ARVADA – Visiting and 12th-ranked CSU-Pueblo held the nation's top offense to a season-low 349 yards on the way to a 20-12 victory over the 11th-ranked Colorado School of Mines football team on Saturday at the North Area Athletic Complex.
Mines (7-1, 5-1 RMAC) saw its 11-game winning streak come to an end in the loss which had been tied with Ferris State (Mich.) for the longest in the nation. The three-time defending RMAC Champion ThunderWolves (7-1, 5-1 RMAC) also held Mines to less than 30 points for the first time this season. Mines had scored 40 or more points in six of seven games entering the matchup.
CSU-Pueblo scored 10 points off two Mines turnovers – all in the first half – including the first lead of the contest that came off an Oredigger interception on the opening drive. CSUP then took the ensuing drive 58 yards for a 7-0 lead, capped by a 2-yard touchdown run by Cameron McDondle.
The Orediggers got on the board with 14:10 remaining in the second quarter on a 47-yard field goal by junior Avery Llewellyn to cut the visitors' lead to 7-3.
A 15-yard touchdown pass from Chris Bonner to Kieren Duncan with 6:20 to play in the first half pushed CSUP's lead to 14-3, but another field goal by Llewellyn, this time a 33-yarder, cut the lead to 14-6 with 1:18 to play in the half.
A missed 28-yard field goal by Greg O'Donnell gave Mines life on its own 20-yard line with 30 seconds to play in the first half, but quarterback Justin Dvorak was sacked by reigning Gene Upshaw Award winner Darius Allen, who forced and recovered a fumble on the Mines 26 yard line with three seconds remaining. Greg O'Donnell hit a 43-yarder as time expired to close the first half with CSUP up 17-6.
O'Donnell opened up the second-half scoring with a 29-yard field goal with 9:25 to play in the third quarter to push the ThunderWolves' lead to 20-6.
The Orediggers finally got into the end zone with 4:52 remaining in contest when Dvorak capped a 10-play, 91-yard drive with an 8-yard pass to Diamond Gillis. The Orediggers would miss the point-after attempt, leaving the score at 20-12.
After forcing a three-and-out by CSUP, Mines then mounted a drive into opponent's territory before facing a 4th&1 at the ThunderWolves' 35-yard line. The pass attempt would fall incomplete, allowing CSUP to run out the clock.
Dvorak finished 35-for-47 through the air with 276 yards, a touchdown and an interception while also carrying 13 times for four yards. He rushed for 33 yards but lost 29 on four sacks by CSUP.
Tevin Champagne carried 11 times for 58 yards while also catching nine passes for an additional 74 yards. Gillis added eight receptions for 56 yards and Jimmy Ellis posted 40 yards on eight catches.
Cole Spurgeon caught five passes for 63 yards on Saturday as well.
Senior Kole Kadavy led Mines' defensive efforts with 18 tackles (six solo) and 2.0 tackles for loss. Emmanuel Graves added nine tackles (three solo) and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Senior Ian McFadden added eight stops (three solo), 0.5 tackle for loss and a forced fumble. Shawn Kobylinski and Billy Sprague were credited with seven stops each, with Sprague notching a sack and Kobylinski adding a pair of pass breakups and 0.5 tackle for loss.
Llewellyn made 2-of-3 field goals attempts during the contest and also punted five times for 278 yards for a 55.6-yard average.
Mines will look to rebound next Saturday when the squad hosts Colorado Mesa (5-2, 4-1 RMAC) in the latest installment of the Nyikos Cup series. The Mavericks face Fort Lewis on Saturday evening in Grand Junction.
Saturday's kickoff is slated for 11 a.m.
