GOLDEN, Colo. - #21/14 Colorado School of Mines ran out to a big first-half lead to put away rival CSU Pueblo, 45-17, at Marv Kay Stadium.
Quarterback
John Matocha continued his superb play, going 33-for-42 for 318 yards and two touchdowns, rushing for another to spark another big offensive Saturday for the Orediggers (2-2, 2-0 RMAC).
Michael Zeman had three total touchdowns and 112 total yards.
Matocha's big day led to some eye-popping numbers for the Mines receiving corps with
Sean Roberts catching a career-high eight passes and
Josh Johnston and
Mason Karp each with seven receptions; six different receivers had 35+ yards led by Johnston (70) and Karp (65).
The Mines defense was punishing as they limited the Thunderwolves (1-3, 0-2 RMAC) to 233 yards of total offense and generated two turnovers.
Jaden Williams recovered
Jack Peterson's fumble force on the opening series of the game and
Mason Pierce snared his third interception of the season.
It was Peterson's strip sack four plays into the game that set the tone, as Williams' recovery led to a long Oredigger drive and some trickery as
Max McLeod scored on a double-reverse run for the early lead. CSU Pueblo's Sullivan Moon was good from 39 yards for what would turn out to be the Pack's lone points of the first half, with Mines reeling off 35 straight points after that. Matocha hit Zemen on an 18-yard pass to start the second quarter, and a three-and-out led to Matocha's 32-yard shot to Karp on their next possession to lead 21-3. Mines drove 80 yards on its next series to score on Zeman's one-yard direct snap, and effective clock management led Zeman's third touchdown of the half with two seconds left to head into the locker room up a stunning 35-3.
Mines had the ball first in the second half and continued to effectively chew up the clock with a 12-play, five-plus minute drive that ended on Matocha's two-yard keeper. Pueblo would finally stop the bleeding with Austin Bacher's 15-yard burst up the middle, but Pierce's interception later in the quarter set up a career-long 47-yard field goal by
Matthew Eich to extend the lead to 45-10.
The Thunderwolves scored one more time, a nine-yard Nick Bingham pass from Hunter Raquet, early in the fourth quarter, but the Orediggers held the ball for 12 of the final 13 minutes, including the last 8:26, to deny any comeback attempt.
NOTABLES
- Matocha's 42 pass attempts were a career high as he completed a whopping 78 percent of them. He remains interception-free in four games this season.
- Zeman became the third Oredigger running back to reach 40 career touchdowns on the ground in a career.
- After not recording an interception in his four-season career,
Mason Pierce now has three in consecutive games, with Mines scoring either directly or indirectly off all three.
- Roberts had a huge second half with his eight catches for 43 yards, while
Roberto Valenzuela had four catches for 37 yards,
Zach Hoffman three for 44, and
Max McLeod three for 51.
- Mines rolled out 503 total yards of offense behind an offensive line that did not surrender a sack on the day. Mines averaged 5.8 yards per play.
- Mines held the ball for an eye-popping 37:31.
- The Orediggers converted 14 of their 19 third-down chances compared to 3 of 10 for the visitors.
- CSU Pueblo used two quarterbacks, with second option Raquet the more effective of the two as he passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. Starter Steven Croell was 2-for-6 for 24 yards.
- Bacher was an offensive bright spot for CSUP rushing for 93 yards and a touchdown.
- It was the Orediggers' third straight win over CSU Pueblo and fourth straight in the regular season.
NEXT UP
The Orediggers visit Chadron State on Oct. 1.
