#14 Colorado School of Mines vs. #24 Colorado Mesa, Saturday, 12 p.m.
Marv Kay Stadium at Campbell Field, Golden, Colo.
[Streaming: RMAC Network] [Live Stats] [Mines Media Notes] [Homecoming Schedule]
 

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In what could prove to be a crucial game in determining the RMAC championship, #14 Mines hosts #24 Colorado Mesa on Homecoming weekend looking to stay atop the league standings.

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.

PARKING
Fans are reminded that Lot K, located next to Stermole Soccer Stadium, is $10 per car on game days and opens at 10 a.m. Fans may also park anywhere else on campus or in Golden municipal parking. Handicap parking is available in Lot L (12th and Maple Streets) on a first-come, first-served basis, and handicap drop-off is also available there.

WEATHER REPORT
It should be a beautiful day for football with forecast highs around 80 degrees and mostly sunny skies.

BY THE NUMBERS
743 - days since Mines lost a game at Marv Kay Stadium
48 - career receiving touchdowns by Brody Oliver, two away from tying the RMAC record of 50
15.5 - points per game allowed by the Mines defense this season, which leads the RMAC
8 - defensive points produced in the last two games, with a touchdown by Logan Bock vs. CSU-Pueblo and a safety at NMHU
5 - sacks allowed in four games by the offensive line, the fewest in the RMAC

IN THE POLLS
Mines broke into the AFCA Top 25 poll last week at #17, and moved up three spots this week to a tie for #14. Colorado Mesa appears at #24, while CSU-Pueblo moved up to #15 after beating then-#1 Texas A&M-Commerce.Mines' non-conference opponent on Oct. 20, Azusa Pacific, is receiving votes as well.

LAST WEEK
Mines handled New Mexico Highlands' high-powered offense, beating the Cowboys 43-14 on the road to take over sole possession of first place in the RMAC. The Orediggers fired on all cylinders as the offense racked up 629 yards of total offense and the defense held NMHU's offense to a single touchdown. Isaac Harker threw for 360 yards and four touchdowns, two of them to Brody Oliver, and rushed for another score, while Cameron Mayberry ran for 135 yards and a score to lead Mines' offense. Harker produced a pair of 100-yard receivers in Oliver (135) and Riley Hoff (106), with Hoff and Sean O'Dell also catching touchdowns. The Mines defense held a Cowboy team that was averaging 44.3 points a game to just a single offensive touchdown, and also generated a third-quarter safety by Averie Mansfield and Logan Bock. Logan Braden led the Orediggers with six tackles while Mansfield had five with 2.5 for a loss and Anthony Makransky had five stops.

OREDIGGERS ON TOP OF THE RMAC
With last week's win at New Mexico Highlands and Chadron State's upset of Colorado Mesa, Mines is the lone remaining unbeaten team in the RMAC at 4-0. Chadron State and Dixie State are 3-1, with Mesa and CSU-Pueblo at 2-1. Full RMAC standings

THE NYIKOS CUP
The alumni associations of Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Mesa established the Nyikos Cup in 2010 in honor of Dr. Michael Nyikos, who was Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Mesa, as well as Vice President of Student Affairs and External Relations at Mines. In February 2002 Dr. Nyikos was appointed to the Mines Board of Trustees, and reappointed in March 2006. He served as Chairman of the Board, and was also a member of the Board of the Mines Foundation until his death in February 2009.

NYIKOS CUP ALL-TIME RESULTS
2010    Mines 46, Mesa State 10         
2011    Mines 28, Colorado Mesa 20      
2012     Mines 37, Colorado Mesa 7     
2013     Mines 27, Colorado Mesa 10         
2014     Mines 37, Colorado Mesa 23    
2015     Colorado Mesa 31, Mines 17        
2016    Colorado Mesa 41, Mines 40 (OT)    
2017    Colorado Mesa 38, Mines 36      

NO PLACE LIKE HOME
With the week 3 win over CSU-Pueblo, Mines ran its home winning streak to 11 games. The Orediggers have not lost at Marv Kay Stadium since falling to Colorado Mesa in week 3 of the 2016 season, and are 16-2 overall since the facility opened in 2015.

MAYBERRY KEEPS TD STREAK, EYES MINES MARK
Cameron Mayberry racked up yet another 100+ yard day against New Mexico Highlands, going for 135 yards on only 17 carries with a touchdown. His day extended a streak of 13 consecutive games with a touchdown for Mayberry; in those 13 games, Mayberry has found the end zone 25 times. Mayberry could make history in the coming weeks as he is closing in on the Mines record of 2,576 career yards held by Greg Marshall (1989-92). With 2,332 yards in essentially a season and a half of play, Mayberry is 244 yards away from the record.

