GAME NOTES: 

• Snow College welcomes New Mexico Military Institute to Ephraim Saturday, Sept. 2.  The game is set to be featured as the NJCAA Game of the Week on ESPN+.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. inside Terry Foote Stadium.
• The Badgers are coming off a heartbreaking 31-24 loss against Trinity Valley Community College in the season opener last Thursday.  The Cardinals scored the game-winning touchdown with 10 seconds remaining in the game to claim the victory.
• In last Thursday's loss, the Badgers led after the first quarter, at halftime, and after the third quarter.  Snow College was a perfect 8-0 last season when leading after three quarters and never lost a game when leading after the first and second quarters.
• The Badgers threw for 246 yards through the air against the Cardinals.  Snow College threw for more than 246 yards in just two games last season, a 50-49 overtime victory over Butler Community College and a 34-14 win over Monroe College.
• The Badgers were featured in four ESPN+ games last season going 3-1 in those games.  Their only loss was on the road to NMMI in week 2.
• The Badgers fell to 10^th in the NJCAA Division I Football Poll following the loss to TVCC.  NMMI, which was receiving votes in the preseason poll, jumped up to 14^th following its victory in week 1.
• The Broncos defeated the St. George Junior College Eagles 75-17 at home to open their season.  They racked up 436 yards of total offense including 302 yards through the air in the victory.
• Snow College and NMMI matched up with each other last year when the Broncos were the No. 1 team in the nation.  The Badgers were defeated 38-7 in that game in Roswell, New Mexico. 

 
LAST TIME OUT: The Snow College football team suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals to open the 2023 season Thursday in Malakoff, Texas.  The Cardinals scored the go-ahead touchdown with 10 seconds to go to claim the 31-24 victory.
 
Both teams entered the game ranked within the NJCAA Division I Football Top-15 Rankings.  The Badgers entered as the No. 4 team in the country, and the Cardinals were slotted 15^th overall.  The Badgers were 3-2 against ranked opponents last season.
 
Snow College started quickly and took its first drive of the season 74 yards down the field to score a touchdown.  A 33-yard rush from AJ Tillman set the Badgers up at the Cardinal's 21-yard line.  On the next play, Donovan Smith found Jared Wilson in the end zone on a 21-yard pitch and catch to put the Badgers on the board, 7-0, after the extra point.
 
Snow College forced a 3-and-out on the Cardinal's first two possessions before getting the ball back for its third possession.  The Badgers gobbled up yards and marched the ball down the field utilizing over five minutes of action. They converted on a fourth-and-three to keep the drive alive which ultimately culminated with Smith finding Ethan Wood in the end zone from 24 yards out to give the Badgers a 14-0 lead with 3:01 remaining in the 1^st quarter.
 
The Cardinals used a 56-yard kickoff return to set themselves up inside the Snow College 40-yard line.  Four plays later, the Cardinals completed a 29-yard pass that went the distance and cut the lead in half, 14-7.
 
The Badgers would be held scoreless throughout the rest of the first half.  TVCC crept closer near the end of the second quarter as the Cardinals put together a 13-play, 55-yard drive.  The Badger's defense was able to stand up in a goal-line stand and force a field goal, which was good from 38 yards, bringing the score to 14-10 at the half.
 
Snow College forced a punt on the Cardinal's opening drive of the second half, but immediately gave the ball back to the Cardinals on an interception on the second play of the drive.  TVCC was set up at the Badger's 23-yard line and used two rushes and a personal foul penalty to score a touchdown and take a 17-14 lead with just under 10 minutes left in the third period.
 
The two teams exchanged punts before Snow College took over at the TVCC 48-yard line for its third possession of the half.  A pass interference call gave the Badgers an automatic first down which set up a 27-yard touchdown pass from Kamen Best to DJ Overstreet to give the Badgers the lead, 21-17.
 
TVCC punched back a few minutes later and punched in a 1-yard rushing touchdown to retake the lead to begin the fourth quarter.  Snow College responded on its next drive, once again chewing clock, and marching down the field.  A 14-play, 68-yard drive culminated with a 26-yard field goal from Bradford Willis to even the score at 24. 
 
Needing a stop and a score, Snow College forced a punt on the ensuing Cardinal's possession, but, in turn, was forced to punt on its own possession giving the Cardinals the ball back at their own 17-yard line with 3:15 remaining.
 
TVCC converted a 3^rd and 3 with a 29-yard pass play that ended near midfield. Following a 2-yard loss and a Cardinal's holding penalty, TVCC was faced with a 3^rd and 19 from their own 44.  Cardinal's quarterback Darion Peace launched one down the field into double coverage where a TVCC receiver leaped between two defenders and brought down the catch for a 30-yard completion.  A couple of rushing plays later and the Cardinals scored the go-ahead touchdown with 10 seconds to play.
 
