#5 Colorado School of Mines (4-0, 2-0 RMAC) vs. #RV Western Colorado (4-0, 3-0 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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Two of the nation's best defenses collide as Western Colorado visits #5 Colorado School of Mines on Homecoming Weekend. It is the first time in 96 meetings that the old rivals meet as undefeated teams.

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. For Homecoming, New Terrain has released a special Blaster Colorado Pale Ale that will be on sale in the beer garden this Saturday.

WEATHER REPORT
Saturday's forecast is for football weather - morning temperatures in the 50s going up to 61 at kickoff and increasing sunshine throughout the day after a chance of a morning shower. 

AT THE HELM
Gregg Brandon is in his seventh year and sixth season at Mines, going 51-13 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. Jas Bains is in his 11th year in Gunnison and is 31-73 overall, but has the Mountaineers out to their best start of his tenure at 4-0.

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 28-4 overall at home. In the regular season, it's been awhile since the Orediggers haven't celebrated victory at home: 1,841 days, to be exact, or 22 straight games dating back to the 2016 season. And Homecoming has been especially kind to the Orediggers as they are 5-0 since the stadium opened. Mines has won seven straight Homecoming games back to 2013.

NOTING THE MINES-WESTERN SERIES
Colorado's longest continuous football rivalry, Mines and Western Colorado are meeting for the 96th time ... Western leads the series 52-41-2 ... Despite their long history, the two are meeting as undefeated teams for the first time ever, save for the 1983 and 1984 season openers ... The two first met in 1925 (a 15-6 Western Colorado win) and, other than a five-year break for World War II and the 2020 season, have met at least once every year since ... Mines has won 11 of the last 13 games in the series and three of the last five ... Mines has won three straight ... Western (18 titles) and Mines (13 titles) are #1 and #2 all-time in terms of RMAC Championships. 

MINES STAYS AT #5 IN POLLS
Mines reached new highs in the national polls last week with both the AFCA and D2football.com ranking the Orediggers #5, and they stayed there this week in both polls. It matches the program's best-ever AFCA poll showing, which came during week 10 of the 2004 season, and it's the highest Mines has ever been in the D2football.com poll. Western Colorado is also making some national noise as they are the second team out of the AFCA top 25, receiving 64 votes this week.

WEEK 4 REWIND
Mines scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to beat West Texas A&M on the road, 21-13. Kobe Brewster produced two key second-half turnovers, with Nathan Mackey, John Matocha, and Josh Johnston scoring touchdowns. Michael Zeman ran for 121 yards and had 144 total yards of offense while Matocha threw for 116 yards and a score, and ran for 70 yards and a TD. Mines held D-II's #4 scoring offense to only 13 points and shut out the Buffs after halftime. It was Mines' first game in Texas since 1931. 

Western Colorado moved to 4-0 for the first time since 1980 with a 42-0 shutout over Fort Lewis in Gunnison. The Skyhawks were held to 59 total yards. Josh Cummings and Braeden Hogan each ran for two touchdowns and Connor Desch threw two more to lead the Mountaineer offense.

THE LAST TIME WE MET
Mines shut out Western Colorado 28-0 in their last meeting on Oct. 12, 2019 at Marv Kay Stadium. John Matocha threw for 263 yards and accounted for all four touchdowns, two on the ground and two in the air. The Oredigger defense limited Connor Desch to 13-of-33 passing and 164 yards plus only 54 Mountaineer rushing yards in the shutout; Mack Minnehan had a team-high seven tackles with a sack and Mason Pierce had three pass break-ups.

SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS
Western Colorado is off to a fantastic start at 4-0, their best since 1980. Their defense is allowing only 8.5 points and 257 yards per game, the former ranking #6 in NCAA Division II this week. Offensively, they sport a balanced attack led by quarterback Connor Desch, who has thrown for 766 yards and nine touchdowns, and the rushing tandem of Josh Cummings (396 yards, 6 TD) and Braeden Hogan (133, 2 TD). Six different receivers have at least one touchdown this season and Cole Riters leads the team in catches (13) and yards (217). Outside linebacker Robert Garlock leads the defense with 25 tackles and an interception while inside linebacker Lane Farris has 24 tackles, 8.0 TFL, and 2.0 sacks.

DEFENSE VS. DEFENSE
In which way you slice it, this week's game is a match-up of the RMAC's two top defenses. Mines has the league's best total defense at 214.3 yards per game with Western #2 at 257.0, but the Mountaineers top the conference with 8.5 points per game allowed while Mines is second at 9.3. Mines and Western are also 1-2 in rushing defense, opponent 1st downs, 3rd down defense, and 4th down defense, and Western leads the RMAC in passing defense (148 ypg) while Mines is third (174.8).

OREDIGGERS REACH HISTORIC START
Mines made history with last week's win, going 4-0 for the third consecutive season, which has never happened before in program history. Under Gregg Brandon, Mines has started 4-0 or better four times.

