BUTTE — Montana Tech made very quick work of a first-year program and one that's set to join the Frontier Conference next season.
The No. 15 Orediggers piled up 45 points in the first quarter of their non-conference game against Simpson University (Calif.) and went on to dismantle the overmatched Red Hawks 97-0 on Saturday afternoon at Bob Green Field.
Those 97 points broke a program scoring record set in the 2017 when Tech blew past MSU-Northern 93-19 on Oct. 21.
Tech (5-2 overall, 2-2 in Frontier Conference play) got back in the win column a week after falling to Montana Western 27-21 in Dillon.
Levi Torgerson returned the opening kickoff for an 89-yard touchdown two weeks after doing the same thing against Southern Oregon. The first half then saw quarterback Blake Thelen toss five touchdown passes for 174 yards and Landers Smith rush for 59 yards and a pair of scores before Tech's first-team offense was rested in the second half.
Wyatt Alexander caught two touchdown passes and Torgerson, Charlie Kirgan and Logan Kennedy also notched scoring receptions. Christian Vetter, Ikaika Ho and Michael DeLeon scored on the ground for Tech. Backup quarterback Cole Wyant tossed a 14-yard scoring pass to Kirgan in the third quarter.
Tech's offense generated 626 yards to Simpson's 30. The Orediggers forced the Red Hawks to punt 10 times and limited Simpson to 9 rushing yards.
The Orediggers' homestand continues next week when Tech hosts Rocky Mountain College.
