TOPEKA, Kan. - #5/6 Colorado School of Mines escaped Washburn with a 31-28 win, improving to 2-0 as Landon Walker's four-touchdown day led a down-to-the-wire win by the Orediggers.

Washburn missed two second-half field goals, including a chance to send the game to overtime, but hung in with the Orediggers (2-0) all game long with some explosive plays and timely defensive stops.

Walker tied the program record with four rushing touchdowns, compiling 142 yards and adding 18 through the air. Mines quarterback Evan Foster, playing near his hometown of Olathe, was 24-of-30 for 255 yards and also ran for some crucial second-half first downs. 

Washburn (0-2, 0-1 MIAA) played two quarterbacks with Keller Hurla going 13-of-17 for 92 yard and two touchdowns, and rushing for 32 yards, and Hayden Clark throwing for 166 yards and a score. 

Mines punted from midfield on their first two possessions, and after a Washburn 95-yard touchdown run was called back for holding on their second series, the Ichabods took a shot and connected on an 85-yard touchdown pass to Tre Richardson to get on the board late in the first quarter.

One play later, Walker was in the end zone as he slipped through a gap and streaked 75 yards to the house, and after the Mines defense produced a quick three-and-out, the offense manufactured an 11-play, 85-yard drive capped by Walker's one-yard plunge to take a 14-7 lead.

Washburn immediately got the points back as D.J. Bell took the ensuing kickoff five yards deep in the end zone, faked a reverse, and then ran 100 yards to tie it 14-14. Mines retook control with another long drive, taking nine plays to score on Walker's six-yard stroll into empty space to go back up 21-14 with 3:49 left in the half. Washburn put together their best drive of the game to that point to score with less than a minute left on Cole Keller's diving catch in the back corner, but Mines took the lead into the half with two quick strikes to Max McLeod and Flynn Schiele to set up Matthew Eich's 47-yard field goal at the buzzer.

Washburn missed a 27-yard field goal to open the third quarter, and Mines pounced on the momentum shift with another nine-play drive that covered 80 yards, converting on Walker's fourth score of the day - an eight-yarder around the left end - to go up two scores at 31-21. 

The Ichabods scored to start the fourth quarter on Maury Sullivan's eight-yard grab from Hurla, and the extra point got it to 31-27 with 10:43 to go. The two traded punts and Mines got the ball back with 3:28 left, but Washburn got a midfield stop that forced Mines to punt with about a minute left, leaving the Ichabods 81 yards from the end zone. A 38-yard pass to Keller got them into Oredigger territory before a break-up by Devyn Lauer, but they moved into field goal territory on a 20-yard Sullivan catch before spiking it with 19 seconds. A disasterous snap on first down forced the Ichabods to kick the field goal, and they missed the game-tying kick from 44 yards with a second remaining.

NOTABLES
- Walker produced the eighth four-touchdown rushing game in program history, tying the program record. Michael Zeman was the last Oredigger to do it, against South Dakota Mines in 2019. 
- Playing for the first time since 2010, Mines beat Washburn for the first time since 2004.
- Mines outgained Washburn 467-399 and had a 30:57 edge in time of possession. 
- Both teams had fumbles in the game but neither comitted a turnover. Nic Van de Graaf recovered Mines' fumble on a strip sack of Foster in the first half. 
- Max McLeod led Mines receivers with 94 yards on eight catches. Flynn Schiele had 90 yards on seven catches. Tre Richardson led the Ichabods with 99 yards off four catches.
- Mines had 212 yards on the ground in total led by Walker, but Braelon Tate had an effective 4.7 yards per carry and 42 total yards and Foster ended up with 22 net yards as well. 
- Mikee Barker and Will Ramsey led the defense as each had a career-high seven tackles. Jaden Healy had 2.5 tackles for loss among four total stops with a pressure, and Will Drogosch broke up two passes. 
- Mines held Washburn to 2-of-4 scoring inside the red zone.
- Doud punted five times for a 43-yard average, putting three inside the 20 (including two inside the 5) and having two fair caught. 
- Eich tied his career long with his 47-yard field goal at the stroke of halftime. 

NEXT UP
Mines heads to Chadron State to begin RMAC play on Sept. 21.