#12/15 Colorado School of Mines (4-1, 2-1 RMAC) vs. South Dakota Mines (3-3, 2-2 RMAC) // Saturday, Oct. 12 // 12 p.m.
Alumni Field at Marv Kay Stadium, Golden, Colo.
[TV: KCDO Local3] [RMAC Network] [Live Stats] [Tickets] [Mines Media Notes]

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Two teams looking to rebound from rivalry-game losses match up in Week 6 as Colorado School of Mines hosts its STEM counterparts, South Dakota Mines..

LIVE COVERAGE
Every Mines home game this year will be televised live on KCDO Local3 in Colorado, and stream for free on the RMAC Network. Miles Dunklin and Kienan Dixon have the call. 

FAN INFORMATION
For this week's game, please note the following important pieces of information:

- The Ore Cart Shuttles will run on game day for fans - visit the Parking page for more information.
- Fans are strongly encouraged to purchase digital tickets or print at home tickets ahead of time at minesathletics.com/tickets.
- Mines students, faculty, and staff will be admitted free with their BlasterCard. 
- Gates and the tailgating lot open two hours before kickoff.
- Tailgating is permitted in Lot K only (next to Stermole Soccer Stadium). Fans are encouraged to park for free in the parking garage at 1400 Maple Street, located two blocks south of Marv Kay Stadium. Visit the Parking page for more information.
- The City of Golden's street parking requires a permit seven days a week. Fans can not park in the neighborhood surrounding the stadium. 
- The Kraemer Beer Garden in the McKee West End Zone will be open for all fans 21+. 

WEATHER REPORT
Saturday should be a beautiful day for football with a high of 80 under partly cloudy skies and decreasing winds through the day.

AT THE HELM
Pete Sterbick enters his second season as head coach of Colorado School of Mines, going 14-1 in 2023 and earning AFCA Regional Coach of the Year honors. The Orediggers' coaching staff returns largely intact with offensive coordinator Tim Brandon and defensive coordinator Tripp Thomas back for their second and third seasons, respectively, in those positions, while a familiar face in Yon Boone rejoins the staff as special teams coordinator.

MINES NAMES CAPTAINS
Mines has elected four captains for the 2024 season: quarterback Evan Foster, offensive tackle Nic Van de Graaf, and linebackers Jaden Healy and Adrian Moreno. All are first-year captains.

IN THE POLLS
Mines was selected atop the RMAC preseason coaches' poll on July 31, earning 79 points and seven of 10 first-place votes to lead Western Colorado and CSU Pueblo. In the national polls, Mines fell to #12 in the AFCA coaches' poll and #15 in the D2football.com media poll this week. Mines has appeared in 68 straight AFCA and 69 consecutive D2football.com polls.

THE RICHEST GAME IN D-II
This week's game has been touted as the "richest in Division II football" thanks to the high earning potential of graduates on both sides of the line of scrimmage. And it has nothing to do with NIL - according to the most recent Payscale.com data, Colorado School of Mines graduates are #1 in NCAA Division II in both early career pay ($87,800) and mid-career pay ($165,700). South Dakota Mines ranks #3 in D-II at $79,800 and $131,500. Combined, that's upwards of $70 million per year in mid-career salary between the future graduates of the teams. 

NOTING THE SERIES
The series between Colorado School of Mines and South Dakota Mines - the last two athletics-playing schools of mines in the United States - dates back to 1917, a 58-6 Orediggers win ... The two met sporadically after that but stopped the series for nearly 50 years after the 1949 game, not resuming until 1996 ... This will be the 25th meeting all-time ... The two have met every year since 2010, and since 2016 when South Dakota Mines became a full D-II and RMAC member ... Colorado School of Mines leads the all-time series 23-1 ... The winning team has scored 37+ points in every game of the series since 1997. 

NO PLACE LIKE HOME
At 5,707 feet above sea level, Marv Kay Stadium is a challenging place for opposing teams to play since it reopened in 2015, with Mines owning a .912 home winning percentage (52-5) since then. The 2023 season saw the Orediggers go a perfect 9-0 at home (with nine home games being a program record), and they have won 18 straight in Golden going back to the 2022 season. Part of the tough environment is thanks to the fans - Mines averaged more than a sellout last year, with an average of 103% of the stadium's capacity of 4,090 cheering on the Orediggers each week, and a stadium-record 6,958 fans saw Mines beat Black Hills State in Week 4.

