#14/12 Colorado School of Mines (7-1, 5-1 RMAC) vs. Chadron State (4-4, 4-3 RMAC), Saturday, 12 p.m.
Marv Kay Stadium, Golden, Colo.
[TV: KWGN 2 / Streaming: RMAC Network] [Live Stats] [Mines Media Notes]

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#14/12 Colorado School of Mines looks to bounce back from its first loss of the season, returning to the friendly confines of Marv Kay Stadium to host Chadron State (4-4) in Week 9.

LIVE COVERAGE
This week's game will also be televised live on KWGN Colorado's Own Channel 2 in addition to streaming on the RMAC Network. Miles Dunklin and Josh Dover have the call. The RMAC Network has relaunched for 2021-22, and fans used to watching on their smart TV or other device must download the new app by searching "RMAC" in your device's app store. The new watch portal is available at minesathletics.com/tv or rmacnetwork.com.

FAN INFORMATION
Mines Athletics is excited to welcome fans back to home events this fall. For this week's game, please note the following important pieces of information:

- Gates and the tailgating lot open at 10 a.m.
- Masks are strongly encouraged for all guests.
- Tickets are available at the gate (cash or credit) or online at minesathletics.com/tickets. Fans are encouraged to utilize print-at-home or digital ticket options to skip waiting in line at the game.
- Parking for home games has a new option with the opening of the new parking garage at 14th and Maple Streets, two blocks south of Marv Kay Stadium; parking in the garage is free. Tailgating continues to be permitted in Lot K only for $10 per vehicle. No tailgating is permitted in the garage. Visit the Mines Parking page for more information.
- The New Terrain Beer Garden will be open in the west end zone for all guests 21 and older. The beer garden will be cashless. 

WEATHER REPORT
It should be a gorgeous autumn day at Marv Kay Stadium with temperatures in the low 60s under sunny skies, and northeast winds at 5-10 mph.

AT THE HELM
Gregg Brandon is in his seventh year and sixth season at Mines, going 54-14 since 2015. Brandon is the two-time defending RMAC Coach of the Year, leading Mines to conference titles and NCAA appearances in 2016, 2018, and 2019, including an undefeated 10-0 RMAC campaign in 2019. Jay Long is in his 10th season in Chadron, and previously was the head coach at Black Hills State. 

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Marv Kay Stadium has been a daunting place for opponents to play since opening in 2015, with Mines going 30-4 overall at home. In the regular season, it's been awhile since the Orediggers haven't celebrated victory at home: 1,869 days, to be exact, or 24 straight games dating back to the 2016 season. 

NOTING THE MINES-CSC SERIES
Mines and Chadron State are meeting for the 43rd time in a series that began in 1938 ... The two played sporadically over the years before Chadron State joined the RMAC in 1989 ... CSC leads the series 23-19 but Mines has won seven straight and eight of the last 10 ... Gregg Brandon is 5-0 against the Eagles ... Mines' 70-28 win in 2019 marked the most points ever scored in the series by either side ... The Orediggers are 11-10 against Chadron State at home. 

MINES DROPS IN NATIONAL POLLS
The Orediggers fell to #14 in this week's AFCA coaches' poll and #12 in the D2football.com media poll after hitting #3 in both last week. Mines has remained nationally ranked in every poll from both outlets this season and is one of three ranked RMAC teams along with Western Colorado (#20/23) and Colorado Mesa (#22/22). 

FIRST REGIONAL RANKINGS RELEASED
The first NCAA Regional Rankings were announced on Monday, and Colorado School of Mines is comfortably sitting at #2 in Super Region IV. The rankings are used to select the field for the NCAA Championship, with the top seven teams from each of the four super regions earning their way in. Mines was the only RMAC team in the top seven although Colorado Mesa at #8 and Western Colorado at #9 are lurking; they play each other this week. Augustana, out of the NSIC, is #1 at 7-1 overall. 

IN THE RMAC
It's been rare in recent years that there's been this much drama in the RMAC standings this late in the season, but that's exactly what has come together with three weeks left. Western Colorado, Mines, Colorado Mesa, and CSU Pueblo all have one loss to lead the way (Western is technically in first at 6-1 ahead of the others' 5-1, but has yet to play their second non-conference game). That four-way tie will be reduced to at least three after this weekend as Western and Mesa square off in Gunnison; Mines then plays at CSU Pueblo next week. 

WEEK 8 REWIND
Mines suffered its first loss of the season, 26-21, at Colorado Mesa last week as the Mavericks rallied back from a 21-7 deficit to win. Tristan Smith led Mines with two touchdown catches and Michael Zeman rushed for 112 yards and a score. CMU's Karst Hunter threw for 288 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 58 more yards to pace the Mavs. 

Chadron State throttled winless Fort Lewis 60-7 at home. The Eagles produced 553 yards and scored in every phase of the game, led by quarterback Dalton Holst, who threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns on only 16 attempts, and running back Dorian Collier, who ran for 120 yards. Brock Ping also found the end zone twice, as did receiver Chad Mikelson who had a 102-yard day in the air and returned a punt 55 yards to the house; Clayton Rutz also had a 65-yard pick-six. 