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 moved into second all-time in RMAC history with his 48th career score at NMHU last week and he is approaching the record of 50 held by Richie Ross (Nebraska-Kearney, 2002-05). In week 2, Oliver became only the ninth player in RMAC history (and second Oredigger) to cross 3,000 receiving yards, and his 3,210 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. 48, Brody Oliver, Mines (2015-pres.)    
3. 47, Anthony Edwards, N.M. Highlands (1984-88)    
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. 3210, Brody Oliver, Mines (2015-pres.)    
9. 3144, Donald Byrd, Western N.M. (2011-2014)    
10. 2975, Mike Smith, Nebraska-Kearney (1994-1997)    

LEADING THE WAY
Mines finds itself all over the NCAA statistical rankings this season, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Brody Oliver leads NCAA Division II in receiving touchdowns (10) and points scored (60) while ranking third in receiving yards (539) and 14th in receptions per game (7.0). Cameron Mayberry is third in D-II in rushing yards (564) and eighth in rushing touchdowns (7). Meanwhile Isaac Harker is in the national top-10 in multiple categories, including passing TDs (13, 3rd), yards (1,190, 9th), points responsible for (96, 4th), and efficiency (173.5, 8th).

HARKER'S DECEPTIVE PRODUCTION
This season, quarterback Isaac Harker has been outstanding, leading the RMAC in completion percentage (65.9%), yards (1,190), touchdowns (13), and efficiency (173.5). But that's all even more impressive when you consider that, between lightning-shortened games and blowouts, Harker has only played a little over three games' worth of football this year, with the CSU-Pueblo game his only full outing. If you worked out "per-60" averages for Harker, he'd be closer to 1,465 yards, 16 passing touchdowns, and four total touchdowns in four games.

MR. FOURTH DOWN
Riley Hoff has continued to be a key part of the Mines passing game this year, catching 17 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns. But more valuable than his production has been WHEN he's catching passes - both of Hoff's touchdowns this season have come on 4th down. He caught a 29-yard pass from Isaac Harker on 4th and 11 at Black Hills State, then added a 14-yard jump ball on a 4th-and-2 situation at New Mexico Highlands last week. Hoff has personally accounted for half of Mines' four fourth-down conversions this season, with rushes by Harker and Michael Zeman producing for the other two.

IT STARTS UP FRONT
Mines has been known for its high-octane offenses over the years, but the Orediggers have never had an offense quite as balanced or as versatile as what they've shown in 2018. Mines ranks #12 in NCAA Division II in total offense, but is #43 in rushing and #16 in passing. In either case, it all starts with the offensive line: the unit has kept Mines clean no matter what they're doing, allowing an RMAC-low five sacks in four games, and ranking 31st in D-II in tackles for loss allowed (5.0 per game). Behind the line, Mines is averaging some healthy per-attempt numbers with 4.7 yards per rush and 8.7 yards per pass attempt.

BIG PLAY BURROS
Everybody knows that Orediggers love blowing things up - Mines has an explosives club, after all. That pyrotechnic proclivity has transferred to the football field this year as Mines has produced big plays left and right. In four games, Mines has produced 10 20+ yard touchdowns, including five of 50+ yards. Mines' longest scoring plays of the year thus far are:

90 - Logan Bock fumble recovery (vs. CSU-Pueblo)    
70 - Cameron Mayberry run (vs. CSU-Pueblo)    
67 - Brody Oliver pass from Isaac Harker (vs. Adams State)    
60 - Brody Oliver pass from Isaac Harker (at Black Hills State)    
58 - Cameron Mayberry run (vs. CSU-Pueblo)    
47 - Brody Oliver pass from Isaac Harker (at N.M. Highlands)    

BINGO?
Linebacker Logan Bock has seemingly done it all for Mines' defense this season. The redshirt senior has been a force with 18 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, and 2.0 sacks. Bock also has a chance this season to complete a rare defensive "bingo" - if he can snag an interception, he would have at least one of every major defensive statistic (tackle, sack, interception, break-up, forced fumble, fumble recovery, kick block, and safety). Bock already has two forced fumbles, one recovery, two break-ups, a kick block, and a safety this season, as well as a defensive touchdown. The last Orediggers to come close were Dean Wenger in 2017 and Kole Kadavy in 2014; both were a safety short of the bingo.

THE SAFETY DANCE
When Averie Mansfield and Logan Bock pushed NMHU running back Kamari Mosby out of the side of the end zone last week, it marked Mines' first safety in more than two years, since Michael Kelso had one against CSU-Pueblo in the opening game of the 2016 season. It was also the second straight week that Bock had a hand in defensive points after his fumble return for a touchdown against CSU-Pueblo.

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 30.3 percent on third-down chances (20-of-66) and 26.7 percent on fourth down (4-of-15) to force 11 turnovers on downs and 26 punts. Even more impressive has been the red zone defense; through four games, opponents have made only 10 trips inside Mines' 20 (Adams State had none, Black Hills State and CSU-Pueblo four each, and NMHU two) and scored on only six of them, including 1-for-4 against CSUP.

MINES VS. MESA
Colorado Mesa (formerly Mesa State) holds a 31-11 advantage in the all-time series against Mines ... The two first met in 1975, a 21-7 Mines win ... CMU has won the last three in the series, including a 41-40 overtime win in Golden in 2016 and a 38-36 comeback victory in Grand Junction last year ... Mines is 6-4 against CMU in the last 10 meetings ... The two teams play for the Nyikos Cup, named in honor of Dr. Michael Nyikos, who served as an administrator at both schools ... Since its dedication in 2010, Mines has won five Nyikos Cup games with CMU winning three.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will hit the road for two straight games, visiting Western Colorado on Oct. 6 and Fort Lewis on Oct. 13.