SCOUTING THE HARDROCKERS
South Dakota Mines has one more game under their belt than the Orediggers, sitting at 3-3 overall and 3-2 in the RMAC coming off a tough rivalry loss to Black Hills State, 22-10, last week in the 139th Black Hills Brawl. Quarterback Jake Martinelli has thrown for 1,465 yards and 15 touchdowns against six interceptions this season, completing his passes at a 57% clip. Four Hardrocker receivers have two or more touchdowns led by Colton Grover (272 yards, 5 TD), Henry Dryden (162 yards, 4 TD), and Mason Galbreath (299 yards, 3 TD). The rushing duo of Holden Gilbert and Orlando Westbrook-Sanchez III have combined for 538 yards and five rushing touchdowns. Defensively, the Hardrockers allow 28.5 points per game, including 319.8 passing yards per game. Hunter Newsom has been one of the most productive defensive players in the RMAC this season with 45 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, and two forced fumbles, while Isaac Engle has 3.0 sacks among his 22 stops.

LAST YEAR VS. SDM
John Matocha and Max McLeod linked up for three touchdowns to lead Colorado School of Mines past South Dakota Mines, 45-22, at Marv Kay Stadium in 2023. Matocha threw for 344 yards and five touchdowns as McLeod had 133 yards and three scores; the Orediggers ran out to a 31-0 lead through the third quarter. Noah Roper, Landon Walker, and Blake Smotherman also had touchdowns. The Hardrockers' Ben Noland was outstanding, catching 16 passes for 137 yards, as Jayden Johannsen tried to will his team back in the second half with 265 yards and three touchdowns. 

WEEK 5 REWIND
Mines was tripped up on the road as Colorado Mesa came back with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to win the Nyikos Cup game, 14-13. Max McLeod became Mines' all-time leading receiver in the game, leading all receivers with seven catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. Evan Foster was 14-of-30 for 159 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions, and was sacked five times. The Mines defense did what it could holding CMU (3-2, 2-1 RMAC) to 285 yards of total offense generating a pick by Will Drogosch, but Liu Aumavae threw for both of the Maverick's touchdowns in a 157-yard day and Brandon Belgrave rushed for a game-high 94 yards.

WEEK 5 QUICK HITS

- Max McLeod caught a game-high seven passes for 92 yards and a touchdown.
- Landon Walker Scored a touchdown gaining 41 yards on 18 carries.
- Evan Foster was 14-of-30 for 159 yards and a touchdown, and gained 54 rushing yards including a 44-yard rush.
- Will Drogosch had an interception to lead the secondary that held CMU to 157 passing yards.
- Hayden Gregg led Mines defenders with eight tackles, including one for a loss. 
- Aaron Rhea blocked a punt and Jaden Healy a PAT on special teams.
- Blake Doud punted five times for an average of 46.2 yards, putting two over 50 yards and two inside the 20.

TO THE MAX
Sixth-year senior Max McLeod hit another milestone last week, breaking Brody Oliver's program record for receiving yards with his day at Colorado Mesa. McLeod now stands at 4,094 yards, surpassing Oliver's 4,010. It came only a week after McLeod became the second player in program history to reach 4,000 career yards, and he is, at least for another week, the only active player in college football to reach that level. 
McLeod now stands 889 yards from the D-II all-time record of 4,983 held by Ferris State's Clarence Coleman (1998-2001). The 26th 4,000-yard receiver in D-II history, he and Oliver are the only two to reach 4K from the same program. McLeod's 49 career touchdown catches currently ranks in the top 20 all-time in D-II history as he chases Oliver's RMAC record of 59; he could be only the 12th D-II player to reach 50 career touchdown receptions with his next one. McLeod is D-II's active touchdowns leader and ranks second in NCAA football.

Mines Career Receiving Yards Leaders        
1. Max McLeod (2021-pres.)    4,094        
2. Brody Oliver (2014-2018)    4,010        
3. Justin Gallas (2001-2005)    3,561        

Mines Career Receiving Touchdowns Leaders        
1. Brody Oliver (2014-2018)    59        
2. Max McLeod (2021-pres.)    49        
3. Josh Johnston (2018-22)    40        

NCAA Active Receiving Yards Leaders        
1. Max McLeod, Mines (D-II)    4,094        
2. Collin Brunstein, Illinois Col. (D-III)    3,889        
3. Zakhari Franklin, Illinois (FBS)    3,672        
4. Scott Fraser, Grove City (D-III)    3,563        

NCAA Active Receiving TDs Leaders        
1. Collin Brunstein, Illinois Col. (D-III)    54        
2. Max McLeod, Mines (D-II)    49        
3. Trey Madsen, North Central (D-III)    48        
4. Tyler Kahmann, Emporia St. (D-II)    41        

FREAKY GOOD
How impressive was Flynn Schiele's last home game against Black Hills State? Here are a few notes to consider. Not only was his 297-yard output the most in NCAA Division II this season (by more than 50 yards), it was the most in D-II in the better part of a decade since Hillsdale's Trey Brock went for 302 in the 2017 season. Schiele came only 13 yards away from breaking one of the longest-standing records at Mines as he put together the second-best receiving yards total in program history behind only Mike Collodi's 310 yards set against Westminster (a team that hasn't even had football since 1979) in 1970. This season, Schiele ranks in the top 10 of D-II in both receptions and yards with a team-best 563 yards on 37 catches. 

