HELENA -- The NAIA's leading rusher is also the Erck Hotels/Frontier Conference offensive football player of the week. 

Montana Tech's Wykece Johnson put in a Herculean effort for the No. 11-ranked Orediggers in Saturday's 30-19 win at No. 25 Carroll.

Johnson, a graduate transfer from Lexington, Miss., carried the football 34 times for 178 yards and three touchdowns in the win. 

His game began with a couple of key first-down runs on Montana Tech's first scoring drive, including a nine-yard rush on fourth-and-1 that set up the Orediggers' first touchdown of the game. Johnson then carried the ball on four of Tech's five plays on the next scoring march, capping it with a 1-yard TD run. 

After Carroll cut the lead to a field goal in the third quarter, Johnson came through again, cashing in on a 4-yard TD. He then found pay dirt again with a 1-yarder in the fourth quarter for some key Oredigger insurance. 

Through two games, the graduate transfer from Mississippi State leads the NAIA in rushing yards (345) and carries (58), his four touchdowns rank third, and his 5.9 yards per carry rank ninth among backs with 20 or more rushing attempts.

Saturday's win over Carroll was the Orediggers' fourth-straight over their archrivals and their third-consecutive win on the road against the Fighting Saints. Johnson and the Orediggers return home Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff against Rocky Mountain as they look to remain unbeaten in 2025.

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