THE LAST TIME WE MET
Mines and Chadron State last played in the final week of the 2019 regular season, a 70-28 Mines blowout in Nebraska. The Orediggers rushed for 440 yards, with Michael Zeman accounting for 228 of that total, and John Matocha threw for four touchdowns on 243 yards. Both Mason Karp (123) and Josh Johnston (102) went over the century mark in receiving yards and Johnston caught three of Matocha's four touchdown throws.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
Chadron State is 4-4 overall, winning two in a row and three of their last four after a 1-3 start to the season. The Eagles are led by veteran QB Dalton Holst, who has 1,849 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. Favorite targets are Chad Mikelson (26 catches, 496 yards, 6 TD) and Cole Thurness (38 catches, 358 yards, 4 TD), while Jeydon Cox leads the ground game with 417 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively the Eagles allow 24.4 points and 316.3 yards per game, and are led by Noah Kerchal (53 TT) and Travis Wilson (53 TT, 9.5 TFL). Chadron has been hurt by turnovers this year at -4. 

ZEMAN NEARS 1,000-YARD MARK
Michael Zeman enters Week 9 with 911 rushing yards, and his average of 113.9 yards per game means he could cross the 1,000-yard season mark for the second time in his career. Zeman already owns one of the nine 1,000-yard seasons at Mines, and he would become only the third Oredigger - joining Sam Seeton and Cameron Mayberry - to do it twice. The Orediggers have had a 1,000-yard back in every season dating back to 2014.

ZEMAN AMONG D-II LEADERS
Michael Zeman is all over the national top-10 in rushing and scoring statistics this week as his big season continues. Zeman ranks eighth nationally in rushing touchdowns (11), ninth in overall scoring (9.8 ppg), and also ranks 24th in all-purpose yardage at 134.62, a category typically dominated by kick returners. 

SMITH HAVING BREAKOUT 2021
Out of an impressive receiving corps overall, Tristan Smith is enjoying a breakout 2021 season as he leads the team with 41 catches and 477 yards. The redshirt junior - who caught 11 passes for 166 yards and a score in 2019 - has also found the end zone five times this year including twice last week at Colorado Mesa. Over his last three games, Smith is averaging 5.7 catches, 73.7 yards, and a touchdown per contest.

DEFENSE LEADS RMAC
As a unit, the Mines defense is putting together one of the best seasons in program history, leading the RMAC with a scoring defense of 15.1 points per game and rushing defense of 88.1 yards per game. The Orediggers are also second in the league in total defense (272 ypg) and sacks (30), and lead the league in turnover margin at +9.

WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Speaking of turnovers, Mines is +9 this season, gaining eight fumbles and eight interceptions against five interceptions thrown and two fumbles given away. That ranks as the eighth-best turnover margin in NCAA Division II. Mines' picks have come by seven different players - Logan Rayburn (twice), Mason Pierce, Mack Minnehan, Jaden Williams, Kobe Brewster, Beau Collins, , and Collin Romero - with Collins' going back for six at Fort Lewis. Brewster, Williams, Minnehan, Rayburn,  Nolan Reeve, Adrian Moreno, Zach Hester, and Preston Yates have all recovered fumbles, with Minnehan forcing two. 

LIVING IN THE BACKFIELD
OLB Nolan Reeve has been, simply put, a problem for opposing offenses this season. In his first season in 2019, despite being primarily a third-down specialist, Reeve still led the team with 8.5 sacks and compiled 10.5 tackles for loss out 36 total stops. He hasn't relented in 2021, co-leading the team with 51 total tackles (along with Gabriel Kortz) while leading Mines with 10.0 TFL and 6.5 sacks. Reeve is second in the RMAC in sacks and fifth in TFL. 

KEEPING IT CLEAN
Two-thirds of the way through the season, Mines is one of the nation's least-penalized teams, averaging only 3.8 flags and 41.8 penalty yards per game. That's the least in the RMAC and third-least in NCAA Division II; last week at Colorado Mesa, Mines had only two flags thrown against them.

TAKE IT BACK
When Mason Pierce gets a chance to take back a punt,   watch out. Pierce leads NCAA Division II with an average of 19.8 yards per return on 10 takes this season, including three of 30 or more yards. When he isn't doing that, Pierce is also the team's holder, and the starting cornerback has 37 total tackles with a team-high 10 pass break-ups and an interception this season. 

GO FOR IT
Mines isn't afraid to gamble on fourth downs this season, and for good reason - they're really good at picking up the yards. The Orediggers are converting 75 percent of fourth down tries, making 15 of 20 attempts. That ranks ninth in NCAA Division II and best in the RMAC. 

NEXT TIME
Mines visits CSU Pueblo on Nov. 6 for a 2 p.m. kickoff.