Kearney, Neb. - Sophomore running back Rustin Dring ran for a career-high 219 yards and the Nebraska-Kearney defense came up with eight sacks to beat Colorado School of Mines, 24-12, Saturday afternoon at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium.

In front of a crowd of 4,862, the Lopers (9-1, 8-0 RMAC), now winners of nine straight, secure a piece of the RMAC title. UNK can win the title outright with a win at Mesa State next Saturday in the regular season finale.

Mines (7-3, 7-1 RMAC) and UNK came into today's game with perfect conference records. The Orediggers, who had won three in a row over the Lopers, host New Mexico Highlands to close out the year.

On the day, UNK out gained Mines 430-256. Thanks to those eight sacks, for a loss of 35 yards, Mines had -12 rushing yards on 18 carries.

Spitzlberger comments

Dring comments

Scheele comments

Rohde comments

Moments of the Game
UNK scored 14 points in about a two minute span to take a 14-3 midway through the 2nd quarter. The Lopers wouldn't trail again.

First, Dring ran 64-yards for a score; the run also put him over 1,000 yards on the season. On UNK's next series, a 31-yard run by Dring got the Lopers moving again. On 2nd and 6, sophomore QB Jake Spitzlberger threw a 45-yard scoring strike to junior Kyle Kaiser to suddenly make it an 11-point Loper lead.

Late in the 4th quarter, UNK held a 24-12 lead but Mines was driving. On 3rd and 12, senior safety Pat Ackerman picked off David Pesek at the Loper 12-yard line. Six straight subsequent runs by Dring then kept the clocking moving and the ball away from the 'Diggers.

Lopers of the Game
Dring (So., Kearney H.S.) - 30 carries for 219 yards and 1 TD; team-high 6 catches for 57 yards
Spitzlberger (So., Lakewood, Colo.) - 12 of 20 for 143 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 8 rushes for 61 yards and 1 TD
Kaiser (Jr., Broomfield, Colo.) - 1 catch for 45 yards, 1 TD; five total punt/kick returns for 36 yards

Mason Brodine (Jr., DE, Elm Creek) - 7 tackles, 3 TFL (2.5 sacks), 2 pass breakups
Josh Rohde (Jr., DT, Eddyville) - 4 TFL (1.5 sacks), 1 pass break up
Chris Fant (Jr., DE, Omaha) - 2 TFL (1.5 sacks)
Chris Senkbile (Jr., OLB, Grand Island) - 7 tackles (1 TFL)
Ozzie Smith (Sr., CB, Bellevue) - 7 tackles
Ethan Kuhlmann (Fr-R, ILB, Athol, Kans.) - 7 tackles

Jordan Alegria (Sr., K/P, North Platte) - new school record for PAT's in a season, 47

Historical Notes
UNK ties the school record for wins in a season (also won 9 in 1956, 1958, 1963, 1967, 1976, 1980, 2002, 2005)
UNK ties the school record for consecutive wins in a single season (1956, 1958, 1963)
UNK has won 10 straight home games, dating back to August of 2008
UNK goes 6-0 at home
Dring's 219 yards is the 11th best rushing day in UNK history
Dring joins Riley Newcomer (2008) & Mike Miller (2005) as the only Lopers to have multiple 200 yard games in a career
Dring becomes the 9th Loper to have 1,000 rushing yards in a season
Dring has reached 100 yards 7 times this year and in the last 4 games

Since 1990, this is the 8th time UNK has held an opponent to a negative rushing total. The -12 yards by Mines ranks 7th best in Loper lore

Opponent Notes
Pesek went 25 of 40 for 261 yards and 1 INT
WR Cody Renken had 8 catches for 96 yards; 2 kick returns for 11 yards
WR Adam Saur had 8 catches for 75 yards