GOLDEN — As Mo Russolillo picked up the ball and carried it into the end zone, Marv Kay Stadium started to feel what Bob Stitt had felt for more than an hour.

Even though his team fell behind 13-0 early, the Colorado School of Mines coach never doubted his team would find a way back into Saturday’s season opener. 

That scoop-and-score touchdown in the first minute of the second half against nationally ranked Western Oregon didn’t give the Orediggers the lead, but a beautiful 49-yard field goal by Preston Kyle a few minutes later did.

After a difficult opening quarter, the bounces were finally going Mines’ way, and it felt like Stitt’s team was on its way to yet another season-opening win.

But, in an instant, the breaks stopped, and the boo birds were out as Western Oregon knelt out the final seconds of the game for a 22-20 win.

“It was one of those games. If you could take one play away, you win the game. We played a very good football team,” Stitt said. “They’re a Top 25 team, and we knew they were gonna be good. They were tough and hats off to them because they came in here in the heat and the altitude and hung in there. 

“There were a couple times I thought we were gonna get ’em and then we didn’t get off the field to put the offense out there. We did a lot of tempo trying to gas ’em. It’s hard for the kids, but losing this game is going to make us better because it is tough and they are a tough football team. We’re not always gonna see a team like that down the road.”

It’s hard to believe that version of the Orediggers will show up again this season.

After a failed fourth-and-short set up Western Oregon’s first touchdown, Mines’ typically stout special teams unit, one that features multiple returning All-Americans, gifted the Wolves their second touchdown after a botched snap on a punt put the ball at the 2-yard line. 

In the second half, after a booming punt from Lucas LeSieur was muffed, several Mines players were beaten to the ball in the end zone, resulting in a touchback rather than an Orediggers touchdown.

The cherry on top of the mistakes pie was a 15-yard penalty on a controversial late hit that allowed Western Oregon to run out the clock rather than attempt a field goal with more than a minute to go and likely give the ball back to Mines with a chance to win the game.

“Everything that could’ve went wrong kinda did,” Stitt said.

The pregame scene in Golden suggested nothing could go wrong, though, despite a talented opponent on the other side. The “Division I Rejects” YouTube channel hosted its popular “Small School Saturday” livestream from inside the stadium, and a raucous crowd was ready to cheer on a program that has accomplished so much already this decade with multiple RMAC championships and a pair of NCAA championship game appearances.

On the field, Stitt, who is in Year 2 of his second stint in charge of the Orediggers, was pleased with the entire defense’s effort as he believes that unit is much improved from a season ago. Offensively, wide receiver Pierce Richards set a program record with 18 catches in the game, totaling 153 yards and a touchdown.

The only thing missing was the win.

“This place is awesome. It’s a tough place to come in and win, and I’m disappointed that we didn’t play better for the home crowd,” Stitt said. “It’s one of those things, but we’ve got great fans and the next time we come back here it’s gonna be a different story.”