Box Score BUTTE, Mont. – Montana Tech came up just short on a late comeback against No. 18 Eastern Oregon in the first game in Alumni Coliseum since 2019 falling to the Mountaineers 26-24 in the annual Copper Game. 

Eastern Oregon struck first on a Jordan Eggers 37-yard touchdown run taking a 7-0 lead into the second quarter.  

The Orediggers got on the board in the second quarter when Jet Campbell completed a 10-yard touchdown to tight end Logan Kennedy. Tech went on to trail 17-7 going into halftime. 

After a pair of field goals, the Orediggers refused to quit completing a 12 play, 81-yard drive capped with a 1-yard touchdown run from Blake Counts to narrow the score to 23-17 with 7:04 in the fourth quarter. 

The Mountaineers kicked their fourth field goal of the game with 1:06 left on the clock bring the score to 26-17 late in the fourth. 

Mark Estes returned a 76-yard kickoff back for a touchdown pulling the Orediggers within two of the Mountaineers. The onside kick try was unsuccessful after the touchdown and the Mountaineers ran the clock to finish the game.

Counts finished the game with 92 yards on 18 attempts. 

Campbell competed 14 of 23 attempts for 153 yards and 2 interceptions. 

Trevor Hoffman caught 3 passes for 63 yards and Kiley Caprara had 5 catches for 46 yards. 

Kennedy caught 3 passes for 20 yards and the lone receiving touchdown of the game. 

Eggers had 148 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns for the Mountaineers. 

Spencer Schock led the Oredigger defense with 12 tackles including a forced fumble and Bridger Johnson had 10. Cole Wyant had 9 stops and Teddy Croft added 8 including a tackle for a loss. 

Logan Kolodejchuk had 8 tackles and a tackle for a loss. 

Zak Donato had 10 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, and an interception to lead the Mountaineers. 

Montana Tech travels to Helena to face Carroll College next weekend.