#1/1 Colorado School of Mines (10-0, 8-0 RMAC) at Fort Lewis (0-10, 0-8 RMAC) // Saturday, Nov. 11 // 12 p.m.
Ray Dennison Memorial Field - Durango, Colo.
[RMAC Network] [Live Stats] [Tickets] [Mines Media Notes]

---

#1 Colorado School of Mines closes the regular season on the road at Fort Lewis, trying to get to 11-0 and seal the outright RMAC championship with a victory.

LIVE COVERAGE
Saturday's game will stream live and for free on the RMAC Network. 

WEATHER REPORT
It should be a great day for football in Durango with a high of 56 under sunny skies, with winds increasing through the afternoon.

AT THE HELM
Head Coach Pete Sterbick is 10-0 in his first season in charge of the Orediggers after the former offensive coordinator took over the head job last April. The Orediggers' win last week made some history for Sterbick, who is now the only head coach at Mines to start his career 10-0, surpassing Thomas Beadle's 9-0 record in 1898. With Sterbick's promotion, Mines retained all of its assistant coaches, promoting offensive line coach Tim Brandon to offensive coordinator to replace Sterbick. 

Mines Coaches' Best Career Starts      
Pete Sterbick, 2023 - 10-0        
Thomas Beadle, 1898 - 9-0        
Gregg Brandon, 2015 - 7-0        

LEADING THE WAY
The Orediggers elected four captains for the 2023 season, with quarterback John Matocha earning his second "C" patch alongside center Steele Petty, defensive tackle Jack Peterson, and safety Logan Rayburn being first-time captains. 

IN THE POLLS
Mines remains #1 in the national polls for a fourth consecutive week, the top team in both the AFCA and D2football.com polls. The Orediggers are the sixth Mines team to be ranked #1 joining men's soccer, men's basketball, men's golf, men's cross country, and men's track & field; the Oredigger cross country team is also currently ranked #1 in their poll. Mines now owns three wins over AFCA top-10 ranked teams this season having beaten #3 Grand Valley State, #4 Angelo State, and #9 Western Colorado.

MINES TOPS REGIONAL RANKINGS
More important than the polls are the NCAA regional rankings, and Mines found itself on top of the second edition of the Super Region IV rankings announced Monday. The Orediggers and Western Colorado own the top two spots representing the RMAC. The top seven teams get into the NCAA tournament and the top team receives a first-round bye.  
    
ONE FOR THE THUMB
Mines clinched at least a share of the RMAC championship with their win over New Mexico Highlands last week, which marks their fifth in a row. That puts the program in elite company: only two other teams, Western Colorado (seven straight from 1973-79) and Utah (six straight from 1928 to 1933) have won five in a row in the 114-year history of the conference. The Orediggers have won 16 RMAC titles all-time, and they can make this year's an outright crown with a win at Fort Lewis.

GREAT START
The 2023 Oredigger squad is only the third in program history to be 10-0, and one of only five to be 9-0 or better. The 2019 team, which ultimately won its first dozen games, was the last team to start 10-0. Mines is also trying to finish the ninth unbeaten, untied regular season in program history and only the third since the Second World War:          

MATOCHA TO MAKE MORE HISTORY
John Matocha's historic career continues to set records, and this week he has the chance to break an incredible mark: producing more touchdowns than any player in college football history. Matocha has 177 career touchdowns responsible for (152 passing, 24 rushing, and 1 receiving), which is one behind the all-divisions record of 178 co-held by Houston's Case Keenum (FBS) and Central Iowa's Blaine Hawkins (D-III). Matocha, already the D-II recordholder in the category, would surpass those two with two touchdowns of any kind, making him the single highest producer of touchdowns in the history of the sport. 

Already taken down by Matocha are the Mines, RMAC, and Colorado records for passing yards (13,627), passing touchdowns (152), and total offensive yards (15,475); he now stands seven passing touchdowns shy of Tyson Bagent's college football record of 159. Last week Matocha became only the fourth player in college football history to reach 150 career passing touchdowns.

