2017 CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves football team

2017 CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves football
RMC co-champion
NCAA Division II First Round, L 13–16 at Minnesota State
Conference	Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Ranking
AFCA	No. 17
Record	9–3 (9–1 RMAC)
Head coach	John Wristen (10th season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Co-defensive coordinators	Mark Criner (1st season) Donnell Leomiti (1st season)
Base defense	3–4
Home stadium	ThunderBowl

2017 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings

	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Colorado Mesa +		9	–	1					9	–	2
No. 17 CSU Pueblo +^		9	–	1					9	–	3
Colorado Mines		7	–	3					7	–	4
Chadron State		6	–	4					6	–	5
Dixie State		5	–	5					5	–	6
Fort Lewis		5	–	5					5	–	6
South Dakota Mines		4	–	6					5	–	6
Black Hills State		4	–	6					4	–	6
Adams State		4	–	6					4	–	7
New Mexico Highlands		1	–	9					2	–	9
Western State (CO)		1	–	9					1	–	10
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AFCA poll

The 2017 CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves football team represented Colorado State University–Pueblo as a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) during 2017 NCAA Division II football season. Led by tenth-year head coach John Wristen, the ThunderWolves compiled an overall record of 9–3 with a mark of 9–1 in conference play, sharing the RMCA title with Colorado Mesa. CSU Pueblo advanced to the NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs, where they lost to Minnesota State in the first round. The ThunderWolves played their home games at Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl in Pueblo, Colorado.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance
August 31	6:00 p.m.	No. 16 Colorado Mines	No. 12	ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 38–7	5,595
September 9	5:00 p.m.	at West Texas A&M*	No. 7	Kimbrough Memorial Stadium Canyon, TX	L 21–24	6,095
September 16	6:00 p.m.	at South Dakota Mines	No. 18	O'Harra Stadium Rapid City, SD	W 34–14	3,176
September 23	12:00 p.m.	at New Mexico Highlands	No. 19	Sanchez Family Stadium Las Vegas, NM	W 56–13	379
September 30	2:00 p.m.	Colorado Mesa	No. 17	ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 30–24	8,129
October 7	6:00 p.m.	Adams State	No. 14	ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 63–17	6,356
October 14	12:00 p.m.	at Fort Lewis	No. 12	Ray Dennison Memorial Field Durango, CO	L 24–35	2,123
October 21	2:00 p.m.	Black Hills State		ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 49–0	6,023
October 28	2:00 p.m.	Western State (CO)	No. 24	ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 40–7	5,324
November 4	1:00 p.m.	at Dixie State	No. 24	Trailblazer Stadium St. George, UT	W 31–10	2,580
November 11	12:00 p.m.	at Chadron State	No. 23	Don Beebe Stadium Chadron, NE	W 28–6	2,630
November 18	11:00 a.m.	at No. 1 Minnesota State*	No. 20	Blakeslee Stadium Mankato, MN (NCAA Division II First Round)	L 13–16	1,275
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the game All times are in Mountain time

Rankings

See also: 2017 NCAA Division II football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
RV = Received votes

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Final
AFCA poll	12	7	18	19	17	14	12	RV	24	24	23	20	17