Believing in being great: UNC football wraps preseason, ready for 2025 schedule ...Saudi Arabia

The preseason is over for the University of Northern Colorado football team.

After the team’s final scrimmage Saturday morning at Nottingham Field, the Bears now turn to their in-season schedule.

Classes begin Monday, the first game is next Saturday and who knows what’s to come from the 12-game schedule.

A couple of things, though, are clear: there is ‘it’s a new season’ optimism among at least three key players and the Bears can’t be dogged by injuries.

Football is a rough, tough game. Guys get hurt. UNC has had its share of injuries over the last few years. Keeping players on the field is high on the priority list.

“That’s the biggest thing, right there,” said Cam Chapa, a sophomore safety from Aurora.

UNC opens the year hosting Division II Chadron State at 1 p.m. Saturday (Aug. 30) at Nottingham Field. Chadron State was 3-8 last season and 2-7 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).

Lamb said the UNC coaching staff has watched video of Chadron, and has “great respect” for Eagles coaches and players. Lamb called the RMAC the best Division II league in the country.

Defensive lineman Dominic Butts said UNC will play with the same mentality in the first game as they’ve carried with them through the fall camp.

“For us, on the D line, it’s your key,” said Butts, a junior from Severance High and Johnstown. “It’s specifically playing your game and not playing anyone else’s game. You play your game, you play your man and you beat the person in front of you.”

The approximately 1-hour, 15-minute scrimmage matched the Bears’ projected travel squad players in navy jerseys against younger players in white. Lamb said the scrimmage was not expected to be “super competitive,” though there were a few moments.

One of the most important results from the scrimmage and the end of preseason was the team came out healthy.

“Yes, our best camp that way,” Lamb said. “Our strongest, most physical team so no surprise they would be healthy at this point.”

Junior wide receiver Brayden Munroe, one of the more experienced players on the team, said there is a belief among the team the Bears will do well this season.

What “well” means also remains to be seen. UNC has never won more than six games in its 18-year history as a Division I program. That happened twice, when UNC was 6-5 in 2015 and 2016 under head coach Earnest Collins Jr.

“We all believe we’re going to do great,” said Munroe, who is from Parker and Chaparral High School. “Truthfully, I think that’s how every team should look at it. And, believe in themselves.”

Munroe said pride will be a good word to describe the Bears this year. He said he expects the team to play with a higher level of pride this season.

“I mean, this is year three with our coaching staff,” Munroe said. “We have a lot of experience returning from the last two seasons. If there’s any year to make a big stride, then this is the year for sure.”

Munroe said the players know the team knows it’s made strides and improvements.

“We’re ready to go prove it,” he added.

UNC has won one game in its two previous seasons under Lamb. The coach’s overall record with the Bears is 1-22. The only win came last year, Oct. 12 on the road at Big Sky Conference opponent Weber State.

UNC averaged a Big Sky Conference low 11.3 points per game last year, while allowing 472 total yards per game and 37.8 points.

UNC’s schedule this season is a tough one. Five of the first seven games are on the road. Six of the Bears’ opponents are ranked in preseason FCS polls, including five of UNC’s eight Big Sky Conference opponents.

After facing Chadron State, UNC meets FBS-level Colorado State for the second time in two years. Then, starts the games against the preseason-ranked teams.

No. 5 South Dakota (Saturday, Sept. 13 in Vermillion, South Dakota) followed by five in a row against ranked Big Sky schools: No. 12 Idaho (Oct. 11 in Moscow, Idaho), No. 14 Sacramento State (Oct. 18 in Sacramento); No. 7 UC Davis (Oct. 25 in Greeley), No. 2 Montana State (Nov. 1 in Greeley) and No. 18 Northern Arizona (Nov. 8 in Flagstaff, Arizona).

Montana is ranked ninth in a preseason poll, but UNC doesn’t face the Grizzlies this season.

Certainly, a lot can change for all teams involved between late August and early November.

Earlier this month, Lamb said the Bears’ challenging schedule is part of being in the Big Sky Conference.

“Everybody in the Big Sky has a tough schedule,” Lamb said. “It’s not uncommon. Playing on the road is a challenge. Yet, I don’t think we’re in a much different situation from most of the Big Sky.”

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