Colorado School of Mines coach Bob Stitt has a celebratory plan in place.
If his Orediggers win their eighth consecutive game Saturday to clinch at least a share of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title and a likely berth to the NCAA Division II playoffs, a Midwestern feast will be served on the bus ride home from Kearney, Neb.
“When we win that thing, we’re going to stop at a Runza (restaurant), because none of these Colorado kids know what a Runza is,” Stitt said.
A Runza? The popular Nebraska restaurant chain started in 1949 and features a sandwich with German-Russian roots dating to the 18th century.
No. 8-ranked Nebraska-Kearney stands in the way of the feast. The Lopers (8-1, 7-0 RMAC) host Mines (7-2, 7-0) for a noon kickoff in the second-to-last regular-season game for both teams.
“It’s a great, great matchup,” Stitt said. “They have a very strong offense, but our defense is as good as we’ve ever had. Offensively, people have had a tough time stopping us, and not many people have moved the ball on Kearney. If you look at the RMAC stats, these teams are one, two or three in every category.”
Mines has had a difficult week of preparation. The snowstorm forced cancellation of school and practice on Wednesday, and the Orediggers bused to Boulder on Thursday to practice under the University of Colorado’s bubble.
“At this point in the season, you don’t need a ton of practice. We’ll be fine,” Stitt said. “We just need to work through our stuff inside, get it on film and watch it Friday night.”
The Orediggers are coming off an emotional 30-27 overtime victory over Chadron State last week. Mines began the season 0-2, losing nonleague games to Washburn and Fort Hays State, but hasn’t lost since.
With the regular-season finale, Nov. 7 against New Mexico Highlands, the Orediggers are looking for their first undefeated RMAC season and NCAA postseason appearance since 2004.
“We’ve had two big RMAC games up to this point — Mesa State and Chadron, two teams our seniors had never beaten — and we got both those games. And now, all the marbles are on the line, and the kids just have to go play,” Stitt said.
The Orediggers depart today for what could be a wintry drive to Kearney, but the drive home along I-80 could be even warmer with a victory dinner at one of Stitt’s favorite stops.
“Awesome, awesome sandwiches,” said Stitt, a native of Tecumseh, Neb. “It’s going to be a big party when it’s all said and done.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
