#5 Colorado School of Mines (5-0, 3-0 RMAC) at Black Hills State (4-1, 2-1 RMAC), Saturday, 1 p.m.
Lyle Hare Stadium, Spearfish, S.D.
[Streaming: RMAC Network] [Live Stats] [Mines Media Notes]

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After surviving their toughest test of the season last week, #5 Colorado School of Mines goes on the road to face upstart Black Hills State, out to their best start since 2016 at 4-1.

LIVE COVERAGE
This week's game will be streamed live on the RMAC Network. 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
Tickets can be purchased online and are $12 for adult general admission, $8 for seniors and youth, and $15 for reserved. Parking and other gameday information can be found at bhsuathletics.com.

WEATHER REPORT
Conditions could be a factor on Saturday as Spearfish's forecast is for overcast skies and highs in the low 60s with an increasing chance of rain throughout the day, with northwest winds up to 15 mph. 

AT THE HELM
Gregg Brandon is in his seventh year and sixth season at Mines, going 52-13 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. Josh Breske is in his second year in Spearfish and first full season, going 0-2 in 2020 before a 4-1 start this year. 

NOTING THE MINES-BHSU SERIES
Mines has never lost to Black Hills State, going 10-0 in a series that dates back to 1962 ... The Orediggers won the first meeting 45-19 on Oct. 27, 1962 in Golden ... BHSU joined the RMAC and NCAA Division II in 2012 and the series resumed ...  Mines has scored 40+ points in every game of the series, including a 52-7 win in Golden in 2019 ... John Matocha made his first career start in that game, throwing for 249 yards and three touchdowns and running for another in his collegiate debut ... Mines hasn't been to Spearfish since 2018, winning 42-20 as Brody Oliver caught seven passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns and Isaac Harker threw for 425 and three.

MINES STAYS AT #5 IN POLLS
Mines stayed put at #5 in both the AFCA and D2football.com polls this week, the third straight week the Orediggers have matched their best showings ever. Mines remains the only RMAC team in either poll although Western Colorado is the first team out of the AFCA poll.

JUST US
With losses last week by Midwestern State and Colorado Mesa, Mines is now the only undefeated team left in Super Region 4, which consists of the RMAC, Lone Star, GNAC, and NSIC conferences. Mines is also now the state of Colorado's only unbeaten college football team after CMU's loss, with Air Force (4-1), Mesa (3-1), and Western (4-1) making up the one-loss group.

WEEK 5 REWIND
John Matocha's overtime touchdown run sealed a 20-14 win for #5 Mines over Western Colorado in front of a standing-room-only Homecoming crowd at Marv Kay Stadium. The Orediggers gained two crucial goal line turnovers, the first a fumble forced by Mack Minnehan and recovered by Jaden Williams late in regulation to keep the game tied, and then Williams' interception in the first OT to set Mines up for the walkoff score by Matocha. Matocha ended up 21-of-25 for 179 yards and touchdowns in the air to Max McLeod and Josh Johnston, while also running for the final score. Michael Zeman rushed for 144 yards on 26 carries and had 185 total yards.

Black Hills State pounded Fort Lewis on the road, 45-17, with 543 total yards of offense and more than 36 minutes of ball possession. Matthew Collier and Nolan Susel each ran for 100+ yards and quarterback Chance Eben accounted for five touchdowns, throwing for three and running for two more. BHSU rushed for 363 yards in the game.

THE LAST TIME WE MET
Mines and Black Hills State last met on Sept. 14, 2019, a 52-7 Oredigger rout in Golden. John Matocha made his debut as a true freshman and completed 20-of-22 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns while also running for two more as Mines racked up 548 total yards. Cameron Mayberry ran for 84 yards and a score and Josh Odom had 95 and a touchdown. Logan Braden scooped and scored for a defensive touchdown as well.

SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
After being picked next to last in the RMAC preseason poll, the Yellow Jackets have used a high-powered offense to build a 4-1 start to the season and a 2-1 RMAC record thus far, their only loss coming 19-16 to CSU Pueblo in Week 3. BHSU averages 34.6 points (#2 in the RMAC behind Mines) and 477.4 yards per game (#1 in the RMAC) led by dual-threat quarterback Chance Eben (1,070 yards, 9 TD passing; 258 yards, 5 TD rushing) and the two-headed rushing attack of Matthew Collier (536 yards, 3 TD) and Nolan Susel (311 yards, 3 TD). Defensively, however, BHSU gives up 25.8 points and 430.4 yards per game.

EVERYBODY SCORES
This week's match-up will be a clash of the RMAC's top two scoring offenses as Mines enters averaging 38.0 points per game and BHSU 34.6. The Yellow Jackets also lead the league in total yards at 477.4 per game and in rushing at 252.8.

GOING STREAKING
After the Western Colorado victory, Mines has won 14 consecutive RMAC games dating back to the final week of the 2018 season. That snapped the program's previous longest conference win streak of 13, set from the tail end of the 2003 season through the early 2005 season. 

WORKING OVERTIME
The Western Colorado win represented a rarity for Mines football: an overtime game. Of Gregg Brandon's 52 wins at Mines, it was his first in overtime; the Orediggers have only played two in the last decade, beating Western New Mexico 27-21 in 2011 and losing to Colorado Mesa 41-40 in double OT in 2016. 

COLORADO 5-0
Mines is 5-0 for a third consecutive season, the first time in program history that has happened. It's only the 11th 5-0 start in program history, with four of those coming since 2015 under Gregg Brandon. 

