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2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football season

The 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football season was the season of college football played by the ten member schools of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) as part of the 2022 NCAA Division II football season.

The Colorado Mines Orediggers won the RMAC championship with a 9–2 record (9–0 against conference opponents), led the conference in both scoring offense (46.86 points per game) and scoring defense (18.64 points per game), and was ranked No. 10 in the final NCAA Division II rankings. The Orediggers' quarterback John Matocha was selected as the RMAC Offensive Player of the Year, and Brandon Moore of Colorado Mines was selected as the RMAC Coach of the Year. The team won in the first three rounds of the NCAA Division II playoffs and faces Shepherd in the semifinals on December 10.

The CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves finished in second place with an 8–4 overall record. CSU Pueblo defensive tacke Trey Botts was named RMAC Defensive Player of the Year.

Conference overview[edit]

^[20]

Conference awards[edit]

Individual honors[edit]

• Offensive Player of the Year: John Matocha, Colorado Mines
• Defensive Player of the Year: Trey Botts, CSU Pueblo
• Special Teams Player of the Year: CJ Sims, New Mexico Highlands
• Offensive Freshman of the Year: Landon Walker, Colorado Mines
• Defensive Freshman of the Year: Cooper Brown, Black Hills State
• Coach of the Year: Brandon Moore, Colorado Mines

^[21]

All-RMAC team[edit]

The following players were selected as first-team players on the 2022 All-RMAC football team.

Offense

• Quarterback - John Matocha, Colorado Mines
• Running backs - Michael Zeman, Colorado Mines; Josh Cummings, Western Colorado
• Wide receivers - Jeremiah Bridges, South Dakota Mines; Josh Johnston, Colorado Mines; CJ Sims,New Mexico Highlands
• Tight end - Dagan Rienks, Colorado Mesa
• Offensive line - Matt Armendariz, Colorado Mines; Sam Ambrogio, Black Hills State; Clayton Martin, Western Colorado; Mathyus Su’a, Western Colorado; Levi Johnson, Colorado Mines

Defense

• Cornerbacks - Mason Pierce, Colorado Mines; Eli Pittman, CSU Pueblo
• Safeties - Daniel Bone, CSU Pueblo; Doodles Quinones, Black Hills State
• Inside linebackers - Kyante Christian, South Dakota Mines; Adrian Moreno, Colorado Mines
• Outside linebackers - Mack Minnehan, Colorado Mines; Luke Conilogue, CSU Pueblo
• Defensive tackles - Trey Botts, CSU Pueblo; Tayven Bray, Chadron State
• Defensive ends - Hunter O’Connor, Chadron State; Gavin Chaddock, South Dakota Mines

Special teams

• Kicker - Gunnar Jones, Chadron State
• Punter - Cole Riters, Western Colorado
• Kick returner - Victory David, Western Colorado
• Punt returner - CJ Sims, New Mexico Highlands

^[21]

Teams[edit]

Colorado Mines[edit]

The 2022 Colorado Mines Orediggers football team represented the Colorado School of MinesinGolden, Colorado during the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) football season. In their first year under head coach Brandon Moore, the Orediggers compiled an overall record of 13–3 with a mark of 9–0 against conference opponents, winning the RMAC championship.

Colorado Mines quarterback John Matocha was selected as the RMAC Offensive Player of the Year, and Brandon Moore was selected as the RMAC Coach of the Year.^[21]

