Spiders Take Top-Ranked JMU To The Wire In 20-13 Loss

Saturday, November 11

Harrisonburg, Va.

3:30 PM

University of Richmond

5-5 , 3-4

James Madison

10-0 , 7-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Richmond	0	7	3	3	13
James Madison	0	10	0	10	20

Spiders Take Top-Ranked JMU To The Wire In 20-13 Loss

11/11/2017 | Football

Box Score

HARRISONBURG, Va. – If there's one thing that was clear after a cold afternoon in Harrisonburg, it's that there was no shortage of heart in the locker room for the University of Richmond football program.

The Spiders gave the top-ranked Dukes of JMU all they could handle, but ultimately dropped a 20-13 heartbreaker in a rivalry that has been full of nailbiters. Four of Richmond's five losses have come by one possession, including a double-overtime game.

"There's no moral victories at the University of Richmond, that's clear, but our guys left everything on the field tonight and all season long," Head Coach Russ Huesman said. "We battled our tails off against the national champions. I'll go to battle with those guys in that locker room any day of the week."

Defensively, the Spiders limited the Dukes all day long, holding them to 13 points until the final four minutes of the contest. JMU had not been in one-possession game that late in a game since last year's FCS semifinals against then top-ranked North Dakota State.

Senior Trey Moore had a career day with 12 tackles, including a sack and 2.5 tackles for a loss. Junior Dale Matthews, Jr. had nine tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss and a huge forced fumble in the fourth quarter.

Senior QB Kyle Lauletta threw for over 300 yards for the eighth time this year and 16^th of his career. He finished 27-of-44 on the day with 304 yards and a TD. He became just the fourth player in CAA history to reach 10,000 career passing yards and set the program's all-time record for total offense with 10,422 yards in his career. Junior WR Tyler Wilkins had a career day with 12 catches for 180 yards and a TD, a career-best in receptions and yards.

Richmond returns to action next Saturday in the season finale, hosting William & Mary in the Oldest Rivalry in the South. Game time at Robins Stadium is set for 3 p.m. with Senior Day festivities being held prior to the game.