WILLIAMS EARNS RMAC HONOR
Safety Jaden Williams was named the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week after his standout performance against Western Colorado. Williams had two critical turnovers in the game, recovering a goal line fumble caused by Mack Minnehan late in the fourth quarter of a 14-14 game to preserve the tie, then picked off Connor Desch at the three yard-line in overtime to keep Western scoreless in the extra period and set up Mines' game-winning touchdown. Williams also had five tackles and another pass break-up.

OREDIGGER D AMONG NATION'S ELITE
The Oredigger defense continues to rank among the NCAA's elite entering Week 6 of the season. Mines' 10.2 points per game allowed is #5 in D-II, while the Orediggers rank #8 in rushing defense (58.6 ypg) and #8 in total defense (232.2 ypg). Mines has allowed only three touchdowns in its last three games and limited opponents to 14 or fewer points four times in five weeks this season. Individually, inside linebacker Gabriel Kortz is leading the team with 30 total tackles (4.5 TFL) while Mack Minnehan has 26 stops with a team-high 6.5 for loss and Nolan Reeve 26 tackles with 6.0 for a loss and a team-best 3.5 sacks and five hurries.

BALL HOGS
Mines' offense loves having the ball. The defense loves getting off the field. Combine those two things, and it adds up to the Orediggers being exceptional ball hogs. In five games this season, Mines has held the ball for an average of 35:26, ranking #5 in NCAA Division II. But perhaps even more impressive is how much Mines limits opponents with their ball possession: this season, the Orediggers run an average of 19.6 more offensive plays per game than opponents. Where Mines really puts down the hammer, though, is in the fourth quarter. This season, the Orediggers average a whopping 11:22 of ball control in the final period, and average 18:08 in the second half overall.

ZEMAN LEADS THE WAY
Michael Zeman has been a workhorse over the last two weeks, rushing for 121 yards at West Texas A&M and then a season-high 144 against Western Colorado. The captain leads the RMAC with a 113.4 ypg average and is one of only two backs to eclipse 100 carries so far (a league-leading 118). He has four 100+ yard games to his credit; his lone non-100-yard game of the season was at Fort Lewis when the starters only played the first half. But as important as his work on the ground has been, Zeman's ability in the passing game has been crucial over the past two outings. Zeman caught four passes for 23 yards at WT, and then three for a season-best 41 yards last week to give him 185 total yards of offense.

THAT'S ACCURATE
John Matocha is coming off his most accurate start of the season after completing 21-of-25 passes (84%) against Western Colorado. It was the second-best completion percentage of Matocha's career, surpassed on by his debut against BHSU in 2019 (20-of-22, 90.9%). Matocha spread the ball around vs. Western with seven different players making catches led by Tristan Smith (6) and Josh Johnston (5).

OUT OF THE AIR
Josh Johnston enters Week 6 with a RMAC-leading six touchdown receptions as John Matocha's go-to look in the red zone. Johnston has caught at least one touchdown in all five games this season. That's not surprising coming off his 14-TD 2019 season, but with the plethora of experience returning for Mines this year, who's second on the TD list might be: Max McLeod and his three grabs. The redshirt sophomore - seeing his first career action this season - leads the team with a 14.6 ypc average and has used his ability to elevate to catch touchdowns against New Mexico Highlands, Fort Lewis, and Western Colorado.

KEEPING IT CLEAN
Mines has been one of the nation's most disciplined teams this season, being flagged an average of 3.8 times per game for 38.8 yards, which is the fifth-least in NCAA Division II. Over the past two games, the Orediggers have only three penalties - one at West Texas A&M, and two against Western Colorado. The Mines offensive line has been especially clean this season, with only a single holding flag in 378 total offensive plays.

PIERCE DOING IT ALL
There's not much Mason Pierce isn't doing for Mines this season. The corner leads the secondary with 20 tackles and a team-high five pass break-ups; on special teams he's the holder, and as a punt returner, he has excelled in 2021 with an RMAC-leading and national-#3 20.2-yard per return average. Pierce has taken back six punts for 121 total yards, including a 13-yard return last week against Western Colorado.

THIIIIIIRD DOWN
A major key to Mines' success this season has been their play on third downs, on both sides of the ball. Defensively, the Orediggers are third in D-II in third-down conversion percentage at just 21.3% (13-of-61), while offensively, Mines has been solid at 41.7% (30-of-72).

GOING FOR IT
And of course if third down doesn't work, there's always fourth down. This season, Mines has gone for it 14 times on fourth down, and converted an exceptional 12 of those chances (6-for-6 against New Mexico Highlands, 3-for-4 at Fort Lewis, 1-for-1 at West Texas A&M, and 2-for-3 vs. Western) and scored on three of them: a Chris Yoo touchdown last week, and Michael Zeman's run and John Matocha's pass to Max McLeod against New Mexico Highlands. The Orediggers lead the nation in 4th downs converted at 12, and rank fifth in percentage at 85.7%. 

WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Mines is +6 on turnovers this season, gaining five fumbles and five interceptions against three interceptions thrown and one fumble given away. All five of Mines' picks have come by different players - Jaden Williams, Kobe Brewster, Beau Collins, Logan Rayburn, and Collin Romero - with Collins' going back for six at Fort Lewis. Brewster, Williams, Mack Minnehan, Zach Hester, and Preston Yates have all recovered fumbles.

NEXT TIME
Mines returns home to host South Dakota Mines on Oct. 16.