2023 Colorado Mines Orediggers football team

2023 Colorado Mines Orediggers football
RMAC champion
NCAA Division II championship game, L 7–38 vs. Harding
ConferenceRocky Mountain Athletic Conference
Ranking
AFCANo. 2
Record14–1 (9–0 RMAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorTim Brandon (1st season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorTripp Thomas (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumAlumni Field at Marv Kay Stadium
Seasons
← 2022
2024 →
2023 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 Colorado Mines $^   9 – 0     14 – 1  
No. 15 Western Colorado ^   8 – 1     10 – 2  
CSU Pueblo   7 – 2     8 – 3  
Black Hills State   5 – 4     6 – 5  
Colorado Mesa   5 – 4     6 – 5  
Chadron State   4 – 5     5 – 6  
South Dakota Mines   4 – 5     5 – 6  
Adams State   2 – 7     3 – 8  
New Mexico Highlands   1 – 8     2 – 9  
Fort Lewis   0 – 9     0 – 11  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

The 2023 Colorado Mines Orediggers football team was an American football team that represented the Colorado School of Mines in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) during the 2023 NCAA Division II football season. In their first year under head coach Pete Sterbick, the team compiled a 14–1 record (9–0 against conference opponents), outscored opponents by a total of 656 to 150, and won the RMAC championship.[1] The team was led on offense by quarterback John Matocha who broke the NCAA record for career touchdowns, won the 2022 Harlon Hill Trophy and was a finalist for the award again in 2023.

The 2022 Orediggers advanced to the national championship game where they lost to Ferris State. Coach Sterbick noted that, having lost the 2022 championship game, the Orediggers have "an extra chip on our shoulders" to win the school's first national championship in 2023.[2][3] The team opened its season ranked No. 2 nationally and defeated No. 3 Grand Valley State and No. 4 Angelo State in its first two games. The Orediggers finished the regular season ranked No. 1[4] and advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs where they received a bye in the first round, and defeated Augustana (SD) (56–10) in the second round,[5] Central Washington (38–14) in the quarterfinals,[6] and Kutztown (35–7) in the semifinal.[7] They lost to No. 3 Harding, 38–7, in the Division II national championship game.[8]

The team plays its home games at Alumni Field at Marv Kay Stadium in Golden, Colorado.[1]

  1. ^ a b "2023 Football Schedule". Colorado School of Mines. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  2. ^ Kyle Newman (November 24, 2023). "Mines football opens Division II playoffs eyeing another run to the national championship game: "We have an extra chip on our shoulder"". The Denver Post.
  3. ^ Mark Kiszla (November 25, 2023). "Warning to football teams standing between Mines and first national championship: Oooh, this is going to hurt". The Denver Post.
  4. ^ Maddie Rhodes (December 4, 2023). "Colorado School of Mines ranked No. 1 going into semifinals". Fox 31 KDVR.
  5. ^ Michael Abetta (November 25, 2023). "Colorado School of Mines kicks off their quest for a football national championship". CBS News.
  6. ^ Matt Schubert (December 2, 2023). "Colorado Mines back in D-II football semifinals after running over Central Washington". The Denver Post.
  7. ^ "No. 1 Colorado School of Mines football advances to DII title game with blowout win over No. 4 Kutztown". KMGH-TV | Denver7. December 9, 2023.
  8. ^ Kyle Newman (December 16, 2023). "Mines blasted in Division II national title for second straight year, as Harding runs over Orediggers". The Denver Post.