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 1	at No. 5Grand Valley State*		Lubbers Stadium Allendale, MI	L 22–25	12,250	[22]
September 10	No. 7Angelo State*		Marv Kay Stadium at Alumni Field Golden, CO	L 27–30 OT	1,863	[23]
September 17	atAdams State	No. 21	Rex Field Alamosa, CO	W 84–10	0	[24]
September 24	CSU Pueblo	No. 21	Marv Kay Stadium at Alumni Field Golden, CO	W 45–17	2,922	[25]
October 1	atChadron State	No. 22	Don Beebe Stadium Chadron, NE	W 45–9	2,852	[26]
October 8	Colorado Mesa	No. 21	Marv Kay Stadium at Alumni Field Golden, CO	W 48–21	4,090	[27]
October 15	atSouth Dakota Mines	No. 19	O'Harra Stadium Rapid City, SD	W 48–20	3,415	[28]
October 22	Black Hills State	No. 9/18	Marv Kay Stadium at Alumni Field Golden, CO	W 38–0	4,578	[29]
October 29	atWestern Colorado		Mountaineer Bowl Gunnison, CO	W 30–20	423	[30][31]
November 5	atNew Mexico Highlands		Sanchez Family Stadium Las Vegas, NM	W 54–16		[32]
November 12	Fort Lewis		Marv Kay Stadium at Alumni Field Golden, CO	W 80–0	3,192	[33]
November 19	CSU Pueblo		Marv Kay Stadium at Alumni Field Golden, CO (NCAA Division II First Round)	W 45–24	2,157	[34][35]
November 26	No. 19Minnesota State*		Marv Kay Stadium at Alumni Field Golden, CO (NCAA Division II Second Round)	W 48–45	2,142	[36][37]
December 3	at No. 2Angelo State*		LeGrand Stadium at 1st Community Credit Union Field San Angelo, TX (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal)	W 42–24	4,872	[38][39]
December 10	No. 11Shepherd*		Marv Kay Stadium at Alumni Field Golden, CO (NCAA Division II Semifinal)	W 44–14	6,191
December 17	vs. Ferris State*		McKinney ISD Stadium McKinney, TX (NCAA Division II Championship Game)	L 14–41	6,333
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

CSU Pueblo[edit]

The 2022 CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves football team represented the Colorado State University PuebloinPueblo, Colorado, during the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) football season. In their 15th year under head coach John Wristen, the ThunderWolves compiled an 8–4 record (7–2 against conference opponents) and finished second in the RMAC.

CSU Pueblo defensive tackle Trey Botts was selected as the RMAC Defensive Player of the Year.^[21]

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 3	at No. 24 Midwestern State Texas*		Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, TX	W 59–27	7,123
September 10	No. 5 Grand Valley State*	No. 21	ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	L 10–35	5,990
September 17	Western Colorado		ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	L 10–17	7,088
September 24	at No. 21 Colorado Mines		Marv Kay Stadium at Alumni Field Golden, CO	L 17–45	2,922
October 1	Fort Lewis		ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 75–3	5,997
October 8	at Adams State		Rex Field Alamosa, CO	W 52–20	2,387
October 15	New Mexico Highlands		ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 35–11	6,121
October 22	Chadron State		ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 34–12	5,954
October 29	at Colorado Mesa		Stocker Stadium Grand Junction, CO	W 33–28	3,068	[40]
November 5	South Dakota Mines		ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	W 45–20	6,188	[41]
November 12	at Black Hills State		Lyle Hare Stadium Spearfish, SD	W 38–0	1,123	[42]
November 19	at Colorado Mines		Marv Kay Stadium at Alumni Field Golden, CO (NCAA Division II First Round)	L 24–45	2,157	[34][35]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

Western Colorado[edit]

The 2022 Western Colorado Mountaineers football team represented the Western Colorado UniversityinGunnison, Colorado, during the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) football season. In their 12th year under head coach Jas Baines, the Mountaineers compiled a 7–4 record (7–2 against conference opponents) and finished third in the RMAC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 3	at West Texas A&M*	Buffalo Stadium Canyon, TX	L 6–44	6,781
September 10	at Texas Permian Basin*	Astound Broadband Stadium Midland, TX	L 31–34 OT	3,278	[43]
September 17	at CSU Pueblo	Mountaineer Bowl Pueblo, CO	W 17–10	7,088
September 24	Chadron State	Mountaineer Bowl Gunnison, CO	W 56–28	240
October 1	at Colorado Mesa	Stocker Stadium Grand Junction, CO	W 42–34 2OT	3,691
October 8	South Dakota Mines	Mountaineer Bowl Gunnison, CO	L 10–38	324
October 15	at Black Hills State	Lyle Hare Stadiumm Spearfish, SD	W 28–27	1,162
October 22	at New Mexico Highlands	Sanchez Family Stadium Las Vegas, NM	W 30–13	0
October 29	Colorado Mines	Mountaineer Bowl Gunnison, CO	L 20–30	423	[30][31]
November 5	at Fort Lewis	Ray Dennison Memorial Field Durango, CO	W 55–14	1,791
November 12	Adams State	Katy O Rady Field Gunnison, CO (Colorado Classic)	W 52–10	500	[44]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

South Dakota Mines[edit]

The 2022 South Dakota Mines Hardrockers football team represented the South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyinRapid City, South Dakota, during the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football season. In their third year under head coach Charlie Flohr, the Hardrockers compiled a 7–4 record (6–3 against RMAC opponents) and finished fourth in the RMAC.

