The Nyikos Cup is headed back to Grand Junction.
Colorado Mesa quarterback Cole Hansen found running back Brandon Belgrave for a 13-yard scoring pass on fourth down with 11 seconds to go, and the Mavericks hung on to claim a stunning 28-24 victory over Colorado School of Mines at Marv Kay Stadium on Saturday.
It marked the second straight win for the Mavericks (2-3, 1-2 RMAC) in the rivalry series following last year’s dramatic 14-13 victory in Grand Junction. The Orediggers dropped to 3-2 and 1-2 in RMAC play with the loss.
The winning score was part of a monster day for Belgrave, as the former Lutheran High star carried the ball 24 times for 213 yards and two touchdowns. Mesa rumbled for 385 yards on the ground, with Aiden Taylor adding 111 yards on 16 carries and Arapahoe High’s Hansen going for 54 yards on six carries.
That was enough to negate an efficient afternoon from Mines quarterback Joseph Capra. The Denver South alum completed 22 of 28 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran for 90 yards on eight carries.
Capra started off hot, hooking up with Aksel Richard and Nick Stone for touchdown passes on back-to-back drives to give Mines a 14-3 lead with 13:00 left in the second quarter. After Mesa pulled to within a point going into halftime, tailback Braelon Tate scored from 3 yards out to push Mines’ advantage to 21-13 with 2:15 left in the third quarter.
Belgrave’s second rushing touchdown on the day brought the Mavs to within two with 12:56 left, and his two-point conversion run knotted the score at 21-all.
Jackson Zimmermann’s interception in the Orediggers’ end zone appeared to turn the tide for Mines. The Orediggers took the ball the other way for a 31-yard go-ahead field goal from Preston Kyle with 1:56 left. But Mesa answered with a 12-play, 75-yard march that ended with the Mavs rolling the dice on fourth-and-3 rather than kicking a game-tying field goal — a gamble that paid off with Hansen to Belgrave for the win.
RMAC football
Saturday’s scores
Western Colorado 49, Fort Lewis 10
Chadron State 45, Adams State 2
CSU Pueblo 59, New Mexico Highlands 13
South Dakota Mines at Black Hills State, n.
Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.