Photo: Rob Ruben

GLENDORA, Calif. - #9 Colorado School of Mines was pushed in the second half by Azusa Pacific, but responded with a huge rushing night and four second-half takeaways to win 49-27 in non-conference play.

Michael Zeman torched the Cougars for 298 yards - the second-highest total in program history - and three touchdowns on the ground, while John Matocha went 26-for-31 for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the air while rushing for a career-high 108 yards and two touchdowns. 

The Oredigger defense produced four takeaways - all in the second half - to hold off a hard-charging APU (1-6) squad that had drawn within one score as late as the start of the fourth quarter. Tyrone Williams Jr. put up big numbers at quarterback for the Cougars throwing for 328 yards and three touchdowns, but also had two critical fourth-quarter interceptions. Mines held the Cougars to just 72 rushing yards.

The Orediggers scored on their first drive, marching 65 yards and converting on a one-yard Matocha keeper. APU got on the board midway through the quarter with a 35-yard Ramzee Jaridly field goal, but Matocha hit Sean O'Dell in the back corner for a 12-yard strike to extend the lead to 14-3 later in the first. Jaridly hit from 45 yards to open the second quarter, but Mines again responded to take a 21-6 lead into half after Josh Johnston hauled in a spectacular 25-yard touchdown catch with 1:42 left.

APU came out of halftime and produced points on a six-yard Williams completion to Jasiah Richard-Lewis, and Mines missed a field goal on their next possession after a 54-yard Zeman run put them into position for points. The Orediggers got the ball right back, however, when Jimmy Bauer pounced on an unforced fumble just outside the red zone, and Zeman scampered in four plays later to make it 27-13.

A screen pass by the Cougars turned into a 77-yard touchdown catch-and-run for Gil'Scott Jackson less than 20 seconds later, and that sparked a wild back-and-forth swing over the next 10 minutes. Matocha hauled a defender to the end zone with him to cap a 60-yard drive next, but APU struck again before the end of the third quarter as Bogardus' 51-yard reception drew them to within a score at 35-27.

Zeman uncorked a 63-yard touchdown run to open the fourth quarter and establish a 42-27 lead, and turnovers then began to take its toll on APU as they threw three interceptions in the final six minutes of the game. Jaden Williams picked off the first, preventing a touchdown with 5:43 left, and Mines marched the length of the field for Zeman to score his third of the night. Kobe Brewster jumped APU's next play with 3:33 remaining, and after Mines chewed up clock and turned it over on downs, it was a hit by Nolan Reeve that caused Jack Rice's pass to fall to Jack McAdams to seal the win.

NOTABLES
- Mines improved to 8-0 for only the fifth time in program history, and for the first time in back-to-back seasons (previously: 1898, 1939, 2004, 2018). 
- In total, Mines rushed for 395 yards, their best outing of the season and best rushing game since going off for 498 against Adams State in 2017.
- Matocha's 108 rushing yards made him first Mines quarterback to cross the century mark since Justin Dvorak went for 115 against South Dakota Mines in 2016.
- Matocha continued his prolific pass efficiency by completing 83.9 percent of his attempts. Sean O'Dell led all receivers with nine receptions on as many targets; Marson Karp had a team-high 52 yards as he caught all eight of his looks.
- Azusa Pacific's first touchdown in the third quarter snapped a streak of 11+ quarters of touchdown-free football by the Orediggers. They had not surrendered a TD since late in the third quarter of the Colorado Mesa game. 
- Zeman's 298 yards are second only to Cameron Mayberry's program-record 312 set at Adams State in 2017 in the history of single-game rushing performances at Mines.
- Jaden Williams led the defense with seven tackles plus his interception. RJ Phillips topped the front seven with six stops, a sack, and 2.0 tackles for loss.
- Mines wraps up their four-year non-conference agreement with Azusa Pacific going 3-1 against them.
- The win was Mines' first in the state of California since 1996 against Humboldt State.
- Although they were taking the week off from RMAC play, Mines got a little breathing room in the conference race as Chadron State dealt Dixie State their second loss of the year. Mines, at 7-0, lead the RMAC ahead of CSU-Pueblo (6-1) with Dixie State at 5-2.
- Gregg Brandon is now 5-1 in non-RMAC regular-season games.

NEXT UP
Mines turns around and returns to RMAC play at South Dakota Mines on Oct. 2.