#24 Colorado School of Mines (7-3, 5-3 RMAC) vs. Fort Lewis (3-7, 2-6 RMAC) // Saturday, Nov. 16 // 12 p.m.
Alumni Field at Marv Kay Stadium, Golden, Colo.
[RMAC Network | KCDO Local3] [Live Stats] [Tickets] [Mines Media Notes]

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#24 Colorado School of Mines closes the regular season at home against Fort Lewis, needing a win - and some help from around the region - to try and extend their campaign into the postseason.

LIVE COVERAGE
This week's game will stream for free on the RMAC Network and air live on KCDO Local3 in Denver. Miles Dunklin and Josh Dover have the call.

FAN INFORMATION
For this week's game, please note the following important pieces of information:

- The Ore Cart Shuttles will run on game day for fans - visit the Parking page for more information.
- Fans are strongly encouraged to purchase digital tickets or print at home tickets ahead of time at minesathletics.com/tickets.
- Mines students, faculty, and staff will be admitted free with their BlasterCard. 
- Gates and the tailgating lot open two hours before kickoff.
- Tailgating is permitted in Lot K only (next to Stermole Soccer Stadium). Fans are encouraged to park for free in the parking garage at 1400 Maple Street, located two blocks south of Marv Kay Stadium. Visit the Parking page for more information.
- The City of Golden's street parking requires a permit seven days a week. Fans can not park in the neighborhood surrounding the stadium. 
- The Kraemer Beer Garden in the McKee West End Zone will be open for all fans 21+. 

WEATHER REPORT
Saturday will be seasonably pleasant in Golden with a game-time high of 50 degrees under mostly sunny skies. 

SENIOR DAY SET FOR SATURDAY
Prior to this week's game, Mines will honor its 23-member senior class as they play for the final time at Marv Kay Stadium. This year's senior class has an extraordinary 46 wins, reached the #1 ranking in the nation, owns three RMAC championship rings, and won three NCAA regional titles, twice advancing to the Division II national championship game.

IN THE POLLS
In this week's national polls, Mines dropped to #24 in the AFCA coaches' poll, and fell out of the D2football.com top 25. Mines has appeared in 73 straight AFCA and polls. 

AROUND THE REGION
The second ordered NCAA regional rankings were announced earlier this week and Mines stayed at #10 in Super Region 4. That puts the Orediggers on the outside looking in as the top seven make the postseason; Mines needs to beat Fort Lewis and get help in the form of losses by Bemidji State, Sioux Falls, and Colorado Mesa, at least. The 28-team field will be announced on Sunday. 

NOTING THE SERIES
Mines and Fort Lewis are meeting for the 62nd 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 34-27 lead ... The Orediggers have won 16 straight dating back to 2007 ... Mines has scored 40+ points in each game of the series dating back to 2012 ... The Orediggers are 16-13 at home ... Mines has four straight shutouts over the Skyhawks (42-0 in 2019, 76-0 in 2021, 80-0 in 2022, and 82-0 in 2023).

SCOUTING THE SKYHAWKS
A much-improved Fort Lewis team comes into Week 11 with a 3-7 record, currently riding their first two-game win streak since the 2017 season after beating New Mexico Highlands 44-22 last week. Quarterback Stone Walker has been a dual threat passing for eight and rushing for five touchdowns, and he is FLC's leading rusher with 366 net yards. Defensively, Jacob Penney is the RMAC's leading tackler with 105, including 8.0 for loss and three total turnovers. The Skyhawks have one of the RMAC's better passing defenses allowing 203.1 yards per game (fourth in the league) as they allow 37.4 points per game overall.

LAST YEAR VS. FORT LEWIS
Mines clinched the RMAC championship as they blanked Fort Lewis, 82-0, on the road in Week 11 of 2023. John Matocha became college football's all-time recordholder for total touchdowns as the Orediggers wrapped up a perfect regular season. Matocha threw for three touchdowns and ran in another, and Mines set a program record for total offense in a game with 798 yards. The Orediggers ran for more than 500 yards for only the second time in program history and first time since 1992 with 508. Six different Orediggers had a rushing touchdown led by Landon Walker's three spot, and Walker, Noah Roper, Chris Yoo, Konnor Mickelsen, and Braelon Tate all had 70+ yards. Meanwhile the defense worked its second shutout of the season with four turnovers, holding FLC to -33 rushing yards and 208 yards of total offense overall.

WEEK 10 REWIND
 #7/6 CSU Pueblo prevailed in a defensive struggle, winning 28-13 over #14/21 Colorado School of Mines at the Thunderbowl last week. Mines ran for 231 yards and held CSU Pueblo to 63, and outgained the Pack 392 to 332 overall, but third- and fourth-down conversions were hard to come by for both teams as CSUP ultimately had more explosive offensive opportunities to win. Landon Walker led Mines with 97 rushing yards and Braelon Tate scored a 44-yard touchdown while Matthew Eich hit a couple of field goals. Roman Fuller threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns for CSUP with Reggie Retzlaff catching two of those scores among his 139 yards on the day. 

WEEK 10 QUICK HITS

- Landon Walker had 96 yards on 18 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt.
- In his second straight start, Joseph Capra ran for 79 net yards and threw for 161.
- Braelon Tate scored on a 44-yard touchdown, compiling 47 total rushing yards.
- Flynn Schiele led the receivers with six catches for 86 yards.
- Will Ramsey and James Hess co-led Mines with seven tackles each and Hess added 2.5 TFL and a sack.
- Mikee Barker, Will Drogosch, and Jackson Zimmermann each had two pass break-ups.
- Matthew Eich hit both of his field goal attempts, each coming from 43 yards.

