D2football.com Top 25

GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines is #4 in the D2football.com preseason media top 25 poll, adding to their recognition ahead  of the 2023 season. 

It marks the third consecutive top-10 preseason for the Orediggers, who finished #3 in last year's final D2football.com poll. Mines was #2 in the AFCA Coaches' Poll that came out last week.

Mines is coming off an appearance in the NCAA Division II national championship game last season and a 13-3 record. Under first-year head coach Pete Sterbick, Mines will have another difficult schedule early in the season, hosting Grand Valley State to start the season (#2 in the D2football.com) before visiting Angelo State in Week 2 (#6), with Week 4 RMAC foe CSU Pueblo ranked #25. 

The Orediggers return a veteran-filled squad that includes 18 starters, including national player of the year John Matocha at quarterback, the nation's leading returning receiver in Max McLeod, all but one member of the offensive line two-deep, and eight all-RMAC starters from a defense that led all of college football in sacks last year. The Orediggers have 17 sixth-year seniors on the roster. Mines had four players named to the D2football.com Preseason Elite 100 team last week including Matocha, McLeod, right tackle Levi Johnson, and defensive end Zach Hester. 

Mines opens the season against Grand Valley State on Thursday, Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. at Marv Kay Stadium.