OREDIGGERS AMONG D-II LEADERS
Running back Landon Walker has had a terrific first half of the 2024 season, leading Mines with 443 yards on the ground and the RMAC with eight rushing touchdowns. Nationally, Walker ranks 14th in scoring, fifth in rushing touchdowns, and 12 in rushing yards per carry. Meanwhile, the WR combo of Max McLeod and Flynn Schiele are both among the nation's best; both rank in the D-II top-10 in receptions (Schiele 3rd at 7.4/gm, McLeod 6th at 7.2) and top-20 in yards (Schiele 6th at 563, McLeod 16th at 484). And the man running it all, Evan Foster, ranks in the top-20 of multiple categories including passing yards (15th, 1352) and completion percentage (13th, 67.3%). 

BLOCK PARTY
Blocked kicks aren't a common occurance in football, and it's even rarer to get two in a game. But that's exactly what the Oredigger special teams pulled off at Colorado Mesa, coming up with both a blocked punt and a blocked PAT in the game. Late in the second quarter, Aaron Rhea blocked a punt inside the red zone to set up the Orediggers' second touchdown, while in the fourth quarter, it was Jaden Healy getting a paw on a Maverick PAT. It was Mines' first blocked punt since the 2022 postseason (Zach Hester against CSU Pueblo in the NCAA First Round) and first blocked PAT also since the 2022 season (Max Fecci at Chadron State).

FIELD FLIPPER
It's not often that a punt goes viral, but Blake Doud's 80-yard bomb in Week 1 against West Texas A&M racked up more than 3 million views on Twitter and another million-plus on Instagram across a number of national accounts. The punt came from the Mines 19, carried to the WT 20, and was swatted off the opposite goal line by longsnapper Josh Wojciechowicz before being downed at the 1 by Konnor Mickelsen. Doud is averaging 45.6 yards per punt this season, sticking 11 of his 21 inside the 20 (and five inside the 5). He is fourth in D-II in punt average this year at 45.8 yards per punt, and Mines as a team ranks fourth in net punting at 42.4 ypp.

BE LIKE EICH
The one special teams piece Mines needed to replace in the offseason was at kicker, but it turns out that it was a familiar face winning the job. Matthew Eich, after starting as a true freshman and sophomore in 2021 and 2022, redshirted last year, and is back in 2024 with a perfect start on field goals (4-for-4) to go with 18-of-20 PATs made. His field goals have included a career-long 47-yarder this season.

THIIIIIRD DOWN
Mines' offense has done a good job of staying on schedule this season, converting an RMAC-best 38-of-70 (54.3%) third-down opportunities. That ranks fourth-best in NCAA Division II through five weeks.

DEFENSIVE DEPTH
Mines' defensive trademark over the past few seasons has been its depth in rotation, and that has continued in 2024 with 38 different players registering tackles over the first four games. Jaden Healy leads the way in both tackles (27) and tackles for loss (6.5) with Adrian Moreno's 27 tackles and Hayden Gregg and Joel Diaz's 21 ranking second and third. Diaz, Will Drogosch, and Devyn Lauer-Duarte have interceptions, as well, while Dominic Caggiano leads the team with 2.0 sacks. 

START ME UP
Veteran left tackle Nic Van de Graaf is the Orediggers' active leader in starts as he will play his 46th career start against South Dakota Mines. Linebacker Adrian Moreno joined him in the 40-start club last week, and long-snapper Josh Wojciechowicz isn't far behind at 38 career starts (including a team-best 36 consecutive).

HELMETS HONOR PAST OREDIGGERS
To commemorate Colorado School of Mines' year-long 150th birthday celebrations, the Orediggers will wear four different throwback-inspired helmets this season. For this week's game, Mines will wear the third of the set, the "Miner Man" logo, to honor teams that wore the same logo from 1991 to 1996. Mines will wear one more logo later in the season to honor the early 2000s teams, and will return to their familiar chrome Blaster the Burro logo in Week 11. 

2024 Mines Helmet Decal Schedule
Weeks 1-3    Block M        
Weeks 4-5    Script "Mines"        
Week 6-7    The Miner        
Week 8-10    Chrome Oval M        
Week 11    Chrome Blaster        

RETIRING #74
Mines Football retired the #74 jersey of the legendary Marv Kay in May 2023 shortly following his passing, and it is one of two numbers retired (along with Harry Campbell's #48) at Mines. Fans will still see 74 on the field, however, at least for the next two years. Offensive tackle Zach Morris, a redshirt junior, was wearing the #74 at the time of its retirement and will continue to wear it until his graduation in honor of Kay; he will be the final Mines player to sport the number.

NEXT UP
Mines visits Adams State on Oct. 19.