ST. GEORGE, Utah - Dixie State's last-minute touchdown spoiled a comeback effort by Colorado School of Mines as the Trailblazers upset the Orediggers 52-45.

The Trailblazers (6-4, 6-3 RMAC) were unstoppable in the air as Michael Sanders threw for 553 yards and five touchdowns. Mines (9-1, 8-1 RMAC) suffered its first loss of the season but will still have a chance to clinch a share of the RMAC title next week against Chadron State.

Cameron Mayberry rushed for 224 yards and two touchdowns and Isaac Harker threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns, two going to Riley Hoff.

The Orediggers played from behind virtually the entire game; Mines scored on the opening drive on a six-yard Hoff catch, but Trayvon Watson returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards to tie it up, and after DSU's A.J. Yergensen and Mines' Scott Marshall traded field goals, it was 10-10 to end the first.

Mines went back on top at 17-10 on Brandon Farmer's 1-yard punch-in tos tart the second quarter, but Dixie State scored two unanswered touchdowns before halftime as Dejuan Santzler and Isaiah Wooden both caught long balls from Sanders to make it 24-17 at the break.

Dixie State got the ball first in the second half and scored on another long Dantzler catch to lead 30-17, and after Hoff caught his second, DSU's Lawrence Starks ran in from eight yards to make it 38-24. Mines had a quarter left to catch up, and they did it twice to give themselves a chance. Harker found David Sommers on 4th-and-10 from the 18 to cut the deficit to 38-31, and a quick out on defense led to Mayberry getting in from 16 yards out to tie it 38-38.

From there it was a case of who would score last. Dixie State retook the lead with 6:50 remaining on a Dantzler 10-yard catch, but Mayberry broke loose on a 35-yard run from 4th-and-1 on the next drive to again level the game 45-45. Mines forced a three-and-out but an interception in the end zone ended their attempt to take the lead; Dixie State drove the field and had a chance to win with 36 seconds left before Yergensen missed wide left from 18 yards on the field goal try.

That gave Mines a chance to win or at least head to overtime, but Dixie State's Abraham Reinhardt intercepted Harker on the first play of the drive, and Sanders found Xavier Smith in the end zone on the next play to take the lead. Mines had 24 seconds left to find a miracle and made it to midfield on a 31-yard Hoff catch, but the Orediggers ran out of time in their last comeback attempt.

NOTABLES
- Mayberry had one of the best all-around games of his career, rushing for 224 yards on 28 carries and also catching three passes for 74 yards for a 298-yard all-purpose yardage tally.
- Hoff led Mines receivers with 106 yards.
- Dantzler ended up with 241 yards and three touchdowns in the air for DSU. 
- Dixie State racked up 692 yards of total offense to Mines' 626. 
- Mack Minnehan had a team-high seven tackles with one for a loss. 
- Anthony Makransky forced a late fumble and also had six tackles and three break-ups. Geoff Keating had the fumble recovery. 
- Mines will have a chance to clinch a share of the RMAC championship in the regular-season finale next week. CSU-Pueblo is the other one-loss team left in the conference.

NEXT UP
Mines will close the regular season at home against Chadron State Nov. 10 at noon. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3.