ARVADA, Colo. (North Area Athletic Complex) – The Colorado State University-Pueblo defense lifted the No. 12 ThunderWolves to a 20-12 victory at No. 11 Colorado School of Mines, Saturday in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference battle at North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada, Colorado.

Colorado Mines (7-1, 5-1 RMAC) entered the game undefeated and averaging 563.4 yards of offense to lead nation, while its 44.6 points per game was ninth in NCAA Division II. The Pack (7-1, 5-1 RMAC) defense held the Orediggers to 349 total yards and just 12 points (six points through three quarters). 

The ThunderWolves offense did their job and won the possession battle 34:41-25:19, while out-gaining Mines with 357 yards of total offense.

Linebacker Seth Brown (So., Colorado Springs, Colo.) racked up a career-high 16 tackles, while fellow linebacker Joe Rosenbrock (Jr., Brush, Colo.) added 11 tackles, including one for loss. Senior cornerbacks Stephan Dickens (Aurora, Colo.) and C.J. Roberts (Boynton Beach, Fla.) combined for 15 tackles (one for loss) an interception and a break-up. Defensive linemen Darius Allen (Sr., Pueblo, Colo.) and Tony Campton (Jr., NG, Littleton, Colo.) totaled 12 tackles, four sacks (-29 yards), forced two fumbles and recovered one.

Senior quarterback Chris Bonner (San Diego, Calif.) went 19-for-29 (65.5%) for 242 yards and a touchdown. Junior running back Cameron McDondle (Littleton, Colo.) totaled 134 yards for his fifth straight and sixth total 100-yard game of the season. He added a touchdown, while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Junior wide receiver Kieren Duncan (Goodyear, Ariz.) totaled 129 yards and a score.

The Pack struck first, scoring on their first possession, as the road team went 58 yards in nine plays to the end zone. McDondle capped the drive with a two-yard touchdown to give CSU-Pueblo the 7-0 lead.

The score was the lone marker of the first quarter, but Mines converted a 47-yard field goal just 50 seconds into the second quarter to cut the Pack lead to 7-3.

With 6:20 remaining in the second quarter, Bonner connected with Duncan for a 15-yard score to increase the lead to 14-3. Bonner's throw was his second off-balanced, scrambling completion of the nine-play, 72-yard drive.

Colorado Mines kicked a 33-yard field goal with just 1:18 left in the half and it seemed the halftime score would read 14-6. The Pack then marched 58-yards to set up a 28-yard field goal, but it was just wide. Again the score seemed to be 14-6 at the break, but a sack, coupled with a forced and recovered fumble by Allen, allowed junior kicker Greg O'Donnell (Monument, Colo.) a redemption opportunity. He connected, this time from 43 yards out and the Pack led 17-6 heading into the locker room.

The Pack defense held Mines to just 160 yards of offense in the half, while gaining 197.

CSU-Pueblo took the opening second half kick and added to its lead with a 29-yard field goal, which moved the score to 20-6. The drive, which totaled 12 plays and 63 yards, took 5:35 minutes of the clock.

Colorado Mines posted a 10-play, 91-yard yard drive to the end zone with 4:52 left in the fourth quarter, but missed the extra point to moved the score to 20-12 and just a score and two-point conversion away from a tie.

CSM had the ball in CSU-Pueblo territory with under a minute remaining, but the Pack defense broke up the fourth-and-one play from the 35-yard line and the game ended in victory formation for the ThunderWolves.

The Pack return home Nov. 1 to battle Black Hills State University in a 2 p.m. kickoff at the Neta and Eddie DeRose TunderBowl.

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 As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University-Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.