Snow College quickly completed two passes on the next possession, but the game ended on a sack, giving the Cardinals the 31-24 victory.  
 
As a team, the Badgers gained 314 yards of total offense including 246 yards through the air.  Smith and Best combined to go 19-35 with three touchdowns between them.  Tillman led the way on the ground gaining 43 yards on 14 attempts.  Ayo Shotomide-King caught six passes for 78 yards in the loss.
 
Snow College will look to turn the page as they welcome the 2021 National Champion New Mexico Military Institute to Terry Foote Stadium Saturday night.  The game will be featured as the NJCAA Football Game of the Week on ESPN+. 
 
The Broncos were victorious in their opening match-up earning a 75-17 victory over the St. George Junior College Eagles.  Kickoff is slated for 7:00 p.m. inside Terry Foote Stadium in Ephraim.  For video streaming and live stat information, visit snowbadgers.com.
 
BREAKING DOWN THE SCHEDULE: Snow College will face a total of 11 opponents during the 2023 season including the defending champion IWCC.  The Badgers are scheduled to face five NJCAA preseason top-15 opponents including No. 15 TVCC, No. 13 GMC, No. 1 IWCC, No. 14 Lackawanna, and No. 9 Garden City Community College.
 
Following the matchup with the Cardinals, the Badgers will return to Ephraim to begin their home schedule against the 2021 National Champion New Mexico Military Institute Sept. 2 at 7:00 p.m.
 
The Badgers will welcome a new opponent to Terry Foote Stadium in the newly formed Junior College partner St. George Eagles.  The St. George Eagles are the first private Junior College and "Post Graduate" team in the state of Utah.  They were formed from the USA Collegiate and The Coaches Team Foundation, and 2023 will serve as their first season as a program.  The Badgers will host the Eagles Sept. 9.
 
Snow College will play back-to-back road games Sept. 23 and 30 against Dodge City Community College and GMC.  The Badgers were victorious in their lone meeting against DCCC earning a 38-14 victory Dec. 5, 2015, in Hutchinson Kansas. 
 
The Badgers will begin a four-game home stretch that will span the entire month of October beginning with the reigning National Champion and NJCAA preseason No. 1-ranked IWCC Oct. 7.  Snow College will host the US Air Force Academy Preparatory School the following week.  The first-ever meeting between Snow College and Pacific Northwest Christian College will take place Oct. 21 in Ephraim.  The Badgers will wrap up their home slate of games against Lackawanna College Oct. 29.
 
Snow College will take on GCCC Nov. 4 in Garden City, Kansas before heading out on its longest trip of the season with a matchup against Monroe College in New Rochelle, New York to conclude its season Nov. 11.
 
ON THE SIDELINE: Erekson will once again be on the sideline for the Badgers as he enters his fourth season as the head coach.  Erekson has compiled a 24-5 record for Snow College in his tenure including a remarkable 14-1 record at home.  In Erekson's first season as head coach, he led the Badgers to an 8-0 regular season finish and a trip to the National Championship game.  In 2021, the Badgers returned to the NJCAA DI Football Playoffs following an 8-2 overall record.  Before coming to Snow College, Erekson served as the Athletic Director and Head Coach at Skyline High School in Salt Lake City.  Before his tenure at Skyline, Erekson Coached high school football throughout Texas for eight years.  Erekson coached at 5A Abilene Cooper in Abilene, Texas where his team went 12-2 in 2011. 
 
Erekson will be joined on the sideline by Defensive Coordinator Jordan Pulou (Missouri S&T; second season), Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coordinator Trevor McFalls (Southern Utah University; second season), Defensive Line Coach Kyle Murray (Utah Tech University; second season), Running Backs Coach Hunter Batten (Lamar; first season), Defensive Backs Coach Bryce Hampton (Purdue University; first season), Tight Ends Coach Lanny Owens (McMurray; first season), and Wide Receivers Coach Neil Pau'u (Brigham Young University; first season).
 
UP NEXT: Snow College will take on the St. George Junior College Eagles for the first time in program history.  
 
The St. George Eagles are the first private Junior College and "Post Graduate" team in the state of Utah.  They were formed from the USA Collegiate and The Coaches Team Foundation, and 2023 will serve as their first season as a program.  STJC was defeated 75-17 last week by NMMI.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. inside Terry Foote Stadium in Ephraim.  For video streaming and live stat information, visit snowbadgers.com.