Black Hills State[edit]

The 2022 Black Hills State Yellow Jackets football team represented Black Hills State UniversityinSpearfish, South Dakota, during the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football season. In their third year under head coach Josh Breske, the Yellow Jackets compiled a 7–4 record (5–4 against RMAC opponents) and finished fifth in the RMAC.

Cooper Brown was selected as the RMAC Defensive Freshman of the Year.^[21]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 1	at Dickinson State*	Henry Biesiot Activities Center Dickinson, ND	W 17–2		[51]
September 10	William Jewell*	Lyle Hare Stadium Spearfish, SD	W 38–19	1,226
September 17	at Chadron State	Don Beebe Stadium Chadron, NE	W 32–23
September 24	Colorado Mesa	Lyle Hare Stadium Spearfish, SD	W 31–28	2,763	[52]
October 1	at South Dakota Mines	O'Harra Stadium Rapid City, SD	W 24–17	4,985
October 8	at New Mexico Highlands	Sanchez Family Stadium Las Vegas, NV	L 28–30
October 15	Western Colorado	Lyle Hare Stadium Spearfish, SD	L 27–28	1,162	[53]
October 22	at No. 9/18 Colorado Mines	Marv Kay Stadium at Alumni Field Golden, CO	L 0–38	4,578
October 29	Fort Lewis	Lyle Hare Stadium Spearfish, SD	W 75–0	1,394	[54]
November 5	at Adams State	Rex Field Alamosa, CO	W 38–7	1,598
November 12	CSU Pueblo	Lyle Hare Stadium Spearfish, SD	L 0–38	1,123	[55]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

Colorado Mesa[edit]

The 2022 Colorado Mesa Mavericks football team represented Colorado Mesa UniversityinGrand Junction, Colorado, during the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football season. In their first year under head coach Miles Kochevar, the Mavericks compiled a 4–6 record (3–6 against RMAC opponents) and finished sixth in the RMAC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 1	at William Jewell*	Greene Stadium Liberty, MO	W 37–14
September 17	South Dakota Mines	Stocker Stadium Grand Junction, CO	L 17–31	3,876
September 24	at Black Hills State	Lyle Hare Stadium Spearfish, SD	L 28–31	2,763
October 1	Western Colorado	Stocker Stadium Grand Junction, CO	L 34–42 2OT	3,691
October 8	at No. 21 Colorado Mines	Marv Kay Stadium at Alumni Field Golden, CO	L 21–48	4,090
October 15	Fort Lewis	Stocker Stadium Grand Junction, CO	W 70–10	1,975
October 22	at Adams State	Rex Field Alamosa, CO	L 31–45	1,376
October 29	CSU Pueblo	Stocker Stadium Grand Junction, CO	L 28–33	3,068
November 5	at Chadron State	Don Beebe Stadium Chadron, NE	W 38–37 OT	1,741
November 12	New Mexico Highlands	Stocker Stadium Grand Junction, CO	W 56–36
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

New Mexico Highlands[edit]

The 2022 New Mexico Highlands Cowboys football team represented New Mexico Highlands UniversityinLas Vegas, New Mexico, during the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football season. Led by first-year head coach Ron Hudson, the Mavericks compiled a 3–7 record (3–6 against RMAC opponents) and finished seventh in the RMAC.

