#4/7 Colorado School of Mines (3-0, 1-0 RMAC) vs. Black Hills State (2-1, 1-0 RMAC) // Saturday, Sept. 28 // 1 p.m.
Alumni Field at Marv Kay Stadium, Golden, Colo.
[TV: KCDO Local3] [RMAC Network] [Live Stats] [Tickets] [Mines Media Notes]

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Two teams off to a winning start in RMAC play meet as Black Hills State travels to Golden to face Colorado School of Mines on Homecoming Weekend.

LIVE COVERAGE
Every Mines home game this year will be televised live on KCDO Local3 in Colorado, and stream for free on the RMAC Network. 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 at 4 p.m.
- 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
It will be a beautiful early autumn weekend in Golden with Saturday's high around 84 degrees under sunny skies and light winds.

AT THE HELM
Pete Sterbick enters his second season as head coach of Colorado School of Mines, going 14-1 in 2023 and earning AFCA Regional Coach of the Year honors. The Orediggers' coaching staff returns largely intact with offensive coordinator Tim Brandon and defensive coordinator Tripp Thomas back for their second and third seasons, respectively, in those positions, while a familiar face in Yon Boone rejoins the staff as special teams coordinator.

MINES NAMES CAPTAINS
Mines has elected four captains for the 2024 season: quarterback Evan Foster, offensive tackle Nic Van de Graaf, and linebackers Jaden Healy and Adrian Moreno. All are first-year captains.

IN THE POLLS
Mines was selected atop the RMAC preseason coaches' poll on July 31, earning 79 points and seven of 10 first-place votes to lead Western Colorado and CSU Pueblo. In the national polls, Mines stayed at #4 in the AFCA coaches' poll fell two spots to #7 in the D2football.com media poll. It marks the 26th consecutive week that Mines has been in the national top-10 of both polls, and the 66th straight AFCA and 67th consecutive D2football.com poll they have appeared in the top 25.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME, PART I
It's Homecoming Weekend at Mines, and this one is even more special as the campus celebrates the university's 150th birthday. Homecoming has been kind to the Orediggers in recent years; Mines has never lost a Homecoming game at Marv Kay Stadium (8-0) since it opened in 2015, including last year's win over Chadron State. Mines has won 10 consecutive Homecoming games dating back to 2013.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME, PART II
At 5,707 feet above sea level, Marv Kay Stadium is a challenging place for opposing teams to play since it reopened in 2015, with Mines owning a .910 home winning percentage (51-5) since then. The 2023 season saw the Orediggers go a perfect 9-0 at home (with nine home games being a program record), and they have won 17 straight in Golden going back to the 2022 season. Part of the tough environment is thanks to the fans - Mines averaged more than a sellout last year, with an average of 103% of the stadium's capacity of 4,090 cheering on the Orediggers each week, and a standing-room-only crowd of 4,224 greeted West Texas A&M in Week 1 of 2024, and another sellout is anticipated against Black Hills State.

NOTING THE SERIES
Mines has never lost to Black Hills State, going 13-0 in a series that dates back to 1962 ... The Orediggers won the first meeting 45-19 on Oct. 27, 1962 in Golden ... BHSU joined the RMAC and NCAA Division II in 2012 and the series resumed ... Mines has scored 38 or more points in every game of the series ... BHSU's last visit to Golden was in 2022, a 38-0 shutout by Mines.

SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
Black Hills State is 2-1 with their lone loss coming to FCS St. Thomas in Week 2. They own wins over Southwest Baptist (24-14) and Fort Lewis (33-7). The Yellow Jackets own a stout defense that is allowing only 15 points and 224.7 total offensive yards per game, including 64 yards per game on the ground. DE Mylic Ritche (21 TT, 7.0 TFL, 2.0 S, 2 FF) and DT Kellen Collier (14 TT, 3.0 TFL, 2.0 S) have led BHSU's excellent line play. Offensively, quarterback Luke Duby has completed 55.2 percent of his passes for 636 yards and five touchdowns against two interceptions, with five different receivers catching scores. Cameron Goods has the majority of carries with 33 for 111 net yards and two touchdowns. 

LAST YEAR VS. BHSU
A second-half surge helped #1 Mines overcome a slow start to win 42-17 on the road at Black Hills State. The Orediggers trailed 17-14 at halftime, but outscored the Yellow Jackets 28-0 in the second half with John Matocha throwing for five touchdowns and Max McLeod catching three. Matocha found seven different receivers led by McLeod's nine-catch, 101-yard, three-touchdown game and Flynn Schiele's 96 yards off four receptions. Landon Walker matched his then-career high with 130 yards on 21 carries to lead Mines' ground game. The Orediggers held BH quarterback Tanner Clarkson to 9-of-21 in the air and made a second-half adjustment to contain him on the ground. TJ Chukwurah had 94 yards receiving, but was limited to two catches for 17 yards after catching a deep ball for a touchdown on the opening drive. Turnovers were key for Mines after giving up an early fumble with Devyn Lauer-Duarte recovering a fumbled punt, Jackson Zimmermann snaring an interception, and Evan Alexander causing and recovering a fumble to set up the offense.

