With the Orediggers leading late, it was the defense’s turn to preserve the lead and stave off a late comeback as Mines defeated Adams State College 27-16 Saturday at Rex Stadium for their third straight victory.
For the second straight week, the Mines football team raced out to an early lead before struggling to hold on as they let their opponent climb back into the game. But for the second straight week, the Orediggers held on long enough to claim the victory as they outscored Western State College 48-33 Saturday at Campbell Field in Golden.
.There was not very much that went well for the Oredigger football team Saturday versus the University of New Mexico Highlands Cowboys. The Cowboys scored a touchdown with just 5.8 seconds remaining to snatch a stunning 40-34 victory out from under the #20 Orediggers.
88-7. That is the amount by which the Mines football team has outscored its opponents through the first two games of play this season after cruising to a 55-7 win over the South Dakota School of Mines Saturday at Campbell field in Golden.
It couldn’t have been scripted any better. Triple overtime. Senior Day. Parent’s weekend. RMAC title and playoff berth on the line. Mines faced 4th and 1 on the Nebraska-Kearney 5 yard line trailing by 6 in the third extra session. The Lopers defensive line and defensive back Sam Kuck had been dominating the ground game all day. So what does coach Bob Stitt do? He does what every coach does and calls a statue of liberty trick play. Clay Garcia rolled to his right to found a wide open Scott McManigal for the touchdown to tie the game. CSM now faced one of the biggest two-point conversions in their programs history. One three yard grab by Robbin Vinnola later, and Mines had claimed its first RMAC championship since 2004 by defeating #8 Nebraska-Kearney 55-53 Saturday at Campbell Field in Golden, CO.
The undefeated run in RMAC competition has ended for the Mines football team as they fell to Chadron State College by a score of 38-31 in a wild game at Don Beebe Stadium in Chadron, Nebraska.
Suffering only their first defeat since losing a tough opening game to Washburn College, the Orediggers could not overcome a slow first quarter that saw the Eagles jump out to an early 21-0 lead. A Clay Garcia fumble on the opening drive for Mines gave Chadron State the ball deep in CSM territory and easily set up a 23 yard touchdown pass from Chadron quarterback Jonn McLain to open the scoring.
The Oredigger offense, known for its prolific attack and reputation for putting up points, struggled Saturday, so it seems fitting that a highlight of the game comes from the defensive side of the ball. Midway through the third quarter, CSM Senior defensive end Marc Schiechl wrapped up Adams State quarterback Trevor Eggleston for a 14 yard loss. It would appear to be a routine play for the senior, but the sack gave Schiechl 8.5 sacks on the season and brought his career total up to 42.5, breaking the current NCAA division II record. For Schiechl, the sacks have become a norm and have helped to anchor a strong defensive line that has propelled Mines to a perfect 7-0 record in RMAC play.
Nothing seems to be able to stop the Colorado School of Mines football lately. The academic equivalent of this feat, in which the Orediggers have outscored their opponents 276-133, would be like getting 100% scores on every Principles of Chemistry exam. The trend continued Saturday as Mines defeated the Western State Mascots 39-13 at the Mountaineer Bowl in Gunnison, CO.
The Colorado School of Mines Orediggers pulled off an amazing win after a shaky three quarters of offensive play at Saturday’s homecoming game vs CSU Pueblo. The game, which marks the fourth for Mines in RMAC (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) play, didn’t start well for the Orediggers. In the first drive, Mines was forced to punt on a fourth and long, setting CSU Pueblo up for an early field goal, which became the only score put on the board for the first 40 minutes of play. The Orediggers proved the stronger, though, refusing to let the Thunderwolves deny them their game.
