Colorado School of Mines (4-2, 2-2 RMAC) vs. Adams State (0-6, 0-4 RMAC) // Saturday, Oct. 18 // 12 p.m.
Alumni Field at Marv Kay Stadium - Golden, Colo.
[TV: Local3 KCDO] [RMAC Network PPV] [Live Stats] [Tickets] [Mines Media Notes]

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Bouncing back last week with a win at South Dakota Mines, Colorado School of Mines comes home in Week 7 to host Adams State looking for a second straight victory. 

LIVE COVERAGE
This week's game will stream on the RMAC Network (pay-per-view) and air live on KCDO Local3 in Denver. Miles Dunklin and Kienan Dixon have the call. All six of Mines' 2025 home games will air live on Local3. 

RMAC NETWORK CHANGES
Beginning this fall the RMAC Network is moving to a pay-per-view model for all events. Fans can purchase monthly and annual subscriptions that will provide them access to all regular-season, championship, and archived broadcasts on the RMAC Network. A monthly subscription costs $25, and an annual subscription costs $130. Single-game passes are available for $10, which grants access to a single game for 24 hours. For technical support questions, fans can contact Hudl Support or email the RMAC directly (rmac@rmacsports.org). For further support, fans can visit the RMAC Network Help page.

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 tickets.minesathletics.com. Mines students and employees can access their free tickets by logging in with their Mines SSO.
- 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 is forecast to be perfect football weather with sunny skies and a high of 60 degrees.

LEADING THE WAY
Mines will rotate captains on a weekly basis in 2025, with Joseph Capra, Joel Diaz, Aaron Rhea, and Aksel Richard leading the Orediggers in Week 7 against Adams State.

STITT HAPPENS... AGAIN
Bob Stitt was announced as the new head coach of Mines Football on Feb. 7, returning to Golden after 10 years away to take over the program that he built into a national contender. Stitt was originally the Orediggers' head coach from 2000 to 2014, winning three RMAC titles, earning the first three NCAA playoff appearances in program history, and compiling a record of 108-62. The winningest head coach in Mines history, Stitt built Mines into a power program in the RMAC and NCAA Division II, winning the program's first conference title in more than 50 years in 2004 and going on to have 19 all-Americans and 168 all-RMAC selections over 15 seasons.

LAST WEEK
Mines came away with a hard-nosed road win in Week 6, defeating South Dakota Mines 24-14 in Rapid City. The Orediggers (4-2, 2-2 RMAC) were led by Joseph Capra's three-touchdown day, while the defense allowed a season-low 14 points to the Hardrockers. Capra threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Nick Stone, while Aksel Richard had a career-high 104 yards receiving and Braelon Tate went off for 132 total yards and a receiving TD. Dawson Dunbar led SDM with 117 rushing yards and a touchdown, and Mason Galbreath caught seven passes for 123 yards and a score. Quarterback Gage Baker threw for 182 yards and a touchdown with an interception to William Brown.

SCOUTING THE GRIZZLIES
Adams State is still searching for its first win of the season under first-year head coach Levi Gallas, now 0-6 after falling 54-17 at Colorado Mesa last week. Offensively the quarterback duo of Gavin Herberg and Tyson Smith have taken most of the snaps with Herberg throwing for 314 yards and two touchdowns, and Smith 295 yards and two scores. Geovonni Ribalta leads their receivers with 240 yards and a touchdown and Elijah Harris III is their feature back with 127 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. Defensively, Mafileo Tupou's 39 tackles lead the team while Anthony Henry and Blake George each have a pair of sacks.

LAST YEAR VS. ADAMS STATE
Mines was in its offensive groove as it routed Adams State 56-14 at Rex Stadium. The Orediggers generated a season-high 638 yards of offense - including 288 yards rushing - as they scored on the opening drive and exploded for a 35-14 halftime lead. Evan Foster was 25-of-31 for 326 yards and four touchdowns, plus 57 yards on the ground, and he also caught a touchdown courtesy of a trick play from Landon Walker, who ran for a score of his own on 44 yards. Both Flynn Schiele (133 yards, 2 TD) and Max McLeod (111 yards, 1 TD) went over 100 yards for the second straight game, while Jack Walters caught an additional TD and Braelon Tate and Joseph Capra added ground scores.

NOTING THE SERIES
This will be the 77th meeting between Mines and Adams State in a series dating back to 1947 ... Mines leads the series 38-36-2, with Mines taking the series lead in 2023 ... Mines had trailed in the series since 1964 but has won 11 straight over the Grizzlies ... The Orediggers are 21-18-1 against ASU in Golden ... Mines has won 11 in a row and 16 of the last 17 dating back to 2007 ... The Orediggers have scored 40 or more points in each of their wins in the current winning streak, including last year's 56-14 win in Alamosa.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME
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 56-8 record at home. Part of the tough environment is thanks to the fans - Mines has averaged greater than a sellout of its 4,090-seat capacity each of the past two seasons, and broke the stadium single-game attendance record twice last season culminating in 7,813 fans packing in for the Western Colorado game in late October. This season, the Orediggers have sold out two of three home games including 6,000+ for Homecoming versus Colorado Mesa, the 17th sellout in stadium history.

RICHARDS LEADS RMAC
Through six games, Pierce Richards has proven to be the Orediggers' workhorse at receiver, collecting 41 catches (the most per game - 6.8 - in the RMAC) for 374 yards and three touchdowns. Richards has been on a tear the past few weeks, catching seven balls for 117 yards (a career high) at Black Hills State, a career-high 10 catches for 77 yards against Colorado Mesa, and then eight catches for 50 yards last week vs. South Dakota Mines.

