Colorado Mesa stuns No. 4 Colorado School of Mines 14-13, snaps Orediggers' RMAC streak

One of the great streaks in RMAC football history came to an end Saturday.

Colorado Mesa stunned No. 4 Colorado School of Mines 14-13 at Stocker Stadium in Grand Junction.

Mines had won 24 straight RMAC games, a streak that stretched back to the 2021 season and was the longest conference win streak in NCAA Division II football. The defeat likely will end Mines' streak of 27 straight weeks ranked in the top 10 of the AFCA national poll.

Mines (4-1, 2-1 RMAC) lost for only the second time under second-year coach Pete Sterbick. Mesa (3-2, 2-1) limited the nation's 10th-ranked offense to 267 yards, nearly 200 below its season average.

It was not a rare loss for Mines at Mesa, however. The Orediggers fell to 7-20 overall in Grand Junction. Mesa leads the series 31-16 since 1975.

Mines beat Mesa 52-0 last season, the widest margin of victory in the series.

Mesa's game-winning score came with 5:29 left in regulation on a 9-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Liu Aumavae, a transfer from San Diego State, to Quezon Villa, a freshman wide receiver. The Mavericks converted a two-point conversion for the final margin.

Mines quarterback Evan Foster had 159 passing yards and 54 rushing yards. Max McLeod had 92 receiving yards.

Mines took a 13-0 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run from Landon Walker in the second quarter, but that would be the final score for the Orediggers. Mines missed the extra point, a play that proved to be critical.

Mines hosts South Dakota Mines at Marv Kay Stadium at noon on Saturday.