GOLDEN, Colo. - #8 Colorado School of Mines won back-to-back RMAC titles for the first time in program history, outlasting Dixie State 35-27 to improve to 10-0.

The Orediggers (10-0, 9-0 RMAC) are ensured at least a share of the conference crown with one game left in the regular season at Chadron State. It was a match-up of two top-10 regionally-ranked teams as Mines entered the weekend #3 in Super Region 4 and Dixie State (7-3, 6-3 RMAC) faced a must-win game ranked #10.

Mines scored twice around halftime to overcome a deficit as John Matocha and Garrett Hyles had touchdowns, and Michael Zeman's 75-yard scoring run late in the third and Sean O'Dell's eight-yard reverse run put the game away.

Zeman ran for 183 yards and a touchdown while Matocha, held to 117 yards and two touchdowns in the air, made things happen on the ground with 95 net yards and a score. Dixie State passed for 354 yards as Keaton Mott went for 279 before departing the game injured in the third; Mines got to backup Tanner Hammond with two sacks as they limited him to 4-for-10 for 75 yards. Dejuan Dantzler caught 10 passes for 234 yards in an impressive day at receiver for DSU. 

Mines' back-to-back RMAC titles are their first ever. Prior to the formation of the RMAC, the Orediggers won consecutive Colorado Football Association titles in 1906 and 1907, the last time they won two conference titles of any type in a row.

The Orediggers got on the board first with a methodical 14-play drive capped by a three-yard Josh Johnston fly sweep for the only score of the first quarter, but Dixie State scored 17 straight points to take the lead in the second. D'Arman Notoa bounced up the middle for a 19-yard score to finish an 86-yard drive early in the quarter before Mott found Dejuan Dantzler for a 77-yard catch-and-run and a 14-7 lead. James Baird hit a 31-yard field goal to make it 17-7, but Matocha orchestrated a masterful drive just before halftime, scoring on a 30-yard scramble to head into the locker room down 17-14.

Kobe Brewster picked off Mott in the end zone to stop the opening series of the second half, and that sparked Mines' go-ahead touchdown as a 48-yard Zeman rush set the stage for Matocha's 19-yard floater to Garrett Hyles for the go-ahead score. A blocked Mines punt gave Dixie State terrific field position, but the Mines defense limited DSU to a 22-yard Baird field goal to cut it to 21-20; Mines needed just one play to respond as Zeman broke loose on first down and sprinted 75 yards to the house to lead 28-20.

The Trailblazers opened the fourth with another big Dantzler catch, a 60-yard strike from Hammond, to set up Kannely-Robles' three-yard rushing touchdown. That would be DSU's final points as a big turnover and several defense stops marked the fourth quarter: Mines' punt on the ensuing drive was fumbled by Dantzler and picked up by Zach peterson, allowing Sean O'Dell to score on a 4th-and-5 reverse to lead 35-27 with 3:05 left, and Mines forced a three-and-out and then three straight incompletions on consecutive series to end the game.

NOTABLES
- The Orediggers are 10-0 for only the second time in program history, after they also won the RMAC crown in 2004.
- The RMAC championship is Mines' 13th overall.
- Mines solidified its hold on the #3 spot in the Super Region IV rankings as both Tarleton State and Minnesota State won above them. Notable losses among SR4 top-10 teams including Angelo state, 20-17 to Eastern New Mexico, and Winona State, 26-25 to Augustana.
- Despite making only his fourth career start, Zeman crossed 1,000 yards for the season (1,064) to become the seventh player in program history to reach the mark. It's the ninth 1,000-yard season overall by an Oredigger and the sixth straight season Mines has had one. 
- In likely their final meeting before Dixie State leaves for NCAA Division I, the Orediggers finish their series at 3-1.
- Mines status as the nation's best third-down defense continued as Dixie State was just 4-of-15 on third and 1-of-4 on fourth down.
- The Mines offensive line, in addition to producing 286 yards rushing, held D-II's #1 sack-producing team to just two, their lowest total of the year.
- Mason Pierce led the defense with 11 tackles including two break-ups. Nolan Reeve, Scott Adams, Brockton Sterling, and Jack McAdams had sacks.
- Punter Austin Toussaint was absolutely outstanding averaging 46.6 yards on nine punts including a career-long roller of 79 yards and three over 50 in total. He put five of his nine inside the 20. 

NEXT UP
Mines heads to Chadron State to wrap the regular season on Nov. 16.