GUNNISON — Clay Garcia threw for 333 yards and four touchdowns and Dan Palmer scored three times as 20th-ranked Colorado Mines rolled to a 39-19 win over Western State in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game Saturday at the Mountaineer Bowl.
Palmer’s three touchdowns, all in the first quarter, lifted the Orediggers (7-1, 6-0 RMAC) to a 19-0 lead.
Garcia passed for three second-quarter touchdowns, helping Colorado Mines lead 39-0 at halftime.
Colorado Mines remained tied atop the RMAC standings with Nebraska-Kearney.
Cody Renken caught a game-high 15 passes for 110 yards for the Orediggers.
Germaine Daniels’ 15 carries for 44 yards led struggling Western State (1-7, 1-5).
Nebraska-Kearney 38, New Mexico Highlands 13
KEARNEY, Neb. — Nebraska-Kearney, ranked No. 12 in Division II, scored on Matt Berry’s 68-yard punt return and on Eli Hammond’s 32- yard return of a blocked punt in a victory over New Mexico Highlands.
The Antelopes (7-1, 6-0) clinched their victory with two touchdowns early in the fourth quarter.
Brendan Liess scored on a 1-yard run and Hammond scored on his return of the blocked punt less than three minutes later.
The Lopers have won seven consecutive games this season and have won 16 straight in the RMAC.
The Cowboys (1-7, 1-5) lost for the 11th consecutive time to Nebraska-Kearney.
Chadron State 31, Western New Mexico 7
CHADRON, Neb. — Glen Clinton, a freshman, rushed for 182 yards and two touchdowns and Dominic Morris scored twice on the ground, leading Chadron State to a homecoming rout of Western New Mexico (3-5, 3-3).
The Eagles (5-3, 4-2) gained a season-high 493 total yards, helped by John McLain’s 154 yards on 14-of-19 passing.
Morris’ 6-yard touchdown run with 12:07 remaining put Chadron State ahead 31-0.
The Eagles finished with 275 yards rushing, including 95 in the first quarter.
CSU-Pueblo 26, Mesa State 14
GRAND JUNCTION — Jamaal Johnson scored on two short runs in the first half and Grant Crunkleton returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, powering Colorado State- Pueblo past Mesa State.
Mesa State (2-5, 2-4) scored two consecutive touchdowns — including Nathan Neville’s 6-yard TD catch on a pass from Michael Mankoff with 30 seconds remaining in the first half — to tie the game 14-14.
But CSU-Pueblo (6-2, 4-2) pulled away behind Crunkleton’s big defensive play.
Fort Lewis 14, Adams State 7
ALAMOSA — Tim Jenkins passed for 245 yards and a touchdown and Justin John- son had 76 yards receiving, leading the Skyhawks (2-5, 2-4) to a road win over the Grizzlies (3-5, 2-4).
