Colorado Mines football gets back on track with win at Black Hills State

The Orediggers are nothing if not a group of quick learners.

A week after stumbling out of the gates in its RMAC opener, the Colorado School of Mines football team made no such mistake in a 36-27 win over Black Hills State on Saturday afternoon in Spearfish, S.D.

The Orediggers (3-1, 1-1 RMAC) scored on five of their first seven drives, including three Joseph Capra touchdown passes, to secure the first conference win of the second Bob Stitt Era at Mines.

A week earlier, the Orediggers fell behind 17-0 to Chadron State and eventually lost 34-28 after their comeback bid sputtered in the fourth quarter. On Saturday, Mines led 29-14 going into the halftime break after Preston Kyle’s second field goal of the half went through the uprights at the final whistle. The Orediggers also notched a safety in the second quarter.

Black Hills State (1-4, 1-2) pulled within a single score with a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter, but Capra ran in another score from 6 yards out with 14:05 left for a 36-24 edge, and the lead held up the rest of the way.

The Denver South product finished with 345 total yards (272 passing, 73 rushing) in the win, while Pierce Richards had seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. Nick Stone added seven receptions for 71 yards and a score.

RMAC scoreboard

Saturday