The contest kicks off at 1:00 p.m. Central. Fans can listen to the action on KRNY 102.3 FM or at lopers.com. Live video, via America One, is also available (for purchase) as is live stats.
UNK (9-1, 8-0 RMAC) has already won a share of the 2010 league title. By RMAC rule, if two football teams tie at the end of the regular season, regardless of head to head competition, they share the title. The last time this happened was in 2002 when the Lopers and Chadron State finished with 7-1 marks; UNK beat the Eagles, 12-0, that season.
Mines (8-2, 7-1 RMAC) is not only looking to share the RMAC title but also aiming to end the Lopers 18-game conference win streak. Two years ago in Golden, the Orediggers used a big second half to win 37-20.
For postseason purposes, Saturday's winner will likely represent the RMAC in the 24-team Division II playoffs, which start next weekend. UNK is ranked fourth in Super Regional 3 and a win over Mines would probably mean a first round home game November 20th.
A Mines victory and the 'Diggers will likely grab the sixth and final spot in the region and head on the road for the playoffs. The RMAC hasn't sent two teams to the playoffs since 2000. The pairings will be announced on Sunday afternoon on ESPNews starting at 2:00 p..m Central time.
Golden hasn't been kind to the Lopers of late as UNK hasn't won at Brooks Field since 2005. Overall, Mines has won four of the last six games between the two. To record a 19th straight RMAC win, Kearney will look to slow down a Mines offense averaging 37.0 points and 459 yards per game.
Junior QB Clay Garcia, a first-year starter, has thrown for 34 TD's and averages 339 ypg. A very talented receiving corps features 5-8 sophomore Cody Renken (78 recep., 878 yds., eight TD's) and 6-5 junior Tom Kastens (36 recep., 618 yds., seven TD's).
An improved running game is led by 6-2, 230 lbs. sophomore Dan Palmer (62.6 rushing ypg, eight TD's; 27 recep., 294 yds., three TD's).
Defensively, a trio of senior linemen -- end Marc Schiechl, nose guard Blaine Sumner and tackle Kaleb Anderson -- lead a unit that has been among the RMAC's best the past few years. Schiechl is Division II's all-time leader in sacks (42.5) and is part of a defense that has registered 30 sacks and forced 31 turnovers (18 fumbles and 13 INT's) this year.
In last year's 24-12 win over Mines in Kearney, the Lopers ran for 287 yards and sacked then-Digger QB David Pesek eight times for a loss of 46 yards. UNK was clinging to a 14-12 lead heading into the 4th quarter when they drove 61 and 80 yards to score 10 points and secure the victory.
Junior RB Rustin Dring (Kearney), who had a career-high 219 yards last year vs. Mines, should return to the lineup this weekend after missing the last two weeks due to injury. Playing parts of six games this year, Dring is averaging 122.7 ypg with four TD's. He also has 17 catches for 184 yards and two scores.
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