Colorado School of Mines vs. #9 CSU-Pueblo, Saturday, 12 p.m.
Marv Kay Stadium at Campbell Field, Golden, Colo.
[Streaming: RMAC Network] [Live Stats] [Mines Media Notes]
 

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With both teams entering undefeated, Mines hosts rival #9 CSU-Pueblo this Saturday in an early-season game that could have a major impact on the RMAC title chase.

WATCH US
Every Mines game this season will be seen live and for free on the RMAC Network at minesathletics.com/tv. Fans can also watch on their smart TV by searching "RMAC" in the app store of their Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire device.

TICKETS
Walk-up tickets are available at Gates 1 (12th Street home side) and Gate 3 (11th Street visitor's side), cash or charge. Tickets are $15 for reserved seating, $10 general admission, $5 for military, seniors, and children 17 and under, and free for Mines students with Blaster Card and faculty/staff with pass.

WEATHER REPORT
Hot and sunny with highs in the upper 80s, and no chance of precipitation.

BY THE NUMBERS
3,043 - career receiving yards by Brody Oliver, making him the 9th player in RMAC and second in Mines history to reach 3,000
371.5 - passing yards per game for Mines, which ranks 4th in NCAA Division II this season
13.5 - points per game allowed by the Mines defense over the first two games of the season
11 - consecutive games played by Cameron Mayberry while scoring at least one touchdown
2 - straight RMAC Offensive Players of the Week for Mines - receiver Brody Oliver and quarterback Isaac Harker

THE MINES VS. CSU-PUEBLO SERIES
CSU-Pueblo (formerly Southern Colorado) holds an 18-9 series advantage dating back to 1964 ... The two have alternated wins the last three years with each winning at home ... The last 10 games in the series are 6-4 in favor of CSUP ... None of the last three meetings have been close, with the Thunderwolves winning 49-21 in 2015 and 38-7 in 2017, and Mines 57-21 in 2016 ... Six of the last seven games have been decided by two or more scores.

IN THE POLLS
Mines continued to receive votes in this week's AFCA Top 25 poll, and were the first team not ranked with 67 points. CSU-Pueblo moved up to #9 with 531 points. The Orediggers had also appeared in the top 25 of two magazine rankings earlier in the summer with a #17 showing in Lindy's and #25 in Street & Smith's.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME
With the week 1 win over Adams State, Mines ran its home winning streak to 10 games. The Orediggers have not lost at Marv Kay Stadium since week 3 of the 2016 season, and are 15-2 overall since the facility opened in 2015.

GROUND VS. AIR
Offensively, the Mines-CSUP match-up is one of run vs. pass. The Thunderwolves own the nation's #1 rushing offense at 390.5 yards per game, led by the triple threat of Marché Dennard (139.5 ypg), Austin Micci (115 ypg), and Bernard McDondle (80 ypg). Mines, however, has the nation's #4 passing offense as Isaac Harker has produced 371 yards per game with an NCAA-best 8 touchdowns, and Brody Oliver leads NCAA Division II in both receiving yards (372) and touchdowns (7). Defensively, CSU-Pueblo and Mines are tied for the RMAC's best total defense at 13.5 points per game, with Mines second in rushing defense (94.0 ypg) and Pueblo fifth in passing defense (178 ypg).

OLIVER MOVES UP THE RECORD BOOK
Brody Oliver has racked up huge numbers this season, and as a result he's attacking several Mines and RMAC career records. Already the Mines career touchdowns leader, Oliver's 45 career TD grabs ranks third in RMAC history as he approaches the record of 50 held by Richie Ross (Nebraska-Kearney, 2002-05). Last week, Oliver became only the ninth player in RMAC history (and second Oredigger) to cross 3,000 receiving yards, and his 3,043 yards are approaching Justin Gallas' Mines record of 3,561 compiled from 2002 to 2005. 

RMAC CAREER RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS
1. 50, Richie Ross, Nebraska-Kearney (2002-05)    
2. 47, Anthony Edwards, N.M. Highlands (1984-88)    
3. 45, Brody Oliver, Mines (2015-pres.)    
4. 38, Kyle Kaiser, Nebraska-Kearney  (2007-10)    
5. 35, Tyrone Johnson, Western State (1990-93)    

RMAC CAREER RECEIVING YARDS
1. 4882, Richie Ross, Nebraska-Kearney (2002-2005)    
2. 3996, Anthony Edwards, N.M. Highlands (1984-1988)    
3. 3717, Tyrone Johnson, Western State (1990-1993)    
4. 3687, Johnny Cox, Fort Lewis (1990-1993)    
5. 3561, Justin Gallas, Mines (2002-2005)    
6. 3355, Kyle Kaiser, Nebraska-Kearney (2007-2010)    
7. 3266, Trevor Weston, Nebraska-Kearney (1997-2000)    
8. 3144, Donald Byrd, Western N.M. (2011-2014)    
9. 3043, Brody Oliver, Mines (2015-pres.)    
10. 2975, Mike Smith, Nebraska-Kearney (1994-1997)    