TO THE MAX
Max McLeod continues to move up the all-time lists in Mines, RMAC, and NCAA Division II history, now sitting fourth all-time in D-II history in receiving yards last week at 4,568. McLeod, who has caught a pass in all 55 games of his career, has a chance to tie the NCAA all-divisions record for consecutive games with a reception this week, which stands at 56 held by former Arizona and UTEP (and current 49ers) receiver Jacob Cowing. As it stands, McLeod has more receiving yards than any D-II player since 2008, and he is Division II's active leader in career yards and touchdowns. McLeod is also five touchdowns away from tying Brody Oliver's Mines and RMAC record of 59. The 26th 4,000-yard receiver in D-II history, he and Oliver are the only two to reach 4K from the same program; he is only the 12th D-II player to reach 50 career touchdown receptions, as well. 

Mines Career Receiving Yards Leaders        
1. Max McLeod (2021-pres.)    4,568        
2. Brody Oliver (2014-2018)    4,010        
3. Justin Gallas (2001-2005)    3,561        

Mines Career Receiving Touchdowns Leaders        
1. Brody Oliver (2014-2018)    59        
2. Max McLeod (2021-pres.)    54        
3. Josh Johnston (2018-22)    40        

NCAA Active Receiving Yards Leaders        
1. Collin Brunstein, Illinois Col. (D-III)    4,657        
2. Max McLeod, Mines (D-II)    4,568        
3. Scott Fraser, Grove City (D-III)    3,993        

NCAA Active Receiving TDs Leaders        
1. Collin Brunstein, Illinois Col. (D-III)    71        
2. Max McLeod, Mines (D-II)    54        
3. Tyler Kahmann, Emporia St. (D-II)    52        

NCAA D-II Career Receiving Yards Leaders        
1. Clarence Coleman, Ferris St. (98-01)    4,983    
2. Richie Ross, UNK (02-05)        4,882    
3. Michael Washington, W. Chester (05-08)    4,715    
4. Max McLeod, Mines (21-24)        4,568    
5. Jamaica Rector, NW Mo. St. (01-04)    4,497    
6. Chris Samp, Winona St. (01-04)        4,471    
7. James Roe, Norfolk St. (92-95)        4,468    

DYNAMIC DUO, PART I
Max McLeod and Flynn Schiele have been a problem for opposing defenses this fall, combining for huge numbers in the receiving game: 129 catches, 2,076 yards, and 20 touchdowns. Schiele crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the season two weeks ago, now standing at 1,118 for the season as he notched his second consecutive season over the milestone. McLeod is right behind him at 958. The pair rank among the NCAA Division II leaders in multiple categories, including receiving yards (Schiele 3rd, McLeod 9th), receiving touchdowns (tied for 13th), and receptions per game (McLeod 8th, Schiele 15th). 

DYNAMIC DUO, PART II
Landon Walker and Braelon Tate have proven to be a potent one-two punch on the ground this year, as the two have combined for well over 1,000 yards through 10 games. Walker leads the team with 701 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Tate is sitting at 471 yards and five scores; they both average better than six yards per carry. The pair combine to average 125 yards rushing per game - and they also own 26 receptions between them this year, as well.

START ME UP
Veteran left tackle Nic Van de Graaf joined a club of only two Orediggers last week as he made his 50th career start. Van de Graaf is now Mines' all-time leader in offensive line starts, surpassing Grant Stewart (2015-18), and trails only John Matocha (57) for the most at any position as they are the only two players in program history to reach 50. Long snapper Josh Wojciechowicz (43) and linebacker Adrian Moreno (45) are the Orediggers' other two members of the 40-start club; Wojciechowicz will start his team-best 42nd consecutive game this week, as well.

BOOMIN'
Punter Blake Doud, a first-team all-American last year as a sophomore, has continued his outstanding play in 2024 and leads NCAA Division II in punting heading into the final week of the regular season. Doud is averaging 46.7 yards per punt, and Mines averages 43.38 net yards per punt, both of which lead the nation. Doud's average would currently rank fifth in FBS.

DEFENSIVE DEPTH
Mines' defensive trademark over the past few seasons has been its depth in rotation, and that has continued in 2024. Jaden Healy leads the way in both tackles (53) and tackles for loss (11.5) with Adrian Moreno's 48 tackles and Hayden Gregg's 45 ranking second and third, respectively. Jackson Zimmermann, Will Ramsey, Joel Diaz, Will Drogosch, and Devyn Lauer-Duarte have interceptions, as well, while Brady Zingelmann and Joey Beckner are tied for the team sacks lead at 3.0. Cornerbacks Drogosch and Zimmermann co-lead the team with seven pass break-ups apiece.

TO THE HOUSE
Aksel Richard's 90-yard kick return touchdown was a momentum spark for the Orediggers at New Mexico Highlands as they would go on to score 49 consecutive points after his first-quarter takeback. The touchdown was a rarity for the Orediggers - it was the program's first return TD (kick or punt) since Jerrod Doucet returned a kickoff 88 yards against Fort Lewis in 2010. Even more impressively, it was only Richard's second career kick return as he slotted into the kick return rotation for Braelon Tate, who had his running back load increased in the game.

GO FOR TWO
The Western Colorado game saw the Orediggers do something they hadn't done in nearly a decade - score a two-point conversion. Mines doesn't go for two very often as it is, but playing from behind against Western Colorado, the Orediggers went for it and converted on a Landon Walker pass to Blake Smotherman; it was the first two-point conversion for Mines since the 2015 season against Colorado Mesa.