PUEBLO, Colo. (Nov.6, 2021) – The Colorado State University Pueblo football team (6-4, 6-2) fell to 13th-ranked Colorado School of Mines (9-1, 8-1) 28-12 on senior day Saturday afternoon. 
 
The is the first time the ThunderWolves have suffered four losses in a season since the 2008 slate (five losses). 
 
The afternoon started off with a defensive showing from both sides. Although each team saw strong starts on the ground, neither could complete a drive with a score. Mines missed a field goal with 8:42 to go in the first quarter and then threw an interception, made by senior Marcus Lawrence with 4:22 remaining. 
 
Jared Zoulek broke the stalemate with a 29-yard field goal in the ensuing drive to take an early 3-0 lead. 
 
Mines responded heading into the second quarter. After a five-minute drive, the Orediggers quarterback, John Matocha, passed into the end zone from 16 yards out to take a 7-3 lead with 11:07 to go in the first half.
 
The Pack looked for a response on the impending drive.  Thanks to a series that featured 53 yards on the ground from Michael Roots alone, the Pack drove 70 yards and punched through another Zoulek field goal to bring the score to 7-6 with 6:10 remaining in the second.
 
The Pack defense held the Orediggers to consecutive three-and-outs and continued to attack. With under a minute to play in the half, Trevor Philio sacked the Matocha and stripped him of the ball. The crazy play ended up going back in favor of Mines and started a new drive for the visitors. Ikenna Onwuasoanya prevented any damage from the new life found by the Orediggers after the senior wrapped up Matocha for an 11-yard sack.
 
The Pack trailed only 7-6 after the first half, but Mines came out of the locker room firing. Matocha connected on a short pass outside where his receiver sprinted through the secondary for a 96-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second half.
 
Lamphere tried to get the offense going, passing well throughout, but the tenacious Mines defensive line continued to pressure and sack the quarterback.
 
CSU Pueblo also kept pressure on Matocha. Onwuasoanya tallied his second sack of the day after he took down the quarterback on third-and-long in another three-and-out forced by the Pack.
 
Heading into the fourth, neither team could gain momentum on offense. Mines changed this after running back Michael Zemen rushed for the entirety of a 57-yard drive. Zemen's touchdown extended the Pack deficit to 21-6.
 
The ThunderWolves needed to respond to try and turn the tide back in their favor. It looked bleak for the Pack after the Orediggers forced a fourth-and-six at the Mines 48. 
 
Head coach John Wristen took out his bag of tricks and pulled off a fake punt. Offensive lineman Cade Chapman received the direct snap and ran around the left side undetected for a 34-yard gain down the Orediggers' 15-yard line. Chapman received a backward swing pass three plays later and rushed it in to complete a five-yard touchdown thanks to the trickery.
 
The Pack failed on their two-point conversion attempt and trailed 21-12 after the thrilling 75-yard drive.
 
After Mines went three-and-out once again, the Pack took over with 4:55 remaining in the game trailing by nine. The ensuing drive was stifled by the pass rush from the Orediggers in just four plays.
 
The Orediggers took over at the Pack 21 and had Zemen rush for a 21-yard touchdown to ice the game with 3:32 remaining in the game.
 
The Pack ultimately fell 28-12 and dropped to 6-4 on the season and 6-2 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) following the loss.
 
Lamphere passed for 186 yards on the day off 18-34 passing to lead the ThunderWolves. Roots took on the brunt of the rushing duties, running for 110 yards off 20 carries. Roots' senior day of 110 yards marked his fourth game crossing the century mark on the ground.
 
Chapman scored the lone touchdown for the Pack on the day while he ran for a total of 39 yards thanks to his tricky, fake punt run.
 
Max Fine made six receptions to lead the Pack with 74 yards receiving on the afternoon.
 
Defensively, Onwuasoanya led the way with two sacks on Matocha and tallied four total tackles. Philio racked up 1.5 sacks on his way to lead the team with two tackles for loss, nine tackles, and one forced fumble. Trey Botts totaled two tackles for loss while he made a fumble recovery.
 
The Pack look to bounce back for the final game of the season as they travel up to Gunnison, Colo. to face Western Colorado at 1 p.m.