GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado Mesa retained the Nyikos Cup, using a last-minute comeback to stun Colorado School of Mines 28-24 at Marv Kay Stadium.

The Mavericks (2-3, 1-2 RMAC) scored with 11 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to take the lead after Mines (3-2, 1-2 RMAC) hit a late go-ahead field goal. CMU had an outstanding ground game to rush for 369 yards, while Mines  was more balanced as Joseph Capra threw for 216 yards and two touchdowns, and he and Braelon Tate combined for 163 rushing yards.

Brandon Belgrave accounted for 209 yards and two touchdowns on the ground with another in the air, and Aiden Taylor ran for 110 yards. CMU ran the ball 49 times to only 20 passes, most of which came on their final drive.

Capra ended 22-of-28 for 216 yards passing, with Pierce Richards collecting a career-high 10 catches for 77 yards. Tate wound up with 75 yards and a touchdown.

CMU chewed up first-half clock with a 7:40 opening drive that ended in a 19-yard Sullivan Moon field goal following Mines' goalline stand. The Orediggers scored on their first possession, driving the field in less than three minutes to finish on Aksel Richard's 39-yard pass from Capra to lead 7-3.

Mines extended their lead to open the second quarter with Capra finding Nick Stone on a 31-yard touchdown throw, but the Mavericks scored twice before halftime, first on Belgrave's 10-yard scoring run, and then on a Moon 25-yarder with six seconds to go to cut the deficit to 14-13.

The Orediggers scored on their second series of the third quarter keyed by a 43-yard Capra run to the red zone to set up Tate's three-yard touchdown, but CMU scored early in the fourth and converted the two-point conversion - both Belgrave rushes - to tie it 21-21. Jackson Zimmermann's end zone interception led to points later in the quarter as Mines scored on Preston Kyle's 31-yard field goal, leaving CMU 1:56 to tie or take the lead.

With all three timeouts, the Mavericks marched 75 yards on 12 plays, and facing a 4th-and-3 decision at the Mines 13, opted to go for the win instead of a game-tying field goal and found it when Cole Hansen passed to Belgrave with 11 seconds remaining.

Mines had a chance during a wild final 11 seconds, working multiple laterals to get into Mesa territory before the CMU team entered the field during the play; an illegal participation penalty, however, only reset back to the original line of scrimmage plus the penalty, and a final Hail Mary attempt didn't connect.

NEXT UP
Mines heads to South Dakota Mines on Oct. 11.