BUTTE, Mont.- It was a homecoming to remember, as the Orediggers toppled the No. 7 Raiders of Southern Oregon 42-35.

You couldn't have scripted a better opening number.

The Orediggers would start the game with the football, the deep backs were juniors Levi Torgerson and JoeJo Wallace. The kick was fielded by Torgerson at the five-yard line, and he would never be touched. Levi would take the opening kick 95 yards for the score. The first kickoff returned for a touchdown since 2021 when Mark Estes would take one to the house against Eastern Oregon.

Montana Tech would take the lead 13 seconds into the game, and they would never give it up.

Southern Oregon would tie the game twice in the first half. Their opening drive went 75 yards on 10 plays, to knot things up at 7-all. The final time came in the second quarter after the Raiders put together a 14-play, eight-minute drive to tie the game at 14, with eight minutes left in the second quarter.

The Orediggers would break the goal line with 3:50 left in the half as Landers Smith would pound it in from two yards out, giving the Diggs a 21-14 lead. A costly fumble by Southern's Blake Asciutto would turn into another Oredigger touchdown, as Blake Thelen would find Wyatt Alexander on back-to-back passes, concluding with a 26-yard touchdown strike.  

Montana Tech would lead 28-14 at the half, and they would stay at arm's length for the remainder of the game.

Both offenses moved the football well, Southern amassing 494 yards on 64 plays, while the Orediggers accounted for 369 yards on 55 offensive snaps. This game focused on the running backs, Gunner Yates and Landers Smith, for good reason. Yates is the nation's leading rusher, and Smith is the fourth most productive back in the country. Landers Smith finished with 25 carries for 94 yards, and a pair of scores. He also had two catches for 56 yards. Ethan Renner would run for 30 yards on three carries, and Christian Vetter would get 15 yards on a pair of carries.

Gunner Yates put up 141 yards rushing on 19 carries, he also had six catches for 78 yards. Yates accounted for four of the Raider's five touchdowns.

Senior offensive captain Blake Thelen threw for 225 yards, and a pair of touchdowns, he completed 77% of his passes on the day.

Tight end Logan Kennedy had himself a day, snagging seven catches for 80 yards, Levi Torgerson pulled in five catches for 51 yards, and Wyatt Alexander grabbed three passes for 38 yards and a score.

Southern Oregon's (4-1, 1-1) quarterback Blake Asciutto threw for 309 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He completed passes to nine different receivers.

Brandon Barthel, Gunner Yates, and Sawyer Clevelan each finished with six catches.

Montana Tech has won the last seven meetings against the Raiders.

The Orediggers (4-1, 2-1) will be on the road next Saturday to square off with the Bulldogs of Montana Western.