PUEBLO – Home-standing and third-ranked CSU-Pueblo forced three turnovers and put up over 500 yards of offense in remaining unbeaten with a 48-28 victory over the Colorado School of Mines football team on Saturday evening at the DeRose ThunderBowl in Pueblo.

The Orediggers (4-3, 3-2 RMAC) took a 7-3 lead with 8:57 remaining in the first quarter on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Joe Schneider to Matt Brown before the ThunderWolves (7-0, 5-0 RMAC) scored 35 consecutive points to take a 38-7 lead with 7:48 to go in the third quarter.

A 29-yard touchdown pass from Schneider to Cole Spurgeon trimmed the CSUP lead to 38-14 with 3:33 remaining in the third quarter before the
ThunderWolves added a field goal to increase their lead back out to 41-14 with 14:08 remaining in the ballgame. 

Schneider would account for his third touchdown of the game two drives later after he scampered in from three yards out to cut the deficit to 41-21, but a five-yard touchdown run by Marche Dennard pushed the lead back out to 27 points at 48-21 with 3:12 to play.

Mines closed out the scoring with 1:19 remaining when Justin Dvorak found Ty Young for a 58-yard touchdown to bring the score to final at 48-28.

As a squad, the Orediggers put up 462 yards of offense over 97 offensive plays, led by Schneider, who finished 26-of-48 for 249 yards and two touchdowns.

He also threw two interceptions and added 31 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. 

Dvorak finished 4-of-7 for 84 yards and a touchdown under center as well. 

Senior Dan Palmer carried 14 times for 71 yards to lead the rushing attack while junior Tevin Champagne was held to just 12 yards on seven rushes.

Young led the receiving corps with 119 yards on six catches with a touchdown, while Spurgeon added 73 yards and a score on five receptions. 

Brown finished with 41 receiving yards on three catches and a score in his first game of the season primarily as wide receiver. Jimmy Ellis led the team with seven receptions and Palmer added three out of the backfield. 

Senior Alex Laudenslager led the defense with 11 stops (eight solo) with 2.0 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. Caleb Courkamp and Billy Sprague each registered 10 stops and Tyler Denson added seven tackles and a tackle for loss. 

The Orediggers will be back on the road next weekend when the squad travels to Grand Junction for a matchup with Colorado Mesa.

Scoring Summary
Qtr    Time                                        Scoring Play                   Score
1st   11:18 CSUP - Greg O'Donnell 21 yd field goal, 8-39 2:37 - CSUP, 3-0
       08:57 CSM - Matt Brown 21 yd pass from Joe Schneider (Avery Llewellyn kick), 9-75 2:21 - Mines, 7-3
       06:16 CSUP - R. Pfannenschmi 24 yd pass from Chris Bonner (Greg O'Donnell kick), 8-78 2:35 - CSUP, 10-7
2nd  10:56 CSUP - Marche Dennard 8 yd run (Greg O'Donnell kick), 2-34 0:18 - CSUP, 17-7
       05:06 CSUP - Chris Ashe 9 yd run (Greg O'Donnell kick), 10-62 3:32 - CSUP, 24-7
       01:21 CSUP - Stehly Reden 26 yd pass from Chris Bonner (Greg O'Donnell kick), 4-55 0:53 - CSUP, 31-7
3rd  07:48 CSUP - Chris Ashe 8 yd run (Greg O'Donnell kick), 2-38 0:11 - CSUP, 38-7
       03:33 CSM - Cole Spurgeon 29 yd pass from Joe Schneider (Avery Llewellyn kick), 7-64 2:07 - CSUP, 38-14
4th  14:08 CSUP - Greg O'Donnell 22 yd field goal, 14-70 4:25 - CSUP, 41-14
       10:58 CSM - Joe Schneider 3 yd run (Avery Llewellyn kick), 6-28 1:22 - CSUP, 41-21
       03:12 CSUP - Marche Dennard 5 yd run (Greg O'Donnell kick), 5-42 2:19 - CSUP, 48-21
       01:19 CSM - Ty Young 58 yd pass from Justin Dvorak (Avery Llewellyn kick), 5-75 1:53 CSUP, 48-28