Defense, DeGennaro Help Spiders Upset No. 22 Rhode Island

Saturday, October 14

Kingston, R.I.

1 p.m.

University of Richmond

4-3 , 3-1

Rhode Island

4-3 , 2-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Richmond

Rhode Island

Nick DeGennaro looks over his shoulder as he runs into the end zone.

Defense, DeGennaro Help Spiders Upset No. 22 Rhode Island

10/14/2023 | Football

Box Score

Kingston, R.I. – Playing its first game against Rhode Island since 2015, the University of Richmond football team went on the road and took down the No. 22 Rams Saturday, 24-17.

The game marked Richmond's first road win over a ranked opponent while unranked itself since Oct. 26, 2019 when the Spiders defeated No. 19 Delaware, 35-25.

Richmond's defense carried the momentum throughout, recording six sacks for a total loss of 31 yards including three by Jeremiah Grant. Six sacks are the most in a game by the Spiders since the Nov. 6, 2021 game against Towson, and Grant's three sacks are the most by a single player since Darius Reynolds' 4.5 from that game. Donovan Hoilette, Camden Byrd and Matei Fitz added the other three.

Richmond (4-3, 3-1 CAA) scored 14 points as the result of turnovers including its first score of the game at 12:12 in the first quarter. Camden Coleman hit Nick DeGennaro on a 12-yard strike in the back of the end zone to put the Spiders on the board. DeGennaro ended the game with six receptions for a career-high 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns and has now scored five times while recording career-highs in total yardage in the last two contests (113 against Maine).

Richmond's first scoring drive was set up by an Aaron Banks interception on Rhode Island's (4-3, 2-2 CAA) very first play from the line of scrimmage to hand the ball over to the Spiders at the Richmond 40.

From there, Rhode Island responded with a 32-yard touchdown reception at the 3:19 mark of the first and added a field goal at 13:11 in the second to make the score 10-7 and take its only lead of the game.

DeGennaro's second touchdown came on a career-long 69-yard pass from Coleman to give the Spiders the go-ahead. Coleman, a true freshman who made his first career start in last week's 42-31 win over Maine, finished the day 13-of-25 for 194 yards.

Andrew Lopez (3-of-3 on PATs) kicked a 36-yard field goal at the beginning of the fourth quarter before Aaron Trusler came up big with a career-long 64-yard punt to flip the field and put the Rams back at their own 26-yard line midway through the final frame. Rhode Island was forced to punt on it's next drive, then quarterback Kyle Wickersham, who has not played since the Delaware State game nearly a month ago on Sept. 16, used his size and running ability to punch in a seven-yard touchdown run with 4:47 left in the game and cap the scoring for the Spiders.

The Rams scored their last touchdown of the day with just under two minutes left, then the Spiders punted on the ensuing drive, giving Rhode Island one last shot to tie the game.

Rams quarterback Kasim Hill (29-of-50, 367 yards) threw a Hail Mary from the Richmond 35, but it was batted down ahead of the goal line by the Spiders defense.

Richmond controlled Rhode Island's run game, giving up just 62 yards on the ground while out-gaining the Rams with 133 rushing yards of its own. The Spiders red zone offense was 3-of-3 from inside the 20 and the defense forced a pair of fumbles that were recovered in Richmond's favor.

Tristan Wheeler led the Spiders with nine tackles while Wayne Galloway added seven.

Up next, the Spiders continue its road swing with a trip south to play North Carolina A&T at 1:00 on Saturday, Oct. 21.