New Mexico Highlands punt returner CJ Sims was selected as the RMAC Special Teams Player of the Year.^[21]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 1	Eastern New Mexico*	Sanchez Family Stadium Las Vegas, NM	L 18–34
September 17	Fort Lewis	Sanchez Family Stadium Las Vegas, NM	W 27–3
September 24	at South Dakota Mines	Dunham Field at O'Harra Stadium Rapid City, SD	L 27–41	3,584
October 1	at Adams State	Rex Field Alamosa, CO	W 23–21	1,769
October 8	Black Hills State	Sanchez Family Stadium Las Vegas, NM	W 30–28
October 15	at CSU Pueblo	ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	L 11–35	6,121	[56]
October 22	Western Colorado	Sanchez Family Stadium Las Vegas, NM	L 13–30	0
October 29	at Chadron State	Don Beebe Stadium Chadron, NE	L 3–17	1,236
November 5	Colorado Mines	Sanchez Family Stadium Las Vegas, NM	L 16–54
November 12	at Colorado Mesa	Stocker Stadium Grand Junction, CO	L 36–56
*Non-conference game Homecoming

Chadron State[edit]

The 2022 Chadron State Eagles football team represented Chadron State CollegeinChadron, Nebraska, during the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) football season. In their 11th season under head coach Jay Long, the Eagles compiled a 3–8 record (3–6 against conference opponents) and finished eighth in the RMAC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 1	at No. 7Angelo State*	LeGrand Stadium at 1st Community Credit Union Field San Angelo, TX	L 0–35	2,676
September 10	atUtah Tech*	Greater Zion Stadium St. George, UT	L 10–56	4,169
September 17	Black Hills State	Don Beebe Stadium Chadron, NE	L 23–32
September 24	atWestern Colorado	Mountaineer Bowl Gunnison, CO	L 28–56	240
October 1	No. 22Colorado Mines	Don Beebe Stadium Chadron, NE	L 9–45	2,852
October 8	atFort Lewis	Ray Dennison Memorial Field Durango, CO	W 56–3	1,796
October 15	Adams State	Don Beebe Stadium Chadron, NE	W 29–27	1,912
October 22	atCSU Pueblo	ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	L 12–34	5,954	[57]
October 29	New Mexico Highlands	Don Beebe Stadium Chadron, NE	W 17–3	1,236	[58]
November 5	Colorado Mesa	Don Beebe Stadium Chadron, NE	L 37–38 OT	1,741	[59]
November 12	atSouth Dakota Mines	O'Harra Stadium Rapid City, SD	L 7–28		[50]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

Adams State[edit]

The 2022 Adams State Grizzlies football team represented Adams State UniversityinAlamosa, Colorado, during the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) football season. In their second year under head coach Jarrell Harrison, the Grizzlies compiled a 2–9 record (2–7 against conference opponents) and finished ninth in the RMAC.

Fort Lewis[edit]

The 2022 Fort Lewis Skyhawks football team represented Fort Lewis CollegeinDurango, Colorado, during the 2022 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) football season. Under head coach Johnny Cox, the Grizzlies compiled a 0–10 record (0–9) against conference opponents) and finished last in the RMAC. In July 2022, Spencer Brown was appointed as the team's new defensive coordinator.^[62] With Brown as defensive coordinator, the Skyhawks gave up an average of 60.7 points per game.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 10	Arizona Christian*	Ray Dennison Memorial Field Durango, CO	L 12–52	2,130	[63]
September 17	at New Mexico Highlands	Sanchez Family Stadium Las Vegas, NM	L 3–27		[64]
September 24	Adams State	Ray Dennison Memorial Field Durango, CO	L 17–52	1,903	[65]
October 1	at CSU Pueblo	ThunderBowl Pueblo, CO	L 3–75	5,997
October 8	Chadron State	Ray Dennison Memorial Field Durango, CO	L 3–56	1,796
October 15	at Colorado Mesa	Stocker Stadium Grand Junction, CO	L 10–70	1,975	[66]
October 22	South Dakota Mines	Ray Dennison Memorial Field Durango, CO	L 20–65	2,179	[67]
October 29	at Black Hills State	Lyle Hare Stadium Spearfish, SD	L 0–75	1,394	[68]
November 5	Western Colorado	Ray Dennison Memorial Field Durango, CO	L 14–55	1,791
November 12	at No. 11/8 Colorado Mines	Marv Kay Stadium Golden, CO	L 0–80	3,192	[33][69]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the game

References[edit]