#2/2 Colorado School of Mines (3-0) at #RV CSU Pueblo (1-2) // Saturday, Sept. 23 // 2 p.m.
Thunderbowl - Pueblo, Colo.
[RMAC Network] [Live Stats] [Tickets] [Mines Media Notes]

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#2 Colorado School of Mines (3-0) heads out on the road for a rivalry match-up at CSU Pueblo in Week 4, a showdown of the top two teams in the RMAC preseason coaches' poll.

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

WEATHER REPORT
Saturday's forecast in Pueblo is gorgeous with a game-time temperature of 77 degrees under mostly sunny skies and breezy conditions. 

AT THE HELM
Head Coach Pete Sterbick has won his first three games in charge of the Orediggers after the former offensive coordinator took over the head job last April. With Sterbick's promotion, Mines retained all of its assistant coaches, promoting offensive line coach Tim Brandon to offensive coordinator to replace Sterbick. Philip Vigil is also in his first season at the helm of CSU Pueblo, replacing the retired John Wristen after two seasons at Western New Mexico. 

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.

MINES SIGNS NEW TELEVISION DEAL
Mines Football has a new television home for the rest of the 2023 season, announcing a deal with KCDO Local3 in Denver earlier in September. All remaining RMAC home games will be carried live on Local3 as well as streamed on the RMAC Network. 

MINES MOURNS MARV KAY
Mines legend Marv Kay passed away on April 19, and the Orediggers will remember their former player, coach, and athletic director with a "MK74" decal on their helmets this season. Kay spent more than 40 years in a variety of roles at Mines, best remembered by fans for serving as head football coach from 1969 to 1995, and the Orediggers' home stadium is now named in his honor. Kay's #74 jersey was retired at his celebration of life ceremony in May, and current Oredigger offensive lineman Zack Morris will continue to wear the number in his honor until his graduation.

IN THE POLLS
Mines stayed at #2 in both major polls this week, tying their best showings in program history in both the AFCA and D2football.com rankings. Mines did pick up five more first-place votes (seven total) in the AFCA poll as they trail Ferris State in both. CSU Pueblo had been ranked until this week, and is now receiving votes in the AFCA poll. In the conference poll announced in August, Mines was selected atop the RMAC preseason coaches' poll, with CSU Pueblo at #2.

QUAD SQUAD
With RMAC play underway, the Orediggers hope to continue one of the most dominant runs in conference history as they seek their fifth consecutive RMAC crown. The Orediggers have won either an outright or shared title each year since 2018 (no championship was awarded in 2020), going 36-2 in that span against the RMAC. Mines joins an elite list of programs to have won four straight rings: CSU Pueblo (2011-14), Colorado Mesa (1985-88), Western Colorado (1973-79 and 1963-66), and Utah (1928-33).

LAST YEAR VS. CSU PUEBLO
Mines played CSU Pueblo twice last year, both at home, defeating them 45-17 during the regular season and then 45-24 in the NCAA First Round. In the regular-season meeting, John Matocha threw for 318 yards and two touchdowns while Michael Zeman compiled three total scores; in the playoffs, it was again Matocha's day throwing for 316 yards and four touchdowns with Max McLeod catching three of them. The Mines defense was utterly dominant, tying an NCAA championship record with 10 sacks led by Jack Peterson's 2.5 sack, five-tackle afternoon. 

SCOUTING THE THUNDERWOLVES
CSU Pueblo comes in 1-2 overall and 0-1 in RMAC play after falling 30-14 to Western Colorado last week. The Thunderwolves also fell 57-49 in double overtime at Grand Valley State and routed Midwestern State 37-8.  The offense has shown explosive potential scoring 33.3 points with 255 yards passing per game behind Fort Hays State transfer quarterback Chance Fuller, who has thrown for 765 yards and eight touchdowns. A trio of receivers - Zack Rakowsky, Andrew Cook, and Reggie Retzlaff - have 100+ yards and at least one touchdown. Kiahn Martinez has been the feature back with a healthy 229 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, CSUP allows 31.7 points and 344 yards per game and are +3 on turnover margin. Daniel Bone is the leading tackler with 27 and Cory McLellan has 26 with an interception. 

NOTING THE MINES-CSU PUEBLO SERIES
Mines and CSU Pueblo are meeting for the 34th time ... The series dates back to 1964 ... Mines has won the last four meetings including 28-12 in Pueblo in 2021 and 45-17 and 45-24 last season ... Mines has won four straight in the series and six of the last eight ... The current Oredigger four-game win streak is tied for their longest in the series' history ... CSUP leads the all-time series 19-14 but Mines is ahead 9-7 since CSUP restarted the program in 2008 ... Either one or both teams have been ranked in every meeting since 2010, a span of 15 games.

