BUTTE, Mont. – Big plays and bad weather were featured at Alumni Coliseum as the No. 24 Montana Tech Orediggers down Southern Oregon 45-21.

The Orediggers (5-2) came out of the gate with a five play 90-yard drive. Blake Thelen hit Trevor Hoffman for 61 yards in wet and snowy conditions.

Tech special teams was up next when Naoki Harmer blocked the Raiders punt and Clay Fisher grabbed the ball running it in for a touchdown putting the Orediggers up 14-0 with 5:28 to go in the first quarter.

Gunnar Yates had the big plays for the Raiders. Yates ran the first play of the Raiders next drive 68 yards to cut the Tech lead 14-7.

Keeping the first quarter exciting, Thelen threw his second touchdown of the game connecting with Logan Kennedy for 61 yards putting the Orediggers up by two scores again 21-7.

Thelen finished with 232 yards and two touchdowns in the game.

The Raiders answered back with a six play 64-yard drive. Yates ran into the endzone from 1-yard out for his second touchdown of the game.    

Before the half ended, linebacker Ben Windauer grabbed a tipped pass and took it 34 yards into the touchdown giving the Orediggers a 28-14 lead going into halftime.

Coming out of the locker room, the Raiders cut the lead to 28-21 with Yates breaking a 70-yard run for his third score of the game.

But that was the last time Southern Oregon scored as the Orediggers finished the game 17 unanswered points.

Yates was the lone Raider to reach the endzone in the game. He finished with 215 yards and three touchdowns.

The Orediggers held Southern Oregon quarterback Blake Asciutto to 132 yards as he completed just 15 of 32 with two interceptions.

The Orediggers played both quarterback with Jet Campbell back under center. Campbell connected with Wyatt Alexander from 35 yards out.

Kaleb Winterburn scored the final touchdown of the game with a 5-yard score.

Ryan Lowery had a 19-yard field goal went 6 for 6 on PATs.

Kyle Torgerson had three catches for 71 yards. Alexander finished with four catches and 60 yards.

The Orediggers grinded on the ground with led by Blake Counts going over the century mark rushing 19 times for 120 yards. Winterburn finished with 65 yards on 10 carries.

The Oredigger defense had seven tackles for a loss and two sacks.

Harmer led Tech in tackles with nine. The senior safety also had two pass breakups to go with his punt block. Harmer was also in on a sack.

Jordan Washington had eight tackles and a tackle for a loss.

Keyshawn James-Newby finished with six tackles and a sack.

Windauer had six tackles in addition to his pick-six.

Montana Tech hits the road next week. The Orediggers travel to Billings for a rematch against Rocky Mountain.