GOLDEN — Colorado Mines fell well short of its 64-point scoring average Saturday, but the Orediggers (3-0) still managed to easily win their Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener at Campbell Field.
Sophomore quarterback Matt Brown passed for 407 yards and Mines amassed 517 total yards in a 42-19 victory over first-year RMAC member Black Hills State. The no-huddle Orediggers produced the game’s three turnovers; otherwise, they likely would have reached 50 points for the third consecutive game.
“Turning the ball over, that’s what disappoints me. We need to execute,” Mines coach Bob Stitt said. “No matter who we’re playing, we have to play at the same level and execute the offense. It doesn’t matter if we score 42 points if we’re not executing. We didn’t have a great day. We were a little rusty.”
Through three games, Mines has lost five fumbles and thrown one interception.
The Orediggers, ranked No. 23 nationally in Division II, won 71-7 on Sept. 8 at South Dakota Mines, a week after hammering William Jewell 57-16 in their season opener in Golden.
Against Black Hills State (0-2), Orediggers senior Cody Rankin caught 14 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown. Brown was 37-of-63 passing and wasn’t sacked. It was Brown’s third consecutive 300-yard passing game.
Yellow Jackets quarterback Ward Anderson threw for 332 yards (27-of-57 passing) and two touchdowns.
“Too many mistakes,” Rankin said of the Orediggers’ performance. “I fumbled our first series and I think that’s why they scored; kind of gave them some momentum. And we fumbled on their goal line just before the half, giving them some more momentum. We just made too many mistakes like that.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357, mchambers@denverpost.com or
