GOLDEN, Colo. - #6/7 CSU Pueblo rallied back from a big deficit to defeat Colorado School of Mines in overtime, 41-34, at Marv Kay Stadium.

The Orediggers (6-4, 4-4 RMAC) led 31-13 in the third quarter before the Thunderwolves (9-1, 8-0 RMAC) scored the final two touchdowns of the fourth quarter and then had another in overtime combined with a game-ending interception to stay atop the RMAC standings.

Mines produced 242 rushing yards led once again by Max Barnes, who ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns, and Braelon Tate, who added 60 more yards and a score. 

Roman Fuller threw for 268 yards on 48 passing attempts with four touchdowns, but Mines' Joel Diaz intercepted him twice, part of four total turnovers on the day for the defense. Reggie Retzlaff caught three touchdowns including the go-ahead overtime score.

CSU Pueblo's only lead in regulation came on a 24-yard Jackson Smith field goal early in the first quarter, and Mines took the lead right back on a long drive capped by Barnes' two-yard touchdown later in the period. Smith hit from 51 yards on the next series but Barnes again extended the lead breaking out for a 19-yard score to end the first period at 14-6.

Diaz's first interception on a tipped pass led directly to a Mines score as defensive lineman Dominic Caggiano took the handoff out of a jumbo package to make it 21-6, and a turnover on downs keyed by Matt Soderdahl's fourth-down pass break-up led to more Mines points with Barnes chunking yardage to set up Tate's 14-yard touchdown and a 28-6 lead with 4:00 left in the half.

Another interception by Diaz produced no points for Mines, and CSUP got a key score with a two-minute drill to end the half on Retzlaff's 18-yard catch, making it 28-13 at the break.

The Orediggers extended their lead to 31-13 midway through the third on Preston Kyle's 37-yard field goal, and CSUP answered with Russell Patton's one-yard touchdown on the ensuing drive. Mines caught a break to start the fourth quarter when Reece Robinson muffed a punt return that was recovered by Mason Dickerson and led directly to a 38-yard Kyle field goal, but those would be Mines' final points of the game. A muffed punt the other way set Pueblo up with great field position and they converted on a 14-yard Fuller strike Retzlaff, and after trading punts, a spectacular horizontal layout by Marcellus Honeycutt Jr. for a 32-yard touchdown tied the game at 34-34 with 50 seconds remaining.

In overtime, the Thunderwolves picked up a key 3rd-and-7 on a Robinson completion, helping Fuller find Retzlaff for a 12-yard touchdown two plays later. Mines ran only two offensive plays before Peyton Shaw's interception ended the game.

NOTABLES
- Soderdahl had an exceptional game with eight tackles, one for loss, and three breakups; Devyn-Lauer Duarte had a team-high nine tackles with half a sack; and Diaz added a sack to his six tackles and two picks. 
- Diaz tied the Marv Kay Stadium record for interceptions, joining five other Orediggers - Jeff Grenfell, Drake Thenell, Dean Wenger, Logan Braden, and Kobe Brewster - in achieving that. He is the first Oredigger with two picks in a game since teammate Jackson Zimmermann did it at Colorado Mesa in 2023. 
- Caggiano's touchdown was the first of his career. 
- Nicholas Dudzikowski forced a fumble recovered by Hall Edmonds.
- CSU Pueblo had 429 yards of total offense to Mines' 362. 
- It was Mines' first overtime game since playing Angelo State in 2022.

NEXT UP
Mines will conclude the season at Fort Lewis on Nov. 15.