WEEK 3 REWIND
Mines relied on its defense to grind out a 13-12 win to open up RMAC play at Chadron State as Devyn Lauer-Duarte's interception to end the game sealed victory.The Orediggers matched up against an outstanding Eagles defense, holding CSC to a touchdown and two field goals on 223 total yards of offense. Special teams play was critical in the game as Matthew Eich hit a pair of field goals in a tough crosswind, and punter Blake Doud was again a weapon in a strategic field-position battle, averaging 41.8 yards per punt on five tries with three inside the 20. On the flip side, Chadron State missed an early two-point conversion attempt and a first-half field goal. Evan Foster was 24-of-28 for 235 yards and ran for Mines' lone touchdown. Braelon Tate led all rushers with 51 yards, and Max McLeod had five catches for 79 yards while Flynn Schiele had nine for 65.

WEEK 3 QUICK HITS

- Evan Foster rushed for the Orediggers' only touchdown and was 24-of-38 for 236 yards in the air.
- Braelon Tate led Mines rushers with 51 yards on 15 carries.
- Flynn Schiele had a game-high nine receptions for 65 yards, while Max McLeod led all receivers with 79 yards off five catches.
- Devyn Lauer-Duarte had the game-sealing interception and added another break-up.
- Jaden Healy had a co-team-best 8 tackles with 2.0 TFL and a sack. Adrian Moreno also had 8 tackles.
- Christian Peluse, in his first career start, made four stops with a sack. Justin Vaughn got his first career sack and Dominic Caggiano and Evan Bish also had sacks.
- Matthew Eich was perfect on the day with field goals from 22 and 30 yards and a PAT.
- Blake Doud put three of his five punts inside the 20 and averaged 41.8 yards per kick.
- Long snapper Josh Wojciechowicz had two tackles on punts.

GOING STREAKING
Mines is currently riding a 23-game RMAC winning streak that dates back to the 2021 season. That counts as the longest active conference winning streak in NCAA Division II and fifth-longest in college football behind Mount Union (D-III, 59), Aurora (D-III NAAC, 40), North Central (D-III, CCIW, 34), and Michigan (FBS, Big Ten, 27).

ALL-AMERICAN QUARTET
Mines had a program-record 11 different players earn at least one all-America team recognition last year, and four of them return for the 2024 season. Wide receiver Max McLeod was a consensus first-team selection across all five major selectors, punter Blake Doud was named first team by three different organizations, cornerback Jackson Zimmermann picked up AP first team and D2CCA second team honors, and linebacker Adrian Moreno was a Don Hansen Honorable Mention pick.

PRESEASON HONORS
Both D2football.com and Lindy's Sports had the same four Oredigger honorees on their preseason all-America teams, with WR Max McLeod, LT Nic Van de Graaf, P Blake Doud, and CB Jackson Zimmermann each recognized. McLeod, Doud, and Zimmermann were each all-Americans after the 2023 season.

WALKER AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
Running back Landon Walker has had a terrific start to the 2024 season, leading Mines with 310 yards on the ground and the RMAC with six rushing touchdowns. Walker averages a whopping 7.8 yards per carry, and he's a threat in the receiving game as well with seven catches for 35 yards in three games. Nationally, Walker ranks fifth in scoring, fourth in rushing touchdowns, and fifth in yards per carry.

MCLEOD NEARS MINES RECEIVING RECORD
Sixth-year senior Max McLeod is coming off an all-timer of a 2023 season that saw him earn consensus first-team all-America honors while setting the Mines program records for both single-season receptions (115) and receiving yards (1,656). The nation's leader in both categories in 2023, McLeod is college football's active leader in career yards (3,913), adding 79 to that total last week, and he stands 1,070 yards from the D-II all-time record of 4,983 held by Ferris State's Clarence Coleman (1998-2001) and now just 97 yards shy of former Oredigger Brody Oliver's Mines record of 4,010 yards (2015-18). Oliver is currently one of only two 4,000-yard receivers in RMAC history, and McLeod could be the 26th in NCAA Division II history. McLeod's 45 career touchdown catches currently ranks in the top 20 all-time in D-II history as he chases Oliver's RMAC record of 59.

