2012 CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves football team

The 2012 CSU–Pueblo ThunderWolves football team represented Colorado State University–Pueblo as a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) in the 2012 NCAA Division II football season. They were led by fourth-year head coach John Wristen and play their home games at Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl. They were a member of the .

2012 CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves football
RMAC champion
NCAA Division II Quarterfinal, L 13–34 vs. West Texas A&M
Conference	Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Ranking
AFCA	No. 6
Record	12–1 (9–0 RMAC)
Head coach	John Wristen (5th season)
Defensive coordinator	Hunter Hughes (5th season)
Home stadium	Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl
Seasons ← 2011 2013 →

2012 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 6 CSU Pueblo $^		9	–	0					12	–	1
No. 18 Chadron State ^		8	–	1					9	–	3
New Mexico Highlands		7	–	2					8	–	3
Adams State		6	–	3					8	–	3
Colorado Mines		4	–	5					6	–	5
Colorado Mesa		4	–	5					4	–	7
Black Hills State #		3	–	6					4	–	7
Western New Mexico		3	–	6					4	–	7
Western State		1	–	8					1	–	10
Fort Lewis		0	–	9					0	–	10
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant # – Provisional Division II member Rankings from AFCA Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance
August 30	6:00 pm[1]	No. 24 West Texas A&M*	No. 6	Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 44–34[2][3]	6,457
September 8	6:00 pm[1]	at Northwestern Oklahoma State*	No. 6	Ranger Field Alva, OK	W 41–24[4][5]	2,310
September 15	12:00 pm	at Western New Mexico	No. 3	Ben Altamirano Field Silver City, NM	W 35–27[6]	976
September 22	6:00 pm	Adams State	No. 3	Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 30–0[7]	8,677
September 29	1:00 pm	at Fort Lewis	No. 3	Ray Dennison Field Durango, CO	W 50–21[8]	1,115
October 6	2:00 pm	Chadron State	No. 2	Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 45–38 OT[9][10]	5,717
October 13	12:00 pm	at Colorado Mines	No. 2	Campbell Field Golden, CO	W 35–21[11]	2,629
October 20	6:00 pm	Black Hills State	No. 1	Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 45–13[12]	7,341
October 27	6:00 pm	at Colorado Mesa	No. 1	Ralph Stocker Stadium Grand Junction, CO	W 48–10[13][14]	958
November 3	2:00 pm	New Mexico Highlands	No. 1	Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 31–17[15][16]	9,217
November 10	1:00 pm	at Western State	No. 1	Mountaineer Bowl Gunnison, CO	W 21–3[17]	397
November 24	12:00 pm	No. 18 Indianapolis*	No. 1	Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO (D-II Playoffs Second Round)	W 28–7[18]	7,517
December 1	12:00 pm	No. 16 West Texas A&M*	No. 1	Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO (D-II Playoffs Quarterfinal)	L 13–34[18]	10,217
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AFCA Poll released prior to the game All times are in Mountain time

• Source:

Ranking movements

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Final
AFCA Poll	6[19]	6[20]	3[21]	3[22]	3[23]	2[24]	2[25]	1 (23)[26]	1 (24)[27]	1 (24)[28]	1 (23)[29]	1 (24)[30]	6[31]