kickoff returns, averaging 26.1 yards per return. The Wildcats are also third in the Big Sky and ninth in the nation in rushing offense at 216.8 yards per game. WSU is third in the Big Sky and 11th in the country in punt return defense and ranks fourth in the conference and 14th in the nation in total offense.
Individually, sophomore quarterback Richie Muñoz is eighth in the country in passing touchdowns with 17 in eight games.
On special teams, Bird Butler is second in the conference and seventh in the country in combined kick returns and ranks third in the Big Sky in kickoff returns. Oscar Doyle is 13th in the country in punting.
Defensively, Kemari Munier-Bailey ranks 13th in the nation in tackles for loss and is 21st in sacks.
Seven seniors on the Wildcat team
Weber State begins the 2024 season with just seven seniors on the roster. The seven seniors are linebacker Garrett Beck, defensive tackle Zeke Birch, defensive tackle Steven Bryant, defensive end Kemari Munier-Bailey, long snapper Grant Sands, wide receiver Jacob Sharp, and kicker Kyle Thompson. Sharp is the only senior on the current depth chart on offense.
Seven seniors is the fewest of any school in the Big Sky Conference.
Head coach Mickey Mental in his second season as head coach
Mickey Mental is in his second season as head coach at Weber State and his third season as the offensive coordinator with the Wildcats. Prior to coming to Weber State in 2022, Mental was the head coach at Notre Dame College in Ohio for two seasons where he posted a 16-2 overall record and a 13-1 record in conference play. In the spring 2021 season, he led the Falcons to a conference championship.
A native of Olmstead Falls, Ohio, Mental came to WSU for the 2022 season as the offensive coordinator under Jay Hill and helped lead the Wildcats to a 10-3 overall record and a trip to the second round of the FCS Playoffs.
Team captains
As selected by their teammates, Weber State has named five captains for the 2024 season. The five captains are junior running back Damon Bankston, senior linebacker Garrett Beck, senior defensive end Steven Bryant, junior wide receiver Jayleen Record, and junior cornerback Jalon Rock.
About Northern Arizona
Northern Arizona is 4-4 overall and 2-2 in conference play heading into Saturday's matchup at the Walkup Skydome. The Lumberjacks are also coming off a bye last week and beat Idaho State 30-26 in their last game on October 19. NAU had non-conference wins over Lincoln and Utah Tech with losses to Arizona and Incarnate Word. In Big Sky play, the Lumberjacks beat Sacramento State and Idaho State and lost at Idaho and Montana.
This season NAU ranks second in the nation in net punting and is third in the country in third down conversions, allowing opponents to convert at a rate of 27.3 percent. The Lumberjacks are also second in the nation in kickoff return defense and are second in the Big Sky and 21st in the country in total defense at 316.0. NAU leads the Big Sky and is 15th in the nation in passing defense at 174 yards per game, and is second in the conference in scoring defense at 22.4 points per game.
The Lumberjacks are coached by first year coach Brian Wright.
Red Rock Rivalry
The game between Weber State and Northern Arizona is known as the Red Rock Rivalry and the traveling trophy debuted two years ago in 2022. Weber State won in 2022 in Flagstaff and NAU won last year in Ogden. The two teams are designated as rivals and are scheduled to play each season.
This will be the 57th all-time meeting between the two schools and the all-time series is tied 28-28. The Lumberjacks won 27-10 in Ogden last year, which snapped a three-game winning streak for the Wildcats.
NAU is 19-9 all-time in games in Flagstaff but WSU has won three of the last five.
Quick hits
Weber State's last two road games will both be in domes, at Northern Arizona this Saturday and at Idaho on November 16...Weber State is outscoring its opponents in every quarter except the third quarter, where it trials 55-41. WSU is 3-1 this season when leading at halftime and 0-3 when trailing.
Looking ahead
After Saturday, Weber State will return home for the first time since October 12 as the 'Cats host longtime rival Idaho State on November 9 at Stewart Stadium. Weber State will have two of its final three games of the season at home.