HARKER EARNS RMAC HONOR, LEADS D-II
Quarterback Isaac Harker threw for 425 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for two more, at Black Hills State, and that earned him RMAC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Mines is 2-for-2 on the award after Brody Oliver (also the D2football.com national player of the week after the Adams State game) won it in week 1. At Black Hills State, Harker was 27-of-40 (67.5%) as he threw touchdowns of 17, 60, and 29 yards in a little over three quarters of action. He produced two 100-yard receivers (Oliver, 174, and Riley Hoff, 129) in the game. A graduate transfer from Indiana State, Harker leads NCAA Division II this season with eight passing touchdowns and 60 points responsible for, and ranks fourth in passing yards (371.0 per game). 

BIG PLAY BURROS
Mines' explosive passing game has produced big plays left and right as Isaac Harker is averaging a healthy 15.1 yards per completion this season. In two games, Mines has produced four 20+ yard touchdowns, including 67- and 60-yarders by Brody Oliver against Adams State and Black Hills State, respectively. Harker has also racked up big non-scoring completions of 60 yards (to Riley Hoff), 34 yards (to Oliver), and of 36 yards (to Sean O'Dell) against Adams State.

MAYBERRY EXTENDS TD STREAK
Cameron Mayberry had a relatively quiet day (by his standards, anyway) at Black Hills State, racking up 89 yards and a touchdowns on 21 carries. That snapped a streak of five straight 100+ yard games, but extended his consecutive touchdown streak to 11 games. In those 11 games, Mayberry has found the end zone 21 times. At 1,994 career yards, Mayberry will likely surpass 2,000 yards this week.

O-LINE WINNING TRENCH BATTLES
Mines' offensive line had only two starters returning at their position this preseason (LT Riley Miller and LG Jason van de Graaf) and first-time but experienced starters at center (Cody Ullestad), right guard (Joey Roselli), and right tackle (Grant Stewart); Stewart was all-RMAC a year ago at center but was taking his first snaps at tackle last week. Despite the personnel shuffle, the unit has been outstanding to start the season. They've helped the Orediggers compile the RMAC's #1 total offense at 531 yards per game, and have kept Isaac Harker clean with only one sack surrendered on 77 passing downs.

SHUT-DOWN SECONDARY
The Orediggers secondary has impressed early this season against a pair of pass-first teams, collectively producing 12 pass break-ups and three interceptions, and corner Anthony Makransky and safety Geoff Keating co-lead the team with 12 tackles. The most recent pick came thanks to safety Adam Leonard, who after missing all of 2017 and most of 2016 due to injury, jumped a long pass at Black Hills State for his first interception since week 3 of the 2015 season against Chadron State. 

DEFENSE LEADS THE RMAC
The Mines defense has been stout this season, leading the RMAC in total defense (248 yards allowed per game) and tied for the lead in scoring defense (13.5 ppg). Anthony Makransky, Geoff Keating, and Grant Gale co-lead the team with 12 tackles each, while Keating, Adam Leonard, and Kobe Brewster each have interceptions.

GET OFF THE FIELD
One thing the Mines defense has been very good at this year is getting off the field. The Orediggers have held opponents to 34.3 percent on third-down chances (12-of-35) and 28.6 percent on fourth down (2-of-7) to force five turnovers on downs and 13 punts through two games.

GIVE THEM THE BOOT
Through two games this season, Mines has punted the fewest times (8) of any RMAC school. But when called upon, Austin Toussaint has continued to be outstanding. Although his average of 39.4 yards per punt is in the middle of the RMAC pack, it's really about field position and limiting returns: four of his 8 punts have been inside the 20 (the second-highest percentage in the RMAC) and Mines' net punting of 37.1 is third in the league.

LAST YEAR VS. CSU-PUEBLO
Mines and CSUP last meet in the 2017 season opener as then-#12 CSU-Pueblo used opportunistic offense and a big second half to pull away and beat then-#16 Mines 38-7. The game suffered a nearly two-hour lightning delay. Tied 7-7 in the second quarter, CSU-Pueblo scored the final 31 points of the game as Austin Miccio ran for one touchdown and caught another. The Thunderwolves rushed for 237 yards. Brody Oliver was Mines' offensive highlight with 142 yards receiving on nine catches and Riley Hoff caught Mines' lone touchdown from Ben Bottlinger.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will visit New Mexico Highlands on Sept. 22 and return home to play Colorado Mesa Sept. 28 for Homecoming.