Sixth-ranked Western Colorado added to its win streak over South Dakota Mines by taking a 37-6 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win over the Hardrockers on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Gunnison.
The win improves the Mountaineers' series lead – which began in 2016 – to 7-3 overall, as Western has now won the last four meetings and scored at least 34 points in each of them.
Western is now 9-0 overall and 7-0 in RMAC play. South Dakota Mines falls to 5-4 overall and 3-4 in league play.
The Mountaineers broke open the game with three touchdowns in the second quarter, turning a narrow 3-0 lead after the first quarter into a 24-0 advantage heading into the halftime break.
The opening touchdown drive in that big second quarter was a long drive on just a few plays as quarterback Josiah Roy found Ramon Ruiz behind the defense on the fourth play of the drive for a 56-yard touchdown.
Western worked hard for the second scoring drive of the quarter, going 91 yards in 15 plays on a drive that erased 6 minutes and 54 seconds from the clock.
The key plays on the drive were a 22-yard catch by Damien Nevil from Nolan McCullough on a third and 5, a 10-yard run by Isaiah Jones on fourth and 1 at the SDM 34, and Roy's 9-yard touchdown pass to Caden Measner in the back left corner of the end zone.
The Mountaineers pushed the 'Rockers off the field on their next possession and took over on their own 14 with 57 seconds remaining in the quarter.
With 12 seconds left and a third and 5 at the SDM 40, it looked like a field goal was soon to be the call of choice, but Lamonte James axed those plans, taking a pitch from Roy around the right corner, skimming the sidelines then getting a key downfield block by DJ Allen Jr. to hit paydirt untouched with a 40-yard touchdown run.
Allen Jr. tip-toed along the back edge of the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown catch from Roy in the third quarter, and Nevil added a 1-yard plunge shortly before the midpoint of the fourth quarter to finish off the Mountaineer scoring.
Notes
The Mountaineer defense held a South Dakota Mines rushing attack – averaging 174 yards per game – to just 64 yards, the Hardrockers' lowest single-game total this season. And SDM converted just six of its 16 third-down opportunities.
The Mountaineer offense was a fairly balanced attack as they rushed for 214 yards, a figure that increases their season average, and threw for 267 yards, while converting 9 of 14 third-down chances.
Nevil, James and Roy each rushed for more than 40 yards apiece, Nevil leading the way with 60, and both James and Roy rushing for 47 yards each.
Ruiz caught three passes for 68 yards, an average of just under 23 yards per reception, while Measner caught 4 for 62.
Roy finished with 225 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air, while McCullough hit on all three of his attempts for a total of 42 yards.
Up next
Western plays its final home game of the regular season at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, against Colorado School of Mines. It will be Senior Day for the Mountaineers.
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