BUTTE, Mont. -- The No. 15-ranked Montana Tech football team celebrated hall of fame weekend in a big way Saturday, posting a program record for points in a game with a 97-0 victory over Simpson University on Bob Green Field.

Nine different Orediggers found the end zone in the victory, led by senior quarterback Blake Thelen's five touchdown passes. Junior Levi Torgerson took the ball to pay dirt thrice — once on a kickoff return and twice receiving — and seniors Wyatt Alexander and Landers Smith each scored two TDs. Freshman Tyler Kovick highlighted the defensive effort with seven tackles, a forced fumble, and a fourth-quarter interception the Helena native returned to the end zone. 

It didn't take Tech (5-2) long to get on the scoreboard. Torgerson fielded the opening kickoff at the 11-yard-line and sped up the home sideline to score just 12 seconds into the contest. Dylan Root's extra point gave the Diggers an early 7-0 lead.

After the defense won a three-and-out, Tech took just four plays to get back across the goal line. Thelen got the drive started with a 27-yard pass to Torgerson on the Diggers' first play from scrimmage, and a couple of Smith runs set Tech up with first-and-goal at the 4. Thelen then found tight end Logan Kennedy for the score.

Montana Tech stuffed the Red Hawks (0-7) on a fourth-and-short on the ensuing possession, and Tech took just one play, a 33-yard heave to Alexander. Tech converted the 2-point attempt to make it a 22-0 ballgame at the 8:02 mark in the first.

The Orediggers extended the lead to 43-0 by quarter's end thanks to TDs by Smith, Alexander, and Torgerson.

It was much of the same in the second. Tech scored on all three of its possessions, first on a run by Smith, next on a 72-yard hookup from Thelen to Torgerson, and again just under the 2:00 mark when Root knocked home a 30-yard field goal. The Orediggers went into halftime with a 60-0 advantage.

The Montana Tech defense continued to dominate after intermission, forcing another three-and-out. A mishandled snap on the Simpson punt resulted in a safety, and the Diggers took just four plays to get back in the end zone on their ensuing possession. Christian Vetter capped off that drive with a 26-yard touchdown run, the Butte High product's first of the season. Tech made it a 76-0 score on the next drive, finished by Charlie Kirgan's 14-yard TD reception from Cade Wyant. The tally stayed that way headed into the fourth.

Two Diggers scored touchdowns on their first-career carries in the fourth. Ikaika Ho took the ball for the first time in his collegiate career early in the quarter and hoofed it 52 yards to the house. After Kovick picked off a Simpson pass and scored with 9:26 remaining, Michael DeLeon rushed in to score from 45 yards out on his first-career carry. DeLeon's TD set the program's single-game scoring record and brought the score to its final tally at 97-0.

Tech's scoring binge bested the previous program record for points in a game, which came in a 93-19 victory over Montana State-Northern in 2017.

The Orediggers totaled 626 yards of total offense on the day, a season best. Thelen completed seven of nine pass attempts for 174 yards and five touchdowns. Three of those completions went to Torgerson, who collected 113 yards receiving and 146 return yards in his three-touchdown day. Ethan Renner led the Tech rushing attack with 95 yards on 10 carries.

The defense's 30 yards allowed was also a season best. The Tech D allowed just six Simpson first downs, and the Diggers recorded 15 tackles-for-loss to tie the program record in that category. In addition to Kovick's seven tackles, Wyatt DeVoss and Tel Arthur recorded five takedowns apiece. DeVoss and Matt Whitcomb teamed up on a sack, and Prince Hall also recorded a solo sack for Tech.

Saturday's shutout marked the first for Montana Tech since Nov. 4 of last year, a 28-0 blanking of MSU-Northern.

Simpson, a first-year program, will join the Frontier Conference as an associate member for football in 2025.

At halftime, Montana Tech recognized its 2024 athletics hall of fame class. The university inducted Roderick Hurd (men's basketball), Katie (Daly) Lewis (volleyball), Lorenzo Snyder (football), Coach Bill Connor (football), Dennis Zander (contributor), and the 1987-88 men's basketball team at a banquet Friday at Butte Country Club.

Montana Tech will stay home to resume Frontier play next Saturday, Oct. 26 against Rocky Mountain College. Kickoff on Bob Green Field is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Visit Montana Tech athletics' home online, GoDiggers.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news and coverage of the Orediggers. Give Montana Tech athletics a like on Facebook, and follow the Orediggers on X at @MTechDiggers.