PUEBLO, Colo. - #2 Colorado School of Mines got off to a fast start and never let up, routing CSU Pueblo 55-14 at the Thunderbowl to improve to 4-0.

John Matocha masterminded the offense with a 328-yard, three-touchdown performance that included a pair of 100-yard receivers in Max McLeod and Flynn Schiele, with Schiele catching two of the scores and McLeod the other. Landon Walker ran for 87 yards and a TD and Noah Roper went for 68 and a score as Mines rushed for 231 yards. 

Hunter Pearson put two field goals through and Evan Foster added a late rushing touchdown as the Orediggers (4-0, 2-0 RMAC) compiled 563 yards of offense. The defense was just as good led by Jaden Healy's pick-six and forced fumble, with Zach Hester also forcing a fumble and Jaden Williams recovering one.

It looked like it would be a grinding game after CSU Pueblo denied Mines of points with a goal-line stand to start the game, but a defensive out and punt to midfield set the Orediggers up for Roper's touchdown to get Mines on the board with 6:10 left in the first. A third-down drive-stop sack by Healy the next series gave Mines the ball back, again in great position, and Matocha needed only one play to go over the top to Schiele for a 40-yard score and 14-0 lead. Another three-and-out led to more Oredigger points as Pearson hit from 44 in a crosswind to make it 17-0 late in the first; the next play would be the Thunderwolves' biggest of the game as Howard Russell broke loose for an 87-yard touchdown run as the clock expired on the quarter to make it 17-7.

Both defenses owned the second quarter as Donyai Dixon became the first player to intercept Matocha this season before Healy answered in kind and rumbled 37 yards to the house in the only score of the quarter, putting Mines ahead 24-7 at halftime.

Mines had the ball first in the second half and needed only three plays to score as Walker ran around the left side and found daylight for a 67-yard touchdown; CSUP switched quarterbacks and Steven Croell made a big running play of his own with a 38-yard score on the next possession. Those would end up being the Pack's final points, however; Pearson converted from 26 yards on the next possession before Hester's fumble force, recovered by Williams, set Mines up in CSUP territory for a 25-yard touchdown pass to McLeod to make it 41-14 on the opening play of the fourth quarter.

Schiele's second touchdown catch of the game, a 19-yarder with 7:35 left, shut down any CSUP comeback hopes, and Foster's 12-yard run with 1:51 to go was the cap on a dominant day.

NOTABLES
- It was Mines' fifth straight win over CSU Pueblo, their longest winning streak in the series all-time.
- Mines' senior class finishes up 3-0 at the Thunderbowl. 
- Mines' 55 points were their second-most scored against CSUP in the series and most at the Thunderbowl; only the 57-21 win at home in 2016 was higher scoring. 
- McLeod posted his fourth consecutive 100+ yard receiving game with 106, making him only the fourth player in program history and first since Brody Oliver in 2018 to do so. He and Schiele became Mines' first 100-yard receiver duo in a game since Tristan Smith and Joe Golter against Fort Lewis in 2021.
- Schiele had his career-best game with 101 yards and two touchdowns on five catches. 
- Evan Alexander led the defense with eight tackles. Nolan Reeve, James Hess, and Healy each had sacks. 
- Healy's day was impressive: the outside linebacker had five total tackles, a strip sack for a fumble, an interception return for a touchdown, and another pass break-up. His defensive TD was Mines' first of the season.

NEXT UP
Mines hosts Chadron State Sept. 30 at noon for Homecoming.