Mines Career Receiving Yards Leaders        
1. Brody Oliver (2014-2018)    4,010        
2. Max McLeod (2021-pres.)    3,913        
3. Justin Gallas (2001-2005)    3,561        

Mines Career Receiving Touchdowns Leaders        
1. Brody Oliver (2014-2018)    59        
2. Max McLeod (2021-pres.)    45        
3. Josh Johnston (2018-22)    40        

NCAA Active Receiving Yards Leaders        
1. Max McLeod, Mines (D-II)    3,913        
2. Collin Brunstein, Illinois Col. (D-III)    3,803        
3. Zakhari Franklin, Illinois (FBS)    3,629        
4. Tory Horton, Colorado St. (FBS)    3,382        

FIELD FLIPPER
It's not often that a punt goes viral, but Blake Doud's 80-yard bomb in Week 1 against West Texas A&M racked up more than 3 million views on Twitter and another million-plus on Instagram across a number of national accounts. The punt came from the Mines 19, carried to the WT 20, and was swatted off the opposite goal line by longsnapper Josh Wojciechowicz before being downed at the 1 by Konnor Mickelsen. It remains the longest punt in NCAA Division II and the second-longest in all of college football this season, and bested Doud's previous career long of 77 yards last year at Angelo State. Doud - who was the Week 1 RMAC Specialist of the Week - has pinned nine of his 14 punts inside the 20 through three games, including two at the 1 and four inside the 5. Mines is fourth nationally through the early part of the season in net punting at 43.21 yards per attempt. 

BE LIKE EICH
The one special teams piece Mines needed to replace in the offseason was at kicker, but it turns out that it was a familiar face winning the job. Matthew Eich, after starting as a true freshman and sophomore in 2021 and 2022, redshirted last year, and is back in 2024 with a perfect start on field goals (3-for-3) to go with 10-of-11 PATs made. His field goals have come from a career-long 47, 22, and 30 this season.

IN THE TRENCHES
The Mines offensive line turned over four starting spots since last season, but it hasn't shown in their performance as the Oredigger o-line has excelled over the first three weeks of 2024. Mines has given up an average of 3.0 tackles for loss per game, which ranks fifth nationally, and only four total sacks across three games. Veteran left tackle Nic Van de Graaf, who started his team-leading 43rd career game last week, has led a unit that has already seen seven different starters this season with left guard Cade Myer and center Chandler Poggensee starting all three games, and right guard Ben James and right tackle Zack Morris earning their first starts at those spots last week.

THIIIIIRD DOWN
Mines' offense has done a good job of staying on schedule this season, converting an RMAC-best 25-of-44 (56.8%) third-down opportunities. That ranks third-best in NCAA Division II as the Orediggers were 9-of-14 against West Texas A&M, 6-of-12 at Washburn, and 10-of-18 at Chadron State.

NUMBER 1
Devyn Lauer-Duarte picked an opportune time for his first interception of the season at Chadron State, grabbing a pass with less than 30 seconds to go in the game as the Eagles were trying to mount a comeback, then sliding down before a sure pick-six to seal the win. Lauer-Duarte has already equalled his 2023 total of passes defended (5) as he has a team-leading four pass break-ups (including at least one in each game) this season.

DEFENSIVE DEPTH
Mines' defensive trademark over the past few seasons has been its depth in rotation, and that has continued in 2024 with 34 different players registering tackles over the first three games. Seven players are in double digits for the season led by Adrian Moreno's 18 total tackles and Jaden Healy has 17 with a team-leading 4.5 for loss. Mikee Barker leads the secondary with 13 tackles, and Joey Beckner tops the defensive line with four.

PORTAL IMPACT
Mines once again did not lose a player in the transfer portal during the offseason, but the Orediggers picked up four key pieces from the FBS and FCS levels to bolster their roster. Two of those transfers have starts under their belts this season - redshirt junior defensive lineman Dominic Caggiano (South Dakota) and graduate transfer receiver Mark McCurdy (Davidson) - while two redshirt freshmen joined the program in quarterback Austin Gonzalez (Southern Mississippi) and tackle Noah Atherton (South Dakota State).

RETIRING #74
Mines Football retired the #74 jersey of the legendary Marv Kay in May 2023 shortly following his passing, and it is one of two numbers retired (along with Harry Campbell's #48) at Mines. Fans will still see 74 on the field, however, at least for the next two years. Offensive tackle Zach Morris, a redshirt junior, was wearing the #74 at the time of its retirement and will continue to wear it until his graduation in honor of Kay; he will be the final Mines player to sport the number.

HELMETS HONOR PAST OREDIGGERS
To commemorate Colorado School of Mines' 150th birthday, the Orediggers will wear four different throwback-inspired helmets this season. For this week's game, Mines will wear the second of the set, a script "Mines" wordmark in silver, to honor teams that wore the same logo from 1986 to 1990. The helmet also features a stripe inset with holographic years of the program's 16 RMAC championships. Mines will wear two more logos later in the season to honor different eras, and will return to their familiar chrome Blaster the Burro logo in Week 11. 

2024 Mines Helmet Decal Schedule
Weeks 1-3 - Block M        
Weeks 4-5 - Script "Mines"        
Week 6-7 - The Miner        
Week 8-10 - Chrome Oval M        
Week 11 - Chrome Blaster        

NEXT UP
Mines visits Colorado Mesa on Oct. 5 with the Nyikos Cup on the line.