College Football Career Total Touchdowns        
1. Case Keenum, Houston        178        
    Blaine Hawkins, Central Iowa   178        
3. John Matocha, Mines        177        

College Football Career Passing Touchdowns        
1. Tyson Bagent, Shepherd    159      
2. Alex Tanney, Monmouth (Ill.)    157       
3. Case Keenum, Houston    155        
4. John Matocha, Mines    152      

NCAA D-II Career Total Touchdowns        
177 - John Matocha, Mines (152 pass/24 rush/1 rec.)    
171 - Tyson Bagent, Shepherd (159 pass/12 rush)        
166 - Jason Vander Lann, Ferris State (85 pass/81 rush)    

NCAA D-II Career Total Offensive Yards
1. Tyson Bagent, Shepherd         17,213        
2. Bo Cordell, Tusculum        16,432        
3. Jimmy Terwilliger, E. Stroudsburg    16,064        
4. John Matocha, Mines         15,475        
5. Steven Gachette, SW Baptist    15,235        
6. Justin Dvorak, Mines        14,608        

Mines/RMAC/Colorado Career Passing Yards
1. John Matocha (2019-23)        13,627        
2. Justin Dvorak (2013-16)        13,466        

LAST YEAR VS. FORT LEWIS
Mines dominated Fort Lewis in last year's regular-season finale, winning 80-0 at home. John Matocha threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns and both Josh Johnston and Max McLeod had big games to cross 1,000 season receiving yards. Michael Zeman starred on the ground with 133 yards and three touchdowns. Current Orediggers Chris Yoo, Konnor Mickelsen, and Zach Hoffman also had touchdowns in the game. 

SCOUTING THE SKYHAWKS
Fort Lewis has been close in several games year, but comes into the final week of the regular season 0-10 with their most recent loss coming at Western Colorado, 57-3. Braden Wingle has had a solid season at QB with 2,036 yards and 11 touchdowns against only four interceptions as he completes 61 percent of his passes, and Cameron Mack leads the team in rushing with 442 yards and a score. The receiver trio of Zachary Gaumont, Christopher Thomas Jr., and Peyton Monson each have 300+ yards and 3+ touchdowns this season. Defensively, the Skyhawks allow 49 points and 552.3 yards per game.

NOTING THE SERIES
Mines and Fort Lewis are meeting for the 61st time since 1963 ... The two have met every season since the Skyhawks began football in 1963, save for the 2020 season when Mines didn't play ... The all-time series is close, with Mines owning a 33-27 lead ... The Orediggers have won 15 straight dating back to 2007 ... Mines has scored 40+ points in each game of the series dating back to 2012 ... The Orediggers are 17-14 in Durango ... Mines has three straight shutouts over the Skyhawks (42-0 in 2019, 76-0 in 2021, and 80-0 in 2022) ... This will be Mines' only game of the regular season on natural grass and first since their last trip to Durango in Week 3 of 2021.

WEEK 10 REWIND
Mines scored on all but one possession to earn at least a share of the RMAC title with a 77-3 win over New Mexico Highlands. John Matocha broke yet another career record, becoming the RMAC and Mines all-time passing yards leader as he guided the Orediggers to a 42-0 halftime. Matocha completed his first 15 passes in the most efficient outing of his career, completing 17-of-19 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns, and rushing for 21 yards and a score, in only two quarters. Max McLeod became the third Mines receiver to cross 3,000 career yards as he caught two touchdowns in a 127-yard first half and Flynn Schiele went over 100 yards with two scores. The Mines defense continued to dominate, holding one of the RMAC's most run-heavy offenses to only 68 yards on the ground and 126 yards of offense in total. Mines was +3 with a Joel Diaz interception, Eb Alfred-Igbokwe fumble recovery, and Joey Beckner/Aaron Rhea fumble combination generating turnovers.
 