PRESEASON HONORS
Mines players received a number of preseason honors over the summer, most recently with a quartet named to the D2football.com Preseason Elite 100 list in mid-August. Quarterback John Matocha, right tackle Levi Johnson, and receiver Max McLeod earned first-team spots and Zach Hester was named to the Elite 100 Squad. Lindy's magazine also gave preseason all-America honors to Matocha and McLeod, also naming Matocha its preseason D-II MVP.

WEEK 3 REWIND
It was a true team effort as contributions came from every direction in Mines' 70-7 win over Adams State last week. The Orediggers dominated both sides of the ball, roaring out to a 49-0 halftime lead and not allowing a first down by the Grizzlies before the break. Nine different Orediggers scored a touchdown with a first half masterminded by John Matocha, who completed 20-of-26 passing attempts for 341 yards and five touchdowns, with Evan Foster playing a half's worth of football and passing for 53 yards and rushing for 29 and a score. Max McLeod compiled his third consecutive 100+ yard game with 109 and a score on five catches. Landon Walker, Aksel Richard, Nick Stone, McLeod, Sean Roberts, and Billy Pospisil III all caught touchdowns with Konnor Mickelsen, Braelon Tate, Foster, and Walker rushing for scores. 

WEEK 3 QUICK HITS
Standouts from Week 3's win vs. Adams State:

- John Matocha threw for 341 yards and five touchdowns in just seven drives, completing 20 of 26 passing attempts. He tied his career high for touchdowns and notched a career-best 250.5 QBR.
- Max McLeod had five catches for 109 yards and a touchdowns, and Sean Roberts compiled 68 yards and a touchdown to lead a dozen different receivers with a catch. 
- Braelon Tate and Chris Yoo co-led a rushing attack that produced 250 yards with 51 yards each, including Tate's first career touchdown.
- Landon Walker extended his team scoring lead with a rushing and receiving TD as he had 42 total yards. 
- The Mines defense held ASU without a first-half first down and allowed only 91 yards of total offense, including five net rushing yards.
- Joey Beckner, Jack Peterson, and Nolan Reeve recorded sacks. 
- Hunter Pearson was 10-for-10 on PATs.

MATOCHA MAGIC
John Matocha's electric 2022 season caught national attention, and the quarterback returns for a fourth and final season in 2023 after winning the Harlon Hill Award as Division II's national player of the year. His 2022 numbers were staggering: 4,778 passing yards, 52 passing touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns, and just eight interceptions as he compiled the third-most total yards (5,221) in NCAA Division II history. He won just about every award possible including the Harlon Hill as well as consensus All-America, the Academic All-American of the Year, Colorado Male College Athlete of the Year, and D2CCA and D2football.com National Offensive Player of the Year honors. A starter since week 2 of his true freshman season in 2019, Matocha is 39-6 since then and is now approaching several of fellow Harlon Hill winner Justin Dvorak's Mines and RMAC passing records, and is 32 passing touchdowns away from ex-Shepherd and current Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent's NCAA D-II record:

Mines Career Passing Touchdowns            
1. Justin Dvorak (2013-16) - 134        
2. John Matocha (2019-23) - 127        
3. Chad Friehauf (2001-04) - 84        

Mines Career Passing Yards                
1. Justin Dvorak (2013-16) - 13,466        
2. John Matocha (2019-23) - 11,621        
3. Chad Friehauf (2001-04) - 9,873        

Matocha is also at the top or close to the top of several NCAA all-division categories, and leads all of college football in touchdowns responsible for with 151 in his career:

NCAA Career Touchdowns Responsible For
1. John Matocha (Mines) - 151        
2. Austin Reed (Western Ky.) - 146        
3. Sam Hartman (Notre Dame) - 142        
4. Braxton Plunk (Mount Union) - 140        

HARLON HILL HISTORY
Matocha's win in the 2022 Harlon Hill Award voting made him the third different Oredigger to win D-II football's biggest individual prize, joining Justin Dvorak (2016) and Chad Friehauf (2004). It made Mines the only school in the history of the trophy to have three different recipients.

KEEPING IT 100
Max McLeod is on a rare streak at the moment as he has become the seventh player in program history to record three consecutive 100+ yard receiving games, going for 157, 147, and 109 so far. His 413 yards rank second in NCAA Division II through three weeks, and is the first Oredigger to have such a streak since the great Brody Oliver in 2018. Meanwhile, McLeod continues to move up the Mines career receiving ranks, becoming the fifth player in program history to catch his 30th career touchdown last week, and inching up to ninth on the career receiving yards list as well. 

