GOLDEN, Colo. - A dominating defensive performance by Colorado School of Mines helped them upset #9 CSU-Pueblo, 35-21, to remain undefeated in 2018.

The Orediggers (3-0, 3-0 RMAC) held the Thunderwolves (2-1, 2-1 RMAC) to just 1-for-4 in the red zone, including Logan Bock's 90-yard scoop-and-score fumble return and Logan Braden's fumble recovery near the goal line in the third quarter. 

Cameron Mayberry ran for 203 yards and three touchdowns, but CSU-Pueblo - who led the nation in rushing with 390 yards per game heading into the game - was held to only 112 total yards on the ground and a 2.8-yard average.

Bock led the defense with a monster effort that included nine tackles, the fumble recovery and score, another caused fumble, and a sack. Averie Mansfield had 10 tackles with two for a loss and a forced fumble, while Geoff Keating sealed the game with an interception on CSUP's final drive.

It was a disastrous start for Mines as Kyle Rosenbrock intercepted a tipped pass on the game's second play and took it 23 yards to the house, but the Orediggers responded in a huge way two plays later as Mayberry found a seam  and scored a 70-yard touchdown to tie it 7-7. Mines picked up a crucial 4th-down stop at midfield on the Thunderwolves' next drive, and that set up a four-yard completion from Isaac Harker to Brody Oliver to go up 14-7. Mayberry broke loose later in the first quarter for a 58-yard score to make it 21-7 after a period. 

CSU-Pueblo missed opportunities to catch up in the second quarter, missing field goals from 49 and 38 yards and failing to capitalize on Rosenbrock's strip of Harker that was recovered at midfield by Michael Wristen.

Neither team would score again until the third when the Mines defense suddenly turned the tide. With CSUP knocking on the door at the Mines 8, Bernard McDondle was stripped of the ball by Averie Mansfield, and Bock picked it up and rumbled 90 yards to the house for a 28-14 lead. A fumble on the next drive, caused by Bock, was picked up by the Thunderwolves but effectively killed their drive, and Braden made his recovery later in the quarter to halt another scoring chance. With Pueblo inside the 10, Keating stripped quarterback AJ Thompson, and Braden returned it out to midfield to preserve the lead.

A clock-crunching 11-play, 41-drive ended with Mayberry's third touchdown of the game to begin the fourth quarter, but a big play from Brandon Edwards to McDondle for a 68-yard touchdown on CSUP's next drive cut it to 35-21. Mines got a stop on the next Thunderwolf possession, forcing two incompletions with goal to go on the Mines 5, and effectively killed the clock from there with Keating's late interception sealing it just before the buzzer.

NOTABLES
- It was the second consecutive time that Mines has beaten a top-10-ranked CSU-Pueblo team in Golden. The two teams have traded home wins over their last four games. Mines was receiving votes in this week's AFCA poll; CSUP was ranked #9 by both the AFCA and D2football.com.
- Mayberry crossed 2,000 career yards early in the game, and now has 2,197 in his career with 27 touchdowns. He has scored at least one touchdown in 12 consecutive games played.
- Mines won its 11th straight game at home and is now 16-2 overall at Marv Kay Stadium since 2015. The Orediggers have not lost at home since week 3 of the 2016 season.
- Harker had a relatively quiet day with 88 yards on 12-of-23 passing with a touchdown. Sean O'Dell led Mines receivers in catches for the second straight week with five for 35 yards, and Oliver had four for 32 yards and a score. 
- The Mines defense had 10 total tackles for loss, three sacks, and three turnovers. 
- Adam Leonard led the secondary with eight stops while Keating had seven tackles with 1.5 for a loss to go with his interception.
- Scott Marshall had a good day kicking, hitting every PAT and putting all six of his kickoffs into or out of the end zone for touchbacks. He was also called on to punt after an injury to Austin Toussaint and averaged 40.8 yards on six punts, including a booming 53-yarder that was downed inside the five on his first attempt. 

NEXT UP
Mines heads on the road to face New Mexico Highlands next Saturday.