Football Falls On Family Weekend To Elon

Saturday, October 2

Richmond, Va.

2 PM

University of Richmond

2-3 , 0-2

Elon (Family Weekend)

2-3 , 1-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Elon

Richmond

Photo by: Keith Lucas

10/02/2021 | Football

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RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond football team suffered its third-straight loss Saturday as the 21^st-ranked Spiders dropped a 20-7 contest to Colonial Athletic Association foe Elon on Family Weekend at Robins Stadium.

Richmond out-gained the Phoenix 338-304 in the game and had nine more first downs in the loss. The Spiders were hampered by three trips into the red zone in the second half that resulted in zero points and a pair of turnovers. Graduate quarterback Beau English (Stevenson, Md.) finished the game 21-of-42 for 193 yards and a score in his first start of the year, subbing in for injured Joe Mancuso (Blairsville, Ga.).

Redshirt junior running back Aaron Dykes (Knoxville, Tenn.) caught a career-high five passes for 73 yards, including the Spiders' lone score in the first half. Redshirt sophomore running back Savon Smith (Winchester, Va.) rushed for 65 yards on nine carries as the Spiders went for 119 as a team.

Defensively, sophomore linebacker Tristan Wheeler (Bethlehem, Pa.) led the way with 12 tackles, including a pair for loss. The Spiders had pressure on Elon quarterback Davis Cheek all game long but managed just one sack as Cheek was able to scramble out of danger. Cheek finished with 33 yards rushing on nine carries to go with 197 yards through the air on 18-of-30 passing.

The game started off well for Richmond (2-3, 0-2 CAA) as it took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Punter Aaron Trusler (Melbourne, Australia) pinned Elon inside the five-yard line with a career-best 55-yard punt. The Spider defense forced a 3-and-out and Richmond had good field position. English connected with Dykes on a 33-yard scoring play for the 7-0 lead.

After Elon connected on a 36-yard field goal, the Spider offense committed a turnover midway through the second quarter in their own end of the field. English threw a quick pass at the line of scrimmage that was batted down and ruled a lateral, making it a live ball. Elon pounced on the loose ball for the turnover and two plays later, Cheek hit Bryson Daughtry on a 14-yard play giving the Phoenix a 10-7 lead.

Elon (2-3, 1-1 CAA) scored 10 unanswered in the third quarter, taking a 20-7 lead. The Spiders drove down the field late in the third quarter and had a first and goal from the 1-yard line after wide receiver Isaac Brown (Winchester, Va.) connected with English on a 26-yard pass. The Spiders had four plays from inside the five yard line and were unable to score.

Richmond had two more drives inside the Elon 10-yard line in the fourth quarter, both times being stopped on downs sealing the Elon victory. The Spiders head into a bye week before returning home to Robins Stadium Oct. 16 when they host No. 2 James Madison.

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