Box Score PUEBLO, Colo. - #12 CSU-Pueblo used opportunistic offense and a big second half to pull away and beat #16 Colorado School of Mines 38-7 in the season opener on Thursday.

For the second consecutive season, the two teams had to sit through a lengthy first-half lightning delay, but unlike Mines' 2016 romp, it was the Thunderwolves who came out of the break hotter as they scored 31 unanswered points to end the game.

With the hosts up 7-0 after a quarter, lightning in the area halted the game for more than two hours. Out of the break, Mines struck quickly as Riley Hoff caught Ben Bottlinger's first career touchdown pass from 16 yards out to cap a 90-yard drive and tie it up 7-7 midway through the second quarter.

The momentum quickly shifted, however, as CSU-Pueblo had a couple of short fields to capitalize on. A tip drill interception by Dominic Sesay put Pueblo inside the red zone for a first-play touchdown, and a partially blocked punt just before halftime set the Thunderwolves up inside Mines territory to go up 21-7 at the game's second break.

CSUP piled it on the second half with a 25-yard Ammon Johnson catch, Josh Smith's 21-yard touchdown catch, and a 26-yard Mitchell Carter field goal to set the final at 38-7.

Bottlinger got his first career start under center and was 17-of-32 for 217 yards and a touchdown. His go-to target was returning All-American Brody Oliver, who had game highs with nine catches and 142 yards, with Hoff catching Mines' lone score among his five catches. Cameron Mayberry shouldered the bulk of the run game with a hard-fought 25-carry, 70-yard night.

The Thunderwolves put out a balanced offense with five runners compiling 25+ yards led by Austin Micci's 65 on 12 carries. Brandon Edwards (13-of-19, 152 yards, 2 TDs) and AJ Thompson (5-of-9, 76 yards, 2 TDs) split quarterback duties.

James Kohlschmidt led Mines defensively with 13 tackles, while Tyler Mahan had eight stops.

Mines will open up at home Sept. 9 against New Mexico Highlands at noon.