Box Score BUTTE -- Levi Torgerson caught the opening kickoff in the south end zone on Bob Green Field. 

Then it was off to the races. 

Montana Tech's star return man carried the first football kicked to him in 2025 100-plus yards for a touchdown, and the 11th-ranked Orediggers never looked back en route to a 38-27 victory over No. 5 Montana Western Thursday night in the annual Copper Game, presented by Rocky Mountain Federal Credit Union. The leadoff return highlighted a dominant first half from Montana Tech, which stormed to a 24-0 lead before the visiting Bulldogs found their footing. 

It was just the start for Torgerson. The senior from Great Falls accounted for three Oredigger touchdowns — two on returns and another passing — all in the first half. 

The Montana Tech offense followed suit. Eight minutes later, graduate transfer Wykece Johnson broke an early tackle and raced 74 yards to the end zone before Torgerson found pay dirt again on another return, this one a 91-yard punt takeback that put the Diggers up three TDs.  

Tech led 21-0 after the first quarter of the season.  

The Orediggers didn't let up in the second. Casey Kautzman knocked a 35-yard field goal through the uprights to make it 24-0 before Montana Western finally got on the board with 1:04 before halftime. 

Torgerson wasn't through, though. Johnson rushed for a quick first down before quarterback Jake Casagranda struck for a pair more through the air — one to Nick Michelotti and another to Torgerson — to get the Diggers into the red zone. Then Torgerson took the handoff on a trick play and, seeing Parker Johnston open in the end zone, fired a strike to make it 31-7 in favor of the home team. 

After halftime, Montana Western pushed back to make it a game. The Bulldogs' defense held firm while Western's offense scored twice in the period, but Montana Tech had the answer; quarterback Jarrett Wilson rolled out of the pocket to find Michelotti on the first pla of the fourth quarter, providing Tech some much-needed cushion. 

UMW scored again with 3:40 to go, but that's all the Bulldogs would get. 

Tech's defense was solid all night. Tel Arthur and Dominic Umile led the Orediggers with seven tackles apiece, while Anthony Okes forced and recovered a fumble. 

Montana Western got 11 tackles out of Connor Dunlea, while Bulldog quarterback Michael Palandri passed for 285 yards. 

The Oredigger victory snapped a three-game losing streak against Western. Montana Tech will hit the road next Saturday to keep the season going with a trip to No. 25-ranked Carroll; the Diggers have won three striaght against their rivals from Helena.

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