University of Richmond Athletics
Postgame Notes: No. 19 Villanova Upends No. 1 Richmond
09/27/2008 | Football
Sept. 27, 2008
• The loss dropped Richmond to 3-2 overall, 2-1 in CAA Football and barred the Spiders from just their 13th start of 4-1 (or better) since the 1920 season. The loss also kept Richmond from its second 3-0 start to league play since 1987.
• Richmond, which was playing its fist game as a No. 1-ranked team since the 1985 season, fell to 4-2 all-time as the nation's top-ranked FCS team.
• The Spiders slipped to 43-26 when playing as a ranked team in the Sports Network poll since 1993, and 12-4 since the start of 2007. It also dropped Richmond to 26-38 versus a ranked team since 1995, but 7-2 since the start of last season.
• The win increased Villanova's lead in the all-time series to 19-9 over Richmond, including 11-4 in games played at Villanova Stadium. The Spiders have not won in Wildcats' country since 2000.
• Thanks to junior SS Michael Ireland's interception on Villanova's first possession of the game, the Spiders have 10 picks this season. Richmond had just 10 in 14 games last season. Along with his interception, Ireland made a team-leading and career-high 13 tackles.
• Richmond, which has scored 52 points of its 12 turnovers this season, entered Saturday's game with a streak of scoring points off its last seven turnovers gained. That streak came to an end when the Spiders punted following Ireland's pick.
• With a sack, senior DE Sherman Logan now has 16.0 in his career to move into eighth all-time at Richmond. He needs 4.0 more to tie Shawn Barber in fourth.
• Junior K Andrew Howard made kicks of 41 and 35 yards in the game and now stands third all-time at Richmond with 31 (of 44) career made FGs, passing Brendan Toibin's 30-of-51 between 1983-85. Rob Courter holds the all-time record with 41 career makes (of 62).
• Since missing his first three field goals of the season (all were blocked), Howard has made good on his last six consecutive attempts - the longest stretch in his career without a miss.
• Junior QB Eric Ward's touchdown pass was the 36th of his career, moving him into a tie for fourth all-time at Richmond with Stacy Tutt (2002-05). He needs one more to tie Charlie Richards and Greg Lilly in second and 19 more to set a new career record.
