Football Drops Tough Road Game At No. 11 Elon

Saturday, October 20

Elon, NC

1:30 PM

University of Richmond

3-5 , 1-4

Elon

5-2 , 3-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Richmond

Elon

Photo by: Tim Cowie/Tim Cowie Photography

10/20/2018 | Football

Box Score Richmond Elon Book Coach Russ Huesman Post-Game Justin Rubin Post-Game Jarmal Bevels Post-Game

ELON, N.C. – The University of Richmond football team saw its late-game rally fall short as the Spiders suffered a 38-28 defeat to No. 11 Elon Saturday afternoon at Rhodes Stadium. The Spiders head into their bye week at 3-5 on the season and 1-4 in Colonial Athletic Association play while the Phoenix improve to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in league play.

The Spiders pulled within 35-28 with 8:48 remaining in the game when redshirt sophomore quarterback Joe Mancuso (Blairsville, Ga.) hit Jarmal Bevels (Fredericksburg, Va.) on a 40-yard pass to make it a one score game.

The Richmond defense looked like it came up with the game's biggest play on the ensuing Elon possession. Elon running back De'Sean McNair took the handoff and was immediately met by the UR defense. Redshirt sophomore defensive end Darius Reynolds (Yorktown, Va.) stripped the ball loose and recovered for what appeared to be the game-changing turnover. The play was ruled a fumble on the field but after a lengthy review, it was overturned keeping the ball with the Phoenix.

The Spiders had another chance to tie the game late as they got the ball with 3:04 remaining after Elon kicker Skyler Davis missed a 29-yard field goal. Richmond was unable to move the ball down the field and another video review went against the Spiders as an Elon targeting penalty was overturned in a key third down play.

Mancuso finished the game going 12-of-28 through the air for 215 yards and two touchdowns as the Spiders were held 86 yards under their season average through the air. He also ran for 46 yards on 11 carries as Richmond tallied 177 yards of rushing. Freshman Aaron Dykes (Knoxville, Tenn.) led the Spiders with 76 yards rushing on 12 carries, while scoring a pair of touchdowns.

Defensively, junior safety Daniel Jones (Williamsburg, Va.) led the way with a career-high 14 tackles and also recovered a fumble. The Spiders' linebacking corp combined for 34 tackles in the loss. Senior Justin Rubin (Southampton, Pa.) and junior Billy Caughell (Apopka, Fla.) each set new career-highs with 13 tackles apiece while Dale Matthews Jr. (Bowie, Md.) added eight tackles. Senior defensive lineman Andrew Clyde (Dallas, Texas) added 1.5 sacks, raising his total to 4.5 sacks in the last two games.

Elon's Jaylan Thomas led the way with 150 yards rushing and a touchdown as the Phoenix rushed for 253 yards and three touchdowns as a team. Quarterback Jalen Greene added 79 yards rushing on the ground while finishing the game 7-of-11 through the air for 205 yards.

Elon opened the scoring on its first drive of the day, going 80 yards on 10 plays with most of the damage on the ground. The Phoenix took the 7-0 lead when Greene took it in with his feet from 18-yards out. The Spiders came right back and scored 41 seconds later tying the game at 7-7. Mancuso connected with Caleb Drake (Troy, N.C.) on a 66-yard touchdown pass to even the score. Elon answered back with a long pass of its own as Greene hit Corey Joyner for a 60-yard touchdown pass to put the Phoenix in front 14-7.

The Spiders tied the game at 14-14 early in the second quarter after freshman punter Micah Breckenridge (Memphis, Tenn.) pinned Elon deep and flipped the field. Richmond started its drive on the Elon 42-yard line and needed just three plays to tie the game, capped off by a seven-yard run by Dykes. Elon would take the lead into the locker room at 21-14 when Thomas ran in from 22-yards out with 3:45 left, capping a seven-play, 87-yard drive.

The Spiders tied the game early in the third quarter as Rubin forced a fumble on Elon's second play from scrimmage in the second half giving Richmond the ball at the 12-yard line. Dykes ran two times on the drive, finishing it with a five-yard run knotting the game at 21-21. Elon would score 14-straight points, taking advantage of a Dykes fumble on a kickoff return to extend the lead to 35-21 with 6:05 remaining in the third quarter.

-- UR --