GOLDEN, Colo. – The Angelo State football team fell just short in the Quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II National Championship, falling to top-seeded and No. 9-ranked Colorado School of Mines 34-26 at Marv Kay Stadium on Saturday.
 
The Rams close out a historic season, advancing to the third round of the national tournament for only the second time in program history, and tallying 11 wins, the most since the 1989 campaign.
 
Against the Orediggers, the started strong in their first drive, moving the ball down the field before settling for a 26-yard field goal by Asa Fuller for the first points of the game and the only score of the first quarter.
 
Mines found its rhythm in the second quarter, scoring on a 60-yard pass up the middle before adding two more touchdowns, a 21-yard passing score and a one-yard run, to take a 20-7 advantage at the half.
 
The Rams outgained the Orediggers on the day, totaling 485 yards of offense compared to 371 by Mines but ASU struggled to keep their drives going, converting only three third downs on the day.
 
ASU started their comeback early in the second half as Alfred Grear pulled away on a 90-yard touchdown run to make it 20-10.
 
Mines answered back, once again finding success through the air as the Orediggers completed a 42-yard pass for a touchdown to go back up by 17 with 5:45 to play in the third quarter.
 
The Rams added another touchdown with 6:09 to play in the fourth as Noah Massey caught a fade from Zach Bronkhorst five yards out. Bronkhorst finished with 331 yards on the day, completing 23-of-41 passing with two touchdowns.
 
Down 34-17, ASU forced a punt by the Orediggers, but a bad snap sent the ball into the endzone for a safety. The Rams marched down field one last time, scoring on a 16-yard touchdown pass to Rasheen Green.
 
Green led the Rams in receiving with four catches for 111 yards while Kellen Pachot added 76 yards and Kyle Bradford finished with 75 yards, both collecting four passes.
 
Defensively, Tre'Darius Colbert led the Rams with 12 total tackles, adding a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Following him was Weston Bauer with 10 tackles and Hunter Kyle with seven.