WEEK 10 QUICK HITS
Standouts from Week 10's win vs. NMHU:

- In one half of play, John Matocha threw for four touchdowns and ran for another as he produced 289 passing yards going 17-of-19 with a career-high QBR of 286.7.
- Max McLeod and Flynn Schiele each had 100-yard games as McLeod had 127 yards and two touchdowns, and Schiele 103 and two scores. 
- Mines got five different quarterbacks into the game as Brock Zanetell scored a rushing touchdown in his debut, Jake Sype also scored on the ground, Evan Foster went 6-for-6 with a TD pass, and Sean McNair saw time as well.
- Mines rushed for 250+ yards for a second straight week led by Braelon Tate's career-high 81 and Chris Yoo's career-high 75 yards as both scored. Noah Roper added a rushing touchdown.
- A dominant Mines defense was +3 with a Joel Diaz interception, Eb Alfred-Igbokwe fumble recovery, and Joey Beckner/Aaron Rhea fumble combination
- Alfred-Igbokwe and Henry Isackson had sacks.
- Konnor Mickelsen had a career-high 117 all-purpose yards including 54 punt return yards and a 25-yard touchdown reception.
- Hunter Pearson was 11-for-11 on PATs.

WELL-AWARDED
Konnor Mickelsen picked up the first RMAC award of his career as he was named the Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday. The punt returner averaged a very healthy 18 yards per return against New Mexico Highlands.

VERY OFFENSIVE
Under Pete Sterbick as offensive coordinator between 2019 and 2022, Mines' offense routinely ranked among the best in the nation, leading the RMAC in scoring all three of those seasons (and leading the nation last year), and also ranking atop the RMAC in total offensive yards twice and in the NCAA top-10 last year. This year? Mines has the highest numbers of Sterbick and now-offensive coordinator Tim Brandon's careers so far, producing 48 points per game and 506.7 yards per game (39 yards per game more than 2022) to rank #4 and #2, respectively, in D-II.

TO THE MAX
Max McLeod continues his standout season at receiver as he crossed a pair of milestones last week, reaching both 3,000 career and 1,000 season yards in the same game. McLeod has the 13th 1,000-yard season in Mines history and is only the fourth player, joining Brody Oliver and Jonny Chan, and Justin Gallas, to do it twice. Meanwhile, he joins Oliver and Gallas as only the third 3,000-yard receiver in program history and now has 3,079 in three seasons. McLeod's 1,125 yards has him third in NCAA Division II (with only 11 yards separating the #1 to #4 receivers), and he is sixth nationally with 13 touchdowns. Last week, he surpassed former teammate Josh Johnston for second all-time at Mines in receiving touchdowns, catching his 40th and 41st.

Mines Career Receiving Yards            
1. Brody Oliver (2014-2018)    4,010        
2. Justin Gallas (2001-2005)    3,561        
3. Max McLeod (2021-pres.)    3,079        
4. Jonny Chan (2000-2004)    2,972        
5. Josh Johnston (2019-22)    2,939        

Mines Career Receiving Touchdowns        
1. Brody Oliver (2014-2018)    59        
2. Max McLeod (2021-pres.)    41        
3. Josh Johnston (2018-22)    40        
4. Adam Saur (2005-2009)    32        
5. Jonny Chan (2000-2004)    31        

NO RUNNING
The Orediggers' run defense has been one of the nation's elite units in 2023, allowing an RMAC-best 81.3 yards per game, which ranks seventh in D-II. The Orediggers have not allowed 100 or more yards in six straight games, and have two games - vs. Adams State (5 yards) and Western Colorado (7 yards) - of single-digit yards allowed. Mines has 78 tackles for loss overall led by their outside linerbackers Nolan Reeve (8.0) and Jaden Healy (6.5) with Kyle Bahnsen (5.5) and Jack Peterson (5.5) leading the defensive line.

