RAPID CITY, S.D. --- The South Dakota School of Mines football team has a tall order ahead of them this weekend as the Hardrockers will travel to Pueblo, Colorado to face the No. 16^th ranked CSU-Pueblo Thunderwolves Saturday afternoon in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference bout.  The contest is set for a 2 p.m. kickoff at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl.

THE GAME 
• The ThunderWolves are coming off a 23-13 win against then-No. 1 Texas A&M-Commerce. The victory marked the second time the Pack have defeated a No. 1 team, with the first time coming against Minnesota State University, Mankato in the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship.  

• CSU-Pueblo trailed 10-0 after the first, but used 16 unanswered points to take a 16-10 lead in the third quarter. R-Fr. RB Marcus Lindsay secured the upset victory with a fourth quarter four-yard touchdown run on fourth and goal. 

• The Pack rank No. 16 in the AFCA and D2Fotball.com polls (up from No. 22 and No. 23, respectfully) after the win and own a 3-1 overall record and a 2-1 mark in RMAC play.

• South Dakota Mines is 2-2 on the season with a 1-2 record in conference. The Hardrockers are coming off a 51-47 road loss to Dixie State. The 'Rockers led, 33-27, at the break in a shoot-out of a first half. The back-and-forth match continued in the second frame as the Hardrockers led, 47-44, with 5:23 remaining, but a Dixie State touchdown with 1:39 left in the game handed the visiters a 51-47 loss.

• South Dakota Mines is 2-2 on the season with a 1-2 record in conference. The team has wins against Western (38-21) and Simon Fraser (52-28) and losses to Colorado Mesa (36-33) and Dixie State (51-47). 

• The Hardrockers are coming off a 51-47 road loss to Dixie State. SDM&T led 33-27 at the half in a shootout of a first half. The back-and-forth match continued in the second frame as the Hardrockers led 47-44 with 5:23 remaining, but a Dixie State touchdown with 1:39 remaining handed the home team a 51-47 win.

• South Dakota Mines sits first in the RMAC (11th nationally) with 42.5 points per game and has scored 22 touchdowns. The Hardrockers' 489.8 yards per game of offense ranks 1st in the league (11th in the nation), with 303.3 yards per game coming through the air (15th in Division II).  

• The offense ranks fifth nationally in 3rd down conversion percentage (54.4%). 

• QB Jake Sullivan is 9th nationally in passing yards (1,190) and 11th nationally and 1st in the RMAC with 297.5 passing yards per game. He has 343.8 yards per game of total offense to rank 5th nationally. He also holds the SD Mines all-time record for most touchdown passes in a season --- currently at 50.

• WR Isaiah Manley is the top target with 392 yards per game to sit 17th in Division II. 

• RB Connor Silveria has six rushing TDs to rank 9th nationally, while his 12 points per game is 7th in Division II. 

• The defense is first in the RMAC and 3rd nationally with nine interceptions, while their 14 turnovers gained in 2nd nationally. 

• DB Dominick Jackson has five interceptions to lead the RMAC and shares 1st nationally.


SCOUTING THE PACK 
• The run game is averaging 277.0 yards per game to rank 7th in NCAA Division II.  

• RB Marché Dennard is 8th in Division II with 7.81 yards per carry. His five rushing touchdowns is T-19th nationally and he ranks 37th with 375 rushing yards (93.8 ypg).

• The run game has three players with 215 or more yards this season and four different players have combined for the 13 rushing scores.   

• The Pack defense held strong against Texas A&M-Commerce and allowed just six of the 13 points and only allowed 179 total yards (40 rushing). The ThunderWolves rank No. 12 nationally in total defense (247.0 ypg), while their team pass efficiency defense is 8th (90.2 ypg). 

• CSU-Pueblo collected five turnovers (four fumbles and an interception) against the Lions, which equated to 13 points. The Pack are 7th in DII with 12 turnovers gained. 

• The ThunderWolves finished with nine tackles for loss, which included two sacks at TAMUC. CSU-Pueblo sits 8th nationally in tackles for loss (10.30 TFLpg) and 24th in sacks (3.0 spg).  

• ILB Brandon Payer has led the team in tackles in each of the first four games. He leads the RMAC and ranks 14th nationally with 11.5 tackles per game. His 2.5 tackles for loss per game ranks sixth in DII and is also a RMAC-best. 
• For their efforts against the then-No. 1 Lions, Payer was recognized as the RMAC and NFFCC Defensive Player of the Week and K Mitchell Carter was named RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week. Payer totaled 10 tackles, 3.5 TFL and a fumble recovery, while Carter totaled nine points and hit three field goals.