GRAND JUNCTION, COLO. – The No. 19 Colorado Mesa University football team defeated No. 12 Colorado Mines 31-17 for the first time in the five year history of the Nyikos Cup Saturday (Oct. 31).

The Mavericks improve to 8-1 overall and 7-0 in the RMAC. A win at CSU-Pueblo next week will give Colorado Mesa its first RMAC football title since 2003.

Jackson Burrell scored first for the Mavericks when he intercepted a pass by Steven Yoshihara and returned it 18 yards to the endzone at 12:47 of the first.

CMU extended its lead to 14-0 after Sean Rubalcaba completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to Blaine Jackson with just over a minute remaining in the first.

Mines got on the board thanks to a 22-yard pass from Yoshihara to Nate Wiemwers at 6:15 of the second. The CMU lead would sit at 14-6 following a missed extra point by CSM.

Both teams would score on their following possessions. David Tann found the endzone on a one-yard run at 2:19 of the second, and Sam Seeton scored on a seven-yard rush with 26 seconds remaining. The Orediggers completed the two point conversion to cut the CMU lead to 21-14. Seeton finished with a game-high 135 yards rushing.

The CMU defense stepped-up in the second half with a number of turnovers.

Tony White earned the second interception of the game to set-up a 27-yard field goal by Ryan Sheehan at 9:09 of the third.

The next two drives for Mines ended with fumbles, but Mesa could not score on either of their ensuing possessions.

Avery Llewellyn booted a 30-yard field goal at 11:21 of the fourth to pull Mines within a touchdown 24-17.

Sean Rubalcaba answered two plays later with his second touchdown pass of the day connecting with Virnel Moon for a 74-yard touchdown score. Rubalcaba completed 12-of-19 passes for 198 yards and led CMU with 57 yards rushing. Moon finished with a game-high 104-yards receiving, the most by a Maverick this season.

Trailing 31-17, Zac Owen would force a fumble on the Mines four-yard line that was recovered by Brandon Farmer.

The defense held Mines to negative seven yards on three plays on its final drive of the game to secure the win for CMU.

Blake Nelson and William Milo each finished with a game-high 15 tackles, and Milo added one sack and two-and-a-half tackles for a loss of nine yards. Tom Saager made 14 tackles, and Dustin Rivas made 11, including 10 solo.

Mines finished with a 461-355 edge in total offense. The CMU defense held CSM, who entered the game averaging 363 passing yards, to only 227 yards. Mines also led in rushing yards 234-157.

Colorado Mesa will play at CSU-Pueblo Nov. 7^th.