GOLDEN, Colo. - It took nearly eight hours in the longest game in program history, but #24 Colorado School of Mines outlasted Washburn - and the weather - in a 41-27 win at Marv Kay Stadium.

The Orediggers (2-0) endured three separate lightning delays in a game that kicked off at noon and ended under the lights at 7:45 p.m. Along the way, quarterback Joseph Capra starred with 107 yards and three touchdowns on the ground while Landon Walker ran for 199 and two scores as the Orediggers rolled out 572 total offensive yards.

Ichabods starter Justin Lewis was 9-of-20 for 106 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, and backup Logan Madden was effective in relief going 11-of-17 for 150 and two scores. Washburn was held to only 42 rushing yards out of 298 total offense yards.

The Mines defense collected six sacks led by 1.5 by Dominic Caggiano and another from Christian Peluse, who had a team-high five total tackles. Brady Zingelman had an interception and Eli Krawczuk forced a fumble.

Mines built a 21-0 lead through the early second quarter thanks to short scoring runs by Walker and Capra before Capra ripped off an 85-yard run to score with 11:56 to go before the half. Washburn (1-2) got on the board thanks to Lewis' 18-yard pass to Henry Mohrmann, but effective clock management gave Mines two field goals in the final 2:05 as Kyle was true from 36 and 56 to lead 27-7 at halftime.

The first lightning delay came early in the third quarter and threw both teams off their rhythm; Washburn found the scoreboard first on Lewis' 29-yard pass to D.J. Bell, but Mines answered with Walker's 75-yard breakout run to score on the next play, leading 34-13 in time for another lightning delay early in the fourth quarter.

Neither team scored after sitting for more than an hour, and the third and final weather delay - which last more than 90 minutes - came with just over five minutes remaining in the game. When play finally resumed, both teams made up for lost time as Madden found Mohrmann on a 12-yard score, Mines punted, and then Luke Johnson sacked Madden on 4th and 6 at the 1-yard line to set up a one-yard Capra sneak to lead 41-20. The Ichabods found a quick score on Madden's 23-yard pass to Trey Harmison, but runs of four and seven yards by Braelon Tate secured the win for Mines in the closing seconds.

NOTABLES
- The official time of the game was 7 hours and 39 minutes, kicking off at 12:05 p.m. and ending at 7:44 p.m.
- Capra's 85-yard run was the longest by an Oredigger since 1963, when Jim Holley ran for 88 yards against Black Hills State.
- Capra and Walker were the first 100+ yard rushing duo for Mines since 2021, when Walker did it in tandem with Michael Zeman. Both players had career highs on Saturday.
- Tate added 60 yards rushing.
- The Oredigger offensive line had an outstanding game, allowing only one sack to go with 365 yards of rushing. 
- Connor McGrath had a breakout game with 56 yards of receiving, and Nick Stone had 52 on two catches. Tight end Blake Smotherman was also a standout with three catches for 38 yards.
- Kyle's 56-yarder was a career long and Mines' longest since 2017.
- Mines dominated the time of possession at 36:21. 
- The game was officially a sell-out with 4,328 fans attending the home opener.
- Mines beat Washburn in Golden for the first time since 1962.

NEXT UP
The Orediggers will host Chadron State next Saturday.