CSU Pueblo takes down Colorado Mines to claim RMAC football title

The RMAC football title will stay in Colorado. It’s just heading elsewhere.

CSU Pueblo officially put an end to Colorado School of Mines’ longshot conference championship hopes with a 28-13 victory on a chilly Saturday afternoon inside the Thunderbowl.

The seventh-ranked Thunderwolves (9-1, 8-0 RMAC) were outgained 392 to 332 but came up with key stops again and again to beat the 14th-ranked Orediggers (7-3, 5-3 RMAC) for the first time in seven years. The win marks the first time CSU Pueblo has claimed at least a share of the RMAC title since 2018, and the first time since 2017 that Mines won’t finish atop the league standings.

The Thunderwolves have already beaten second-place Western Colorado (9-1, 7-1 RMAC) and will close out the regular season next week with a visit to Chadron State.

Junior quarterback Roman Fuller completed 23 of 31 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns in the win. Two of those TD throws went to Reggie Retzlaff, who had seven catches for 139 yards. The first scoring hookup gave CSUP a 21-6 lead with 4:36 left in the third quarter. Mines running back Braelon Tate answered with a 44-yard touchdown burst, but Fuller found Retzlaff again for a 61-yard scoring pass with 14:18 left, and the Thunderwolves defense made the 28-13 cushion hold up.

The Thunderwolves totaled six sacks on the game as Mines struggled on third and fourth down, converting 4 of 16 attempts on the former and 1 of 4 on the latter. They also picked off Mines quarterback Joseph Capra twice, including on the Orediggers’ last drive of the game.

The Denver South product finished 15 of 34 for 161 yards passing and ran for 80 yards. Landon Walker led Mines with 97 rushing yards and Matthew Eich drilled a pair of 43-yard field goals.

Mines closes out the regular season with Senior Day next Saturday against Fort Lewis at Marv Kay Stadium.

RMAC football

Saturday’s scores

Black Hills State 45, Adams State 3