ALAMOSA, Colo. - #17 Colorado School of Mines rode its run game and a dominating front seven to beat Adams State, 41-10, in the 2019 season opener.

The Orediggers (1-0, 1-0 RMAC) received three touchdowns and 178 yards of total offense from Cameron Mayberry, while stuffing the Grizzlies (0-1, 0-1 RMAC) for -22 yards on the ground and 17 tackles behind the line. Mines produced two interceptions, including Logan Braden's 41-yard pick-six.

The game was halted for more than two hours due to thunderstorms, with Mines leading 20-3 at the interruption just before halftime.

An early Mack Minnehan interception was cancelled out by a fumbled handoff, but the Mines defense held at the goal line to limit the Grizzlies to a 20-yard field goal after they drove nearly the length of the field. 

Mines responded immediately with Mayberry's first touchdown, a 40-yard slip off the right edge that gave the visitors a 7-3 lead. Scott Marshall's 24-yard field goal extended the lead to 10-3 on the first play of the second quarter, and a long reception by Josh Johnston set up a five-yard scoring tote for Mayberry later in the quarter to lead 20-3.

Neither team looked in synch coming out of the lightning delay but it was Mines that quickly shifted the momentum in the span of two plays. They relied on the run game to again get in position for Mayberry's third score, a five-yard dive, and then on the first play of ASU's series, Braden's interception and 41-yard touchdown return made it 34-3 in the span of less than 30 seconds.

Adams State took a shot on a long pass to score their lone touchdown late in the third quarter, a 69-yard Sohail Mohsini pass to Tariq Bitson, but Ben Bottlinger scored on Mines' next offensive series with a 23-yard scramble off a free play to lead 41-10. It was clean-up duty in the fourth quarter as Travis Lockhart saw time under center and Mines sealed the win.

NOTABLES
- It was the fourth straight season opener marred by a lightning delay. Mines' win over Adams State last year in Golden was ended after a little more than three quarters due to weather, and the Orediggers also played lightning-delayed contests against CSU-Pueblo in 2016 and 2017.
- The delay hit with 1:48 remaining in the second quarter; the teams skipped halftime after resuming play. The delay lasted approximately 2:20 with play resuming at 4:35 p.m.
- Mines won their seventh straight over Adams State, their longest winning streak in the series. The Orediggers have scored at least 40 points in all seven of those games.
- Mayberry is now within one touchdown of tying the Mines career record of 48 owned by Greg Marshall. Mayberry entered the day as NCAA Division II's active touchdowns leader.
- Mayberry put together his 17th career 100+ yard rushing game (138 yards) and third against Adams State. All told, Mayberry rushed for 587 yards and eight touchdowns in his career against ASU.
- Ben Bottlinger was 15-for-34 for 180 yards, and he ran for a 23-yard touchdown. Sean O'Dell was his favorite target with six catches for 41 yards.
- Logan Braden's interception was the fifth of his career and his first pick-six.
- In his first game back after missing all of 2018 due to injury, nose tackle Scott Adams co-led the team with five total tackles including two sacks and four tackles for loss.
- James Kohlschmidt and Nolan Reeve also added sacks as Kohlschmidt made three stops behind the line.
- Mason Pierce, Evan Alexander, Kohlschmidt, and Adams all made five tackles with at least one for a loss. Nine different Orediggers had a tackle for loss.
- Mines' special teams were outstanding in all aspects. Scott Marshall was a perfect 5-for-5 on extra points in addition to his two field goals, while Austin Toussaint put six of his seven punts inside the 20. O'Dell shined in the punt return game as he took back five for 100 yards, including a long of 28.
- Mines held Adams State to nine first downs, -22 yards rushing, and 290 total yards of offense. The Grizzlies were 3-of-16 on third downs.
- It was the first time Mines held an opponent to negative rushing since 2011 against Western New Mexico, who was -2, and their best performance since 2007 in a -74 game against Oklahoma Panhandle State.

NEXT UP
Mines opens at home Sept. 14 against Black Hills State with a noon kickoff.