GREELEY, Colo. - The University of Northern Colorado football team got off to an explosive start to the 2005 season with a 52-31 win over Division II Colorado Mines in front of 7,554 people, the largest crowd in Nottingham Field history.
Bears' senior quarterback Nick Hager made just his second career start and went 12-for-20 passing with 304 yards and threw five touchdowns - all were career highs. Sophomore wide receiver Cory Sleeth made the most of his first career start as Hager's go-to guy as Sleeth caught seven passes for 231 yards and had three touchdown catches. The receiving yardage performance by Sleeth was the third-best in Northern Colorado history.
"Today we made the most of it. I was shocked how well he was (Cory) playing," Hager said. "I feel like our offense is really clicking."
The Bears (1-0) made the most of its first possession after an Orediggers punt with a 42-yard field goal by senior kicker Justin Zaitz, which was his longest field goal in two seasons. After another Mines punt on its next possession, Northern Colorado drove the ball 64 yards for a touchdown. Junior running back Andre Wilson caught a nine yard touchdown pass to give the Bears a 10-0 lead. The touchdown catch by Wilson was the first of his career.
On their next possession, the Bears drove it to the end zone once again as Hager flung a 51-yard touchdown pass to Sleeth. At the end of the first quarter, Northern Colorado led Mines, 17-3.
At the start of the second quarter, Mines drove the ball down to the Bears' 10-yard line. Orediggers' junior quarterback Garrett Mehl ran the ball down to the four and fumbled, but Mines' junior running back Bryan Florendo recovered the ball at the two and punched it in to make the score 17-10 with 10:37 left in the second quarter. That was the closest the Orediggers got to the Bears the rest of the game.
Northern Colorado struck back immediately as Hager launched an 80-yard touchdown pass to Sleeth. The pass was the longest completion in Hager's career, and the play was the fifth-longest passing play in Northern Colorado's history. The Bears went into halftime with a 24-10 lead.
Wilson said the Bears were well-prepared for the game.
"We never overlook anyone," he said. "We did what we expected to do today."
Northern Colorado put the game out of reach for the Orediggers at the start of the second half. Sophomore linebacker Sam Lewis intercepted a Mehl pass at the UNC 47-yard line. The interception was Lewis' first of his career. Wilson capitalized on the opportunity by breaking off a 29-yard run, which brought the ball to the Mines' 14-yard line. Hager finished off the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Sleeth.
Northern Colorado struck it rich again on its next drive as Hager capped it off with a 43-yard touchdown pass to junior transfer wide receiver Andy Birkel. The touchdown catch was the former Nebraska Cornhusker's first in a Northern Colorado uniform. After the two scores in-a-row, the Bears led 38-10.
In the fourth quarter, Bears' redshirt-freshman backup quarterbacks T.J. Swanson and Cody Stone tossed two touchdown passes, which brought the Northern Colorado team total to seven touchdown passes, which is the most in a game in the Bears' history.
The Orediggers (0-2) made a go of it toward the end as Florendo and junior Mines' running back Joe Roseberry each scored rushing touchdowns. In all, both teams combined for 1,106 yards of total offense. Northern Colorado's 617 total yards was the team's most since a 2003 win over Adams State. Freshman middle linebacker Jake Duren led the team in tackles with 11 in his first collegiate start. Senior free safety and Buck Buchanan Award candidate Reed Doughty had 10 tackles.
"Overall, we played well for our first game," said head coach O. Kay Dalton. "I'm very comfortable with the team...we have excellent leadership and enthusiastic players."
The Bears return to action on Thursday as they'll take on the Western Illinois Leathernecks in Macomb, Ill. The game will start at 6:05 MT and will be televised on CSTV. CSTV can be accessed on Comcast Digital Cable Channel 412. The game can also be heard on the Bears Radio Network.