GOING DEEP
While Pierce Richards has been the short-yardage go-to in Mines' offense, Aksel Richard has developed into a deep threat, posting back-to-back-to-back season highs in yardage before breaking out for a career-high 104 yards last week at South Dakota Mines. Richard caught touchdowns against both Black Hills State and Colorado Mesa, then then got it done last week only three receptions - for 47, 41, and 16 yards - to stretch the field for the Orediggers. Richard is one of four RMAC receivers this year averaging more than 20 yards per catch at 21.8. 

TATE STEPS INTO STARTING ROLE
With Landon Walker out, Braelon Tate has stepped into the starting running back role and been productive for the Orediggers, compiling 38 carries for 162 yards over the past two weeks. Tate was a constant threat last week at South Dakota Mines carrying 20 times for 87 yards on the ground, and then catching three passes for 45 yards and a touchdown as well. The Orediggers are also buoyed at RB by the return of Max Barnes last week, who made his season debut with 10 carries for 34 yards.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BALL
Against Colorado Mesa, the Orediggers turned to a familiar face in an unfamiliar place to help convert a pair of fourth downs. Starting nose tackle Eli Krawczuk - a 6-3, 285-pound redshirt sophomore - was called in presumably as a blocker in a heavy package next to fellow defensive lineman Dominic Caggiano. Both times, however, Krawczuk got the handoff and went 2-for-2, diving over the line to convert a 4th-and-2 situation at midfield at the end of the first quarter, and later converting a 4th-and-1 on Mines' own 34 in the third quarter. Krawczuk's final stat line was two carries for four yards, three tackles, half for a loss, and a hurry. The package appeared again alst week at South Dakota Mines with Braelon Tate as the ball carrier in the red zone.

DEFENSE STANDS TOUGH
Last week's win at South Dakota Mines marked a season-low in points allowed by the Oredigger defense at 14, as they held SDM to only 1-of-2 in the red zone and 5-of-15 on third downs. The Orediggers came out of the game +1 on turnovers thanks to William Brown's interception, and had three sacks.

WE CAN DANCE IF WE WANT TO
In six games this season, the Mines defense has generated three scoring plays which includes two safeties, marking the first time since the 2018 season that Mines has had multiple. The first came in Week 1 at West Texas A&M when Justin Vaughn's strip in the end zone went out of bounds for what proved to be a decisive two points in the game; last week, Earl Ingle IV stripped the ball that dribbled back to the end zone where it was fallen on by a Black Hills State player for two. The Orediggers also had Sean Gilbert's 89-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Chadron State, their longest defensive scoring play since that same 2018 season.

FLIPPING THE FIELD
Punter Lucas LeSieur, who was the week 1 RMAC and national specialist of the week, continues to be a difference-maker for the Orediggers as he leads the RMAC in punting this season. In his first year as the starter, the redshirt freshman has been outstanding averaging 45.5 yards per punt, which comfortably leads the RMAC and ranks third in NCAA Division II. Ten of his 22 punts have been downed inside the 20 (to only four touchbacks) and seven have sailed 50+ yards.

FROM WAY DOWNTOWN
Redshirt freshman Preston Kyle hit a 56-yard field goal against Washburn, which not only was the Orediggers' first 50+ yard boot since 2017, it was Mines' longest field goal period since 1998, when Scott Juengst hit a 57-yarder against Fort Lewis. Mines kickers have hit 11 50+ yard field goals in the NCAA Division II era dating back to 1992; the program record remains Mike Flater's 62-yarder against Western Colorado in 1973. This season, Kyle ranks seventh NCAA Division II with 1.50 field goals per game, making nine of 13 tries including four of 40+ yards.

FIRST TIME?
The Orediggers' win at West Texas A&M marked the second "first" win for Head Coach Bob Stitt, and it came nearly 25 years to the day after his first head coaching victory with the Orediggers. Stitt's first tenure began in 2000 and Mines won 55-19 at Oklahoma Panhandle State on Sept. 9 that season to give him his first victory. Stitt now has a program-record 112 wins in his 16th season overall.

GOING FOR TWO
Prior to last season, it had nearly been a decade since Mines had scored a two-point conversion, with their last coming in the 2015 season. Now, the Orediggers have had two in the last calendar year, both coming on receptions by tight end Blake Smotherman. The first came in Week 8 of the 2024 season on a wildcat pass from Landon Walker, and Smotherman snagged another one from Joseph Capra in Week 3 against Chadron State.

DVORAK INDUCTED TO MINES HOF
Harlon Hill Trophy-winning quarterback Justin Dvorak was announced as a member of the Mines Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 on July 28, was inducted on Oct. 4 as part of Homecoming weekend. Dvorak set the standard for quarterbacks in the RMAC and NCAA Division II over his career (2013-16), setting the Mines and RMAC career records for passing passing yards (13,466), passing touchdowns (134), and total offense (14,608), while also establishing the program record for career completion percentage (66.1%), completions (1,068), and total TDs responsible for (161). A two-time all-American, Dvorak's senior 2016 season saw him add the Harlon Hill plus National Offensive Player of the Year honors after throwing for 4,584 yards and 53 touchdowns in winning the RMAC championships and advancing to the NCAA Second Round.

NEXT UP
Mines visits #5 Western Colorado on Oct. 25.