Colorado School of Mines (2-1, 0-1 RMAC) at Black Hills State (1-3, 1-1 RMAC) // Saturday, Sept. 27 // 1 p.m.
Lyle Hare Stadium - Spearfish, S.D.
[RMAC Network PPV] [Live Stats] [Mines Media Notes]

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Colorado School of Mines looks to bounce back from its first loss of the season as it heads to South Dakota for a visit to Black Hills State in Week 4.

LIVE COVERAGE
This week's game will stream exclusively on the RMAC Network (pay-per-view). Beginning this fall the RMAC Network has moved 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.

WEATHER REPORT
Saturday is forecast to be perfect for football with a high of 82 and sunny skies in the Black Hills.

LEADING THE WAY
Mines will rotate captains on a weekly basis in 2025, with Dom Caggiano, Cade Myer, Landon Walker, and Jackson Zimmermann leading the Orediggers in Week 4 at Black Hills 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.

IN THE POLLS
Mines' loss dropped them out of the D2football.com poll this week (previously #23), but the Orediggers remained receiving votes in the AFCA poll for the fifth straight week.

LAST WEEK
Chadron State's fast start combined with three fourth-quarter scores held off Colorado School of Mines as the Eagles won 34-28. The Orediggers (2-1, 0-1 RMAC) trailed 17-0 before rallying back to make it a one-score game late in the fourth quarter, but the Eagles remained unbeaten in conference play (2-2, 2-0 RMAC) with two fourth-quarter touchdown passes from Aidan Thompson and a game-sealing field goal. Landon Walker rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown for Mines, and Tyson Mauck caught his first career score while Preston Kyle hit two field goals. Thompson and Quincey Ryker both went over 100 yards on the ground, and Thompson added three touchdown passes as well.

NOTING THE SERIES
Mines and Black Hills State are meeting for the 15th time in a series that goes back to 1962 ... Mines is 14-0 in the series ... 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 ... Mines' last trip to Spearfish was in 2023, a 42-17 win.

SCOUTING THE YELLOW JACKETS
Black Hills State comes into Week 4 at 1-3 overall and 1-1 in the RMAC, beating Fort Lewis 25-19 last week in Durango. However, BHSU's three losses have all been extremely competitive - one-score setbacks to Sioux Falls and Chadron State, and a very good account in Michigan as they lost to a top-5 Grand Valley State 48-36. Luke Doby has thrown for 951 yards and 10 touchdowns against four interceptions this season, with TJ Chukwurah one of the RMAC's top receivers at 498 yards and eight touchdowns through four games. The Yellow Jackets convert nearly half of their third down opportunities, as well. Defensively, they allow 31.3 points per game and are led by Rune Tepolt's 24 total tackles. 

LAST YEAR VS. BLACK HILLS ST.
Records were shattered as the Orediggers scored 35 first-quarter points on the way to a 52-24 win over Black Hills State before a record 6,958 fans at Marv Kay Stadium. Flynn Schiele set the stadium record with the second-most receiving yards in program history, catching 13 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns, and Max McLeod became Mines' second 4,000-yard career receiver with his nine-catch, 89-yard, three-TD day. Evan Foster had a career day throwing for six touchdowns among his 434 yards and 27-for-35 efficiency, including four touchdown passes in the first quarter alone. Mines jumped out to a 35-7 first-quarter lead and never looked back as the defensive starters held the Yellow Jackets at bay in the first half. The Orediggers compiled 581 yards of total offense to BHSU's 382, and held the Yellow Jackets to 76 net yards on the ground.

WALKER POWERS OREDIGGERS
Landon Walker has been one of the nation's most effective running backs so far in 2025, rushing for 449 yards and three touchdowns in three games. He has eclipsed 100 yards rushing in all three of those contests (138 at West Texas A&M, 199 vs. Washburn, and 112 vs. Chadron State) and also has at least one catch in each game, as well. This season, Walker ranks seventh in NCAA Division II in rushing yards and 10th in all-purpose yardage (165.7 yards per game). 

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 their last seven games, 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 last week against Chadron State.

TO THE HOUSE
Sean Gilbert's 89-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Chadron State was a defensive highlight for the Orediggers, marking their longest defensive scoring play since 2018 when Logan Bock took a fumble back 90 yards to score against CSU Pueblo. Gilbert, a redshirt sophomore, has found a knack for being in the right place at the right time - he owns Mines' last two defensive touchdowns, also returning an interception 31 yards to the house in last year's season finale against Fort Lewis.

TIP DRILL
While Gilbert's scoop and score was Mines' longest play of the Chadron State game, Joseph Gonzales' interception may well have been the most spectacular. It took some teamwork - Jackson Zimmermann was providing primary coverage in the end zone and got in front of his receiver, but was falling as the ball arrived; he batted the ball up in the air to Gonzales, who was waiting nearby to catch it on the fly in the end zone. It marked the first career interception for Gonzales, a graduate transfer from Yale who joined Mines this season. 

I'LL TAKE THAT
The first turnover of the season belonged to safety Joel Diaz, who punctuated a big game overall at West Texas A&M with his midfield pick. Brady Zingelmann then made his first career interception in Week 2 against Washburn, getting it back right after a Mines fumble in the red zone and leading to an early Oredigger score, before both Gilbert and Gonzales generated turnovers against Chadron State.

WE CAN DANCE IF WE WANT TO
The decisive moment at West Texas A&M came two plays into the fourth quarter when the Buffs, backed up to their own goal line, had protection break down against Mines pressure. Linebacker Brady Zingelmann shot in unblocked to cause quarterback RJ Martinez to leave the pocket, and lineman Justin Vaughn slipped through his block and stripped the ball out from Martinez, causing it to bounce out of the back of the end zone for two points. It held up as the winning score with Mines finishing ahead 33-31. It was a rare sight for Oredigger fans - the last time Mines had a safety was all the way back in 2018, when Logan Bock generated one against Fort Lewis.

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.

NEXT UP
Mines returns home on Oct. 4 to host Colorado Mesa on Homecoming, with a noon start time.