University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
VMI
No. 6 Richmond Thumps VMI, 56-16
10/04/2008 | Football
Oct. 4, 2008
LEXINGTON, Va. - The sixth-ranked Richmond football team jumped on VMI early and never looked back, running over the Keydets, 56-16, Saturday afternoon at Foster Stadium in Lexington, Va. With their seventh-straight win over VMI, the Spiders have now drawn even at 40-40-5 in the all-time series between Commonwealth rivals.
Richmond (4-2) executed in all facets of the game, bouncing back from last week's loss that knocked the Spiders out of the nation's No. 1- ranking by spreading eight touchdowns over six different players, scoring six offensive TDs, returning a pair of fumbles for TDs, and limiting the nation's leading rushing attack to just 267 yards on 59 attempts (4.5 avg.)
Josh Vaughan tied his career-high with two rushing scores and racked up 123 yards on 16 carries (7.7 avg.) for his seventh career 100-yard game. True freshman TB John Crone had four carries for 25 yards and a TD.
The Spiders out-gained VMI (2-3) in total yards, 419-267, converted four-of-seven third downs and junior QB Eric Ward was an efficient 10-of-13 passing for 130 yards and a TD. The Keydets were a combined 0-of-5 passing with an interception.
Ward's 29-yard strike to freshman WR Justin Rogers swiped a Tim Maypray lateral pass out of the air in the backfield and returned it 41-yards - untouched - to the end zone for his third TD of the season.
To his credit, Rogers has scored five career touchdowns, thanks to two kickoff returns last season, two interception returns this season and today's fumble return. The defensive back was in on two tackles and also picked off his fourth pass of the season later in the game.
Parker Miles led the way defensively with a career-high 13 tackles. Collin McConaghy made nine stops and Patrick Weldon was in on seven.
Vaughan's first of two rushing TDs - a four-yard jaunt - gave the Spiders a 28-10 lead with 1:15 left in the first half. Richmond carried that momentum into the second half as David Horton jarred the ball loose from returner Zack Collins on the opening kickoff and Colin Pehanick scooped up the loose ball and returned it five-yards for his first career TD.
Another Vaughan TD, followed by the first two rushing TDs of Tyler Kirchoff's career ballooned Richmond's lead to 56-10 to stun VMI's Homecoming crowd of 7,643 with 10 minutes left in the game.
Maypray led the Keydet's option attack with 19 carries for 88 yards, while Bobby Epps had 13 carries for 67 yards. VMI entered the game with an average of 41.5 points and 384.0 rushing yards in its first four games of the season.
Able to move the ball early against the Spiders, a TD run from VMI's Gabe Itoka made the score 14-7 with 5:35 left in the first quarter. A 21-yard field goal by Greg Stevens cut Richmond's lead to 21-10 early in the second quarter, but stood as VMI's only points until a TD run by Bobby Epps in the game's final minutes.
The Spiders return to action next Saturday at UR Stadium with a pivotal CAA South Division tilt versus No. 1 James Madison. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
