Black Hills State football hung with No. 1 Colorado School of Mines most of the game Saturday afternoon, falling 42-17.

The Yellow Jackets (4-4, 3-3 RMAC) held a 17-14 lead over the Orediggers at halftime, which is just the second time this season CSM has trailed at the half, going back to week two when they trailed then-No. 4 Angelo State 14-3 at the break.

BHSU's defense held the Orediggers to an RMAC-low 433 yards of offense, a team who entered the game averaging nearly 500 yards per game.

The defense also had four sacks in the game, matching their season total entering Saturday. Cooper Brown and Aric Eades finished with a solo sack each, while Kellen Collier, Matthew Lofaso, Cole Marquez and Morgan Tigner contributed half sacks.

Nicc Quinones and Brown each finished with 10 tackles, while Brown added two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery on the day.

Jayden Marquez also forced a fumble, while the secondary managed five pass breakups with one each from Nicc and Doodles Quinones, Ryder Blair, Lovenski Simon and Ngankoy Mambele.

On offense, Tanner Clarkson completed 10 of 22 passing attempts for 217 yards and a touchdown. He also had 14 carries for 33 yards.

Nolan Susel totaled 24 yards and a touchdown on 13 rushing attempts, while TJ Chukwurah led the receivers with 94 yards and a touchdown on three catches.

Hasaan Williams also made three catches for 68 yards.

Special teams continued to have a strong season, as Derek Webster hit a 32-yard field goal and was 2-of-2 on PAT's. His four punts averaged 50-yards each, totaling 200 yards, with three downed inside the 20 and two over 50 yards.

Simon had a 38-yard kickoff return in the game, and Jamin Wurtz had two kickoff returns for 39 yards.

The Yellow Jackets scored first with a big 77-yard touchdown pass from Clarkson to Chukwurah to move ahead 7-0 in the game's opening drive.

BHSU added on to their lead with a 32-yard field goal from Webster making it 10-0 with six minutes to go in the first.

CSM got on the board with a touchdown in the final minutes of the first to cut the Yellow Jacket lead to 10-7 as the game entered its second quarter. The Orediggers would take their first lead of the game, 14-10, with another touchdown in the second quarter.

BHSU didn't hold back, though, as Simon's 38-yard return of the ensuing kickoff led to a 54-yard pass to Williams, putting the Yellow Jackets at the 1-yard line. Susel punched it in on the next play to put BHSU back on top 17-14, a lead that would hold into the half.

Out of the locker room, CSM proved why they're the No 1 team in the nation, re-taking the lead 21-17 on their opening possession of the second half with their third passing touchdown of the day.

After an Oredigger interception at the end of the third quarter, they drove down the field to eventually put up seven more points to extend to a 28-17 lead early in the fourth.

CSM would go on to find the end zone twice more as they went on to win, 42-17.

Up Next
The Yellow Jackets head to Durango, Colo. next weekend to take on Fort Lewis on Friday, Oct. 28 at 12 p.m.