REEVE LEADS THE WAY
Nolan Reeve continues to be college football's active leader in sacks, compiling 38.5 in his career to lead all divisions of the NCAA. Reeve has a team-leading 6.0 this season. Reeve still has work to get to Mines' career record, held by former Jacksonville Jaguar and all-American Marc Schiechl at 46.0, but Reeve has compiled double-digit sacks in each of the last two seasons, including tying Schiechl's single-season mark of 13.5 last year. 

NCAA Football Active Sacks Leaders            
1. Nolan Reeve (Mines)        38.5        
2. Ryan Bodolus (Ursinus)        36.5        
3. Josh Bever (Ohio Northern)    35.5        

THIIIIIIIRD DOWN
Third downs have been kind to the Orediggers this season on both sides of the ball as Mines ranks second in NCAA Division II third down conversion offense and sixth in defense. Mines has converted 57.5 percent of its third-down opportunities offensively, while the defense has allowed opponents to convert only 25.9 percent; both marks lead the RMAC. 

HUGE LOSERS
As has been well-documented, Mines Football is good at a lot of things. Scoring touchdowns, stopping opposing offenses, you know - football stuff. Not included on that list is predicting coin flips. The Orediggers have lost 19 of their last 22 coin tosses to start the game dating back to early last season, including nine of 10 this season (winning only on Jack Peterson's call at CSU Pueblo). The good news? The Orediggers are 19-0 when losing the coin toss since the start of the 2022 season.

YOINK!
Mines is a healthy +14 on turnover margin this season, and it's come from all directions. In total, 20 different Orediggers have a hand in at least one turnover this season; cornerback Jackson Zimmermann's five interceptions leads Mines in total turnovers, with Evan Alexander (1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR), Jaden Williams (1 INT, 1 FR), Jaden Healy (1 INT, 1 FF), Joey Beckner (1 FF, 1 FR) and Zach Hester (1 FF, 1 FR) also having stats in multiple columns.

BIG LEG BLAKE
Mines has a legacy of great punters in its history, and Blake Doud's 2023 season is shaping up to be another chapter. Doud is averaging 46.8 yards per punt on 33 kicks; that number unofficially leads the nation as Doud is three kicks shy of meeting the NCAA's 3.6 punts per game average to be ranked. Of his 33 punts, he's put 15 inside the 20, had 13 of 50+ yards, and opponents have only eight returns for an average of 4.7 yards. The redshirt sophomore from Parker, Colo. is a three-time RMAC Specialist of the Week and two-time D2football.com National Specialist of the Week this season. 

PEARSON ON MITCHELL AWARD LIST
Kicker Hunter Pearson is the RMAC's leading scorer among kickers this season, going a perfect 66-of-66 on PATs and 6-of-8 on field goals this season in combination with long snapper Josh Wojciechowicz and holder Jacob Click. The Virginia grad transfer leads RMAC kickers in scoring and has gotten attention for his performance, landing on the Fred Mitchell Award watchlist earlier in October. The award is given to the top non-FBS kicker in college football.

ON A ROLL
With 21 consecutive RMAC wins, Mines owns the longest active conference winning streak in NCAA Division II, one ahead of Benedict who has won 20 straight in the SIAC. Mines' streak ranks seventh-longest in all of college football with six D-III teams ahead of them topped by Mount Union's incredible 57-game streak in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Michigan leads FBS with 21 in a row and South Dakota State FCS with 16 straight.

PRODIGGER
Former all-American cornerback Mason Pierce made his CFL debut on Labor Day (or Labour Day as our friends to the north call it), earning a call up from the 
Toronto Argonauts' practice squad and quickly earned a starting spot in the secondary, where he has stayed over the Argos' last six games. Pierce has 32 total tackles, three interceptions, and two caused fumbles in nine total games, and had a huge performance in his last game with a pick-six and a forced fumble in Toronto's 27-22 win over Ottawa. He is a three-time CFL weekly honor roll inclusion this season. Toronto is 16-2 and the #1 seed as they play in the East Final on Saturday for a spot in the Grey Cup.

NEXT UP
Mines will await the announcement of the NCAA field on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 4 p.m. MT to find out their next game.