CLICK EARNS RMAC HONOR
Punter Jacob Click was the RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week after helping helping Mines win the field position battle in their 21-13 win at West Texas A&M. Click punted six times, putting three inside the 20 and another at the 20, with a long of 60. WT had starting field positions of their own 14, 9, 20, and 13 on his four best punts. Click was also 3-for-3 on PATs.

OREDIGGER DEFENSE AMONG ELITE
The Oredigger defense continues to rank among the NCAA's elite entering Week 5 of the season. Mines' 9.25 points per game allowed is #7 in D-II, while the Orediggers rank #2 in rushing defense (39.5 ypg) and #5 in total defense (213.3 ypg). Mines leads the nation in third-down defense at just 20 percent (10-of-50) allowed.

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 four games this season, Mines has held the ball for 31:42, 37:28, 38:13, and 36:28, making their 35:58 average #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 22.3 more offensive plays per game than opponents. 

ON THE GROUND
Michael Zeman was a workhorse at West Texas A&M, producing 121 yards on the ground and 23 yards on a season-high four receptions for 144 yards of total offense. This season, Zeman has crossed 100 rushing yards three times, missing the mark only in the Fort Lewis game when the starters only played the first half (and still accounting for 69 yards and three touchdowns anyway). Zeman leads the RMAC with 105.8 yards of rushing per game, and his six rushing TDs is also tied for the conference lead with Western's Josh Cummings. Mines has run the ball an RMAC-high 196 times this season with Zeman's 92 individual carries leading the conference as well.

DUAL THREAT
Part of what makes quarterback John Matocha so valuable to the Mines offense is his versatility. The second-year starter has thrown for 705 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, but is also Mines' second-leading rusher at 186 net yards and a score and ran 19 times for 70 yards last week. Most importantly, Matocha extends drives with his feet: of Matocha's 36 non-sack rushes this season, 15 have been for first downs and another a score.

IN THE AIR
Josh Johnston was the RMAC's leading returning receiver heading into the 2021 season, and he's proven his red zone worth this year with an RMAC-leading five touchdown catches. But he's not the only one finding balls from John Matocha in the end zone this season: Tristan Smith, Joe Golter, and Max McLeod each have two, and Michael Zeman and Mason Karp have both caught touchdowns as well. Both Smith and Johnston lead Mines with 18 receptions and Smith's 215 total yards (53.75 per game) is a team high.

STOPPING THE RUN
The Mines front seven - led by Gabriel Kortz (25 TT, 4.0 TFL), Nolan Reeve (24 TT, 6.0 TFL), and Mack Minnehan (19 TT, 5.5 TFL) - has stuffed the run to the tune of 39.5 yards per game, which ranks #2 in NCAA Division II. Prior to West Texas A&M's 130 rushing yards last week, Mines had allowed 1, 18, and 9 yards on the ground, and still has yet to surrender a rushing touchdown this season.

PIERCE SHINES IN RETURN GAME
Cornerback Mason Pierce has been Mines' man in punt returns this season, and after a career game last week, he's among the national leaders in that category. In five punt return chances in 2021, Pierce is averaging a very healthy 21.6 yards, which ranks second in NCAA Division II. He went off for 99 of those 108 total yards at Fort Lewis, including runbacks of 22, 20, 17, and 40 yards, all in the first half. He did not have a return chance last week at WT, taking two fair catches with two other punts going out of bounds. 

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 lead the nation (as they did in 2019) in third-down conversion percentage at just 20% (10-of-50), while offensively, Mines ranks in the top 30 nationally at 46.7% (28-of-60).

GOING FOR IT
Of course if third down doesn't work, there's always fourth down. This season, Mines has gone for it 11 times on fourth down, and converted an exception 10 of those chances (6-for-6 against New Mexico Highlands, 3-for-4 at Fort Lewis, and 1-for-1 at West Texas A&M) 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 10, and rank sixth in percentage at 90.9%. 

WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Mines is a solid +5 on turnovers this season, gaining four fumbles and four interceptions against three interceptions thrown and no fumbles given away. All four of Mines' picks have come by different players - Kobe Brewster, Beau Collins, Logan Rayburn, and Collin Romero - with Collins' going back for six at Fort Lewis. Brewster, Mack Minnehan, Zach Hester, and Preston Yates have all recovered fumbles.

STITT GETS HALL CALL
On Aug. 21, former Mines head coach Bob Stitt was announced as part of the Mines Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2021. Stitt won a program-record 108 games during his tenure, including RMAC Championships in 2004, 2010, and 2014 and the program's first NCAA appearances in those years. The offensive innovator produced 16 All-Americans, 31 All-Region selections, and 129 all-RMAC performers during his 15 seasons before moving to coaching stops at Montana, Oklahoma State, and Texas State. The Hall of Fame class - which also includes women's soccer's Anna Evans and track & field/cross country's Mark Husted and Mack McLain - will be inducted as part of Homecoming Weekend on Saturday night. 

NEXT TIME
Mines visits Black Hills State on Oct. 9.