Box Score HOW IT HAPPENED
Four Oredigger turnovers cost #12 Colorado School of Mines as #19 Colorado Mesa captured the Nyikos Cup with a 31-17 win in Grand Junction.
Mines (7-2, 5-2 RMAC) had its bright spots, including a 135-yard day by Sam Seeton and a number of key defensive stops, but the giveaways ultimately cost them as the Mavericks (8-1, 7-0 RMAC) produced a pair of interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
CMU scored right off the bat with Jackson's Burrell's 40-yard pick-six on the game's opening drive, then added another first-quarter score with Blaine Jackson's 35-yard touchdown catch from Sean Rubalcaba. Mines got on the board with Yoshihara's 22-yard pass to Nate Wiemers, but CMU capped a 75-yard drive with David Tann's 1-yard plunge to lead 21-6 with 2:19 left in the half.
That was just enough time for the Orediggers, who ran the two-minute drill to perfection with a pair of fourth-down conversions on the way to Seeton's seven-yard score.
Mines knocked on the door to start the second half after Yoshihara's 45-yard completion to Jimmy Ellis put them in the red zone, but Tony White's interception in the end zone and 90-yard return swung the game back. The CSM defense held, however, and the Mavericks settled for a field goal to lead 24-14.
Another promising drive was halted by Brandon Farmer's midfield fumble – forced by White – but Mines got the ball back and put three points on the board with Avery Llewellyn's 30-yard field, cutting the Mav lead to 24-17.
A 74-yard touchdown catch by Virnel Moon on the next drive halted any momentum the Orediggers had built, and Farmer's goal line fumble forced by Zac Owen gave CMU the ball back midway through the quarter. Mines got a stop, but was forced to punt deep in their own territory and never got the ball back as Mesa killed the final 3:45 on the ground.
NOTABLES
- The start at quarterback was the first of Steven Yoshihara's career. He went 19-for-34 for 227 yards and a touchdown.
- Farmer had a career-high 89 yards rushing and caught a pass for 12 yards.
- Ty Young and Jimmy Ellis led the receivers with 85 and 81 yards, respectively. Young had a game-high eight catches.
- Andrew Renfrew led the Mines defense with eight tackles and a hurry. Emmanuel Graves had a solo sack and Tommy Hoskins and Dallas Fields combined for another.
- Mines' 21 points was the second-most allowed by Mesa this season. The Mavs came in as the NCAA's second-ranked scoring defense.
- The Orediggers had 461 yards of total offense and for the first time this year had more on the ground (234) than in the air (227). CSM also held a wide first-downs margin at 28-15 and possessed the ball for 33:05.
- Penalties hurt both teams; Mesa was flagged 13 times for 107 yards, and Mines seven times for 87.
- Colorado Mesa won the Nyikos Cup for the first time since its establishment in 2010. The cup was dedicated in honor of Dr. Michael Nyikos, a distinguished administrator at both Mines and CMU who passed away in 2009.
NEXT UP
Mines returns to Marv Kay Stadium for the final time in 2015 to host Western State Nov. 7 at noon.