Mines Career Receiving Yards            
1. Brody Oliver (2014-2018) - 4,010        
2. Justin Gallas (2001-2005) - 3,561        
3. Jonny Chan (2000-2004) - 2,972        
4. Josh Johnston (2019-22) - 2,939        
5. Adam Saur (2005-2009) - 2,888        
6. Ty Young (2012-2016) - 2,696        
7. Riley Hoff (2014-2018) - 2,496        
8. Jerrod Doucett (2008-2012) - 2,476        
9. Max McLeod (2021-pres.) - 2,367        
10. Brian Sump (1999-2002) - 2,328        

Mines Career Receiving Touchdowns        
1. Brody Oliver (2014-2018) - 59        
2. Josh Johnston (2018-22) - 40        
3. Adam Saur (2005-2009) - 32        
4. Jonny Chan (2000-2004) - 31        
5. Max McLeod (2021-pres.) - 30        

Mines 100+ Yard Receiving Game Streaks        
Max McLeod - 3 (2023)            
Brody Oliver - 5 (2018), 3 (2017), 8 (2016)        
Jerrod Doucet - 3 (2012)            
Adam Saur - 3 (2009)            
Justin Gallas - 4 and 3 (2005)             
Jonny Chan - 3 (2004), 5 (2003)            
Brian Sump - 3 (2001)            

FIRST-TIMERS
Among Mines' offensive outburst against Adams State were five Orediggers who found the end zone for the first time in their careers. Aksel Richard, Nick Stone, Sean Roberts, Billy Pospisil III, and Braelon Tate all scored their first career touchdowns, contributing to a total team offensive effort that saw a dozen players catch a pass and nine have a rush.

TWO-HEADED MONSTER
One of the biggest offseason questions for Mines was at running back after the graduation of all-time leading rusher Michael Zeman, but that question was answered in the first three weeks with the impressive emergence of Landon Walker and Noah Roper, who have very similar numbers so far. Roper, a graduate transfer from Dartmouth, has a team-leading 153 yards and two touchdowns on the ground plus 24 yards and a score receiving, while Walker, the 2022 RMAC Offensive Rookie of the Year, has 132 yards rushing with four scores and also owns a two receiving TDs on 77 yards. The duo have been a key receiving outlet for John Matocha, having 10 combined catches. 

REEVE LEADS THE WAY
Nolan Reeve enters this week as college football's active leader in sacks, compiling 34.5 in his career to lead all divisions of the NCAA. 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. Reeve also ranks second among active D-II players in tackles for loss with 43.

NCAA Football Active Sacks Leaders            
1. Nolan Reeve (Mines) - 34.5        
2. Josh Bever (Ohio Northern) - 32.5        
3. Mazin Richards (North Texas) - 29.5        
4. Luke Schuermann (Johns Hopkins) - 29.0        
4. Ryan Bodolus (Ursinus) - 29.0        

A DOMINANT D
Mines' defensive performance against Adams State was truly dominant, but the first half stood out as one of the best in program history as the Orediggers' 1s and 2s owned the field. Adams State was forced into seven consecutive three-and-outs in the first half, recording only six total yards (including three drives of zero or negative yards) and holding the ball for 7:55 out of the half hour.

THIIIIIIIRD DOWN
Third downs have been kind to the Orediggers this season on both sides of the ball as Mines ranks fourth in NCAA Division II in both third down conversion offense and defense. Mines has turned over 56.8 percent of its third-down opportunities offensively, including 10-of-10 last week against Adams State. Meanwhile, the defense has allowed opponents to convert only 6 of 39 tries (15.4 percent) including only 1 of 12 by Adams State.

BIG BOOT
He didn't have to punt last week, but Blake Doud has certainly impressed through his first few career games, earning back-to-back RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week and D2football.com National Specialist of the Week honors through the first two weeks of the season. With 13 punts, he is averaging a D-II-leading 50.2 yards per punt, has put nine of the 13 inside the 20, and hit seven punts over 50 yards including a career-high 77-yarder last week at Angelo State. The entire Mines punt unit has been outstanding, most notably in getting down the field to down balls - the Orediggers have had three punts downed at the 1 this season.

AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB
Kicker Hunter Pearson joined an exclusive club last week, becoming the fifth kicker in Mines history to boot double-digit PATs in a game. Scott Marshall and current Oredigger Matthew Eich co-hold the program single-game PAT record at 12, with Pearson going 10-for-10 in Mines' 70-7 win over Adams State. Austin Toussaint and Grayson Harris are the other two to do it. This season, Pearson is 2-for-2 on field goals and 18-for-18 on PATs combined with snapper Josh Wojciechowicz and holder Jacob Click.

PRODIGGER
Former all-American cornerback Mason Pierce made his professional debut on Labor Day, earning a call up from the Toronto Argonauts' practice squad and quickly earning his first career start this past week, where he shined in the Argos' 23-20 win over the Montreal Alouettes. Pierce was named to the CFL's weekly honor roll with 8 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and a forced fumble in that game as the Argos clinched the East's #1 seed in their quest to repeat as Grey Cup champions. 

NEXT UP
Mines hosts Chadron State for Homecoming on Sept. 30 with a noon kickoff.