RAPID CITY, S.D. – The South Dakota Mines football team is coming off a loss in the Black Hills Brawl last weekend, falling 22-20 at home against Black Hills State.
The Hardrockers are looking to bounce back but the schedule does not get any easier as they are on the road for the next three contests beginning with Colorado School of Mines who is coming off their first RMAC loss in three years.
GAME INFORMATION
Colorado School of Mines:
Date/Time: Oct. 12 / 12:00 p.m. MT
Site: Golden, Colo.
Stadium: Marv Kay Stadium
Series Overall: Colorado School of Mines leads 23-1.
Streak: Colorado School of Mines Won 5
Last Meeting: Colorado School of Mines won in Golden, 45-22 (10/14/23).
Watch Live: RMAC Network
BREAKING RECORDS
Connor Taylor has been one of the best kickers and punters in the RMAC this season. He sits in second in field goal percentage, third in field goals per game, fourth in points, fifth in average per punt and third in punts in 20.
In addition,
Connor Taylor set the all-time school record in points last week as he now sits with 226. He also booted a punt 81 yards to set a school record for the longest punt as well.
BLOCKING KICKS
Isaac Engle has two blocked kicks this year which puts him in first in the conference and fourth nationally.
REWARDING RETURNS
Brayden Schatz is first in the RMAC in kick returning and top 50 in NCAA Division II, averaging 26 yards per return.
MAGIC MARTINELLI
Jake Martinelli has had a great season thus far as he is first in the RMAC in completions per game (fifth nationally), second in passing touchdowns with 15 (eighth nationally) and second in passing yards with 1,465 (second nationally).
RECEIVING THREATS
The Hardrockers have a bunch of different weapons in the passing game.
Colton Grover,
Henry Dryden and
Mason Galbreath are each in the top 10 of the conference in receiving touchdowns with 5, 4, and 3.
Galbreath and Grover have 299 and 272 receiving yards which is sixth and seventh-best in the league.
Galbreath and
Max Hoatson are tied for fifth in receptions.
GROUND GAME
The rushing attack for the Hardrockers is dangerous as they have three players in the top 15 in rushing yards among RMAC schools with
Orlando Westbrook-Sanchez III in fifth (294),
Holden Gilbert in eighth (244) and
Jake Martinelli in 15th (176).
SCOUTING COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
Colorado School of Mines is off to a good start again this season but does not appear to be as powerful as in previous years.
In weeks two and three they won squakers, defeating Washburn by three points, before defeating Chadron State by just one.
To follow that up, they lost in their most recent RMAC contest at Colorado Mesa by one for their first RMAC defeat in three seasons.
Despite the loss and close contests, the Orediggers still have several dangerous players with Evan Foster taking over as the starting quarterback and is top 15 in NCAA Division II in completion percentage, completions per game, and passing yards. He is second in the RMAC in passing efficiency and third in passing touchdowns.
Flynn Schiele and Max McLeod are a lethal duo at wide receiver, as they are first and second in receptions, second and third in receiving yards, and in the top 10 in receiving touchdowns among RMAC teams.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Hardrockers have nearly a month before their next home game as they take on Western Colorado on Oct. 19 with a big week the following week before also taking on Chadron State in Chadron on Nov. 2.
About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 13 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.
