Virginia Offense Too Much For #12/13 Spiders Saturday Night

Saturday, August 31

Charlottesville, Va.

6:00 p.m.

University of Richmond

0-1 , 0-0

Virginia

1-0 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Richmond

Virginia

Photo by: Keith Lucas/Sideline Media

Virginia Offense Too Much For #12/13 Spiders Saturday Night

09/01/2024 | Football

Box Score

Charlottesville, Va. – The University of Richmond football team fell in its season opener at Virginia Saturday, 34-13. Virginia jumped to an early lead and nearly doubled Richmond's offensive output, picking up 497 yards to the Spiders 257.

Virginia got out to an early 17-0 lead in the first quarter backed by explosive plays by its offense. The Cavaliers put together three plays for 77 yards and a touchdown in its first possession and picked up two more scores on the ensuing drives including a 21-yard field goal and a 57-yard touchdown pass.

"It was hard," said head coach Russ Huesman. "Lot of team speed on that other sideline and I think they outran us quite a bit. When they got in space it was tough sailing for us."

Virginia connected on a 21-yard field goal to end its second drive that was set up by a Richmond fumble on the Cavaliers' 46-yard line. Richmond punted the ball away on its next possession, then Virginia capped its next drive with a 57-yard touchdown pass.

Richmond was then forced to punt again – its third of the opening quarter – giving the ball back to Virginia at the Richmond 16-yard line to set up for a nine-play 59-yard drive and pull within range to connect on a 33-yard field goal to extend its lead to 20-0.

Richmond found the end zone for the first time of the season on its next possession after a 13-play, 75-yard march down the field chipped 6:56 off the game clock and ended in a Kyle Wickersham five-yard touchdown run completed by a successful point-after attempt by transfer Brandon Peskin in his first action as a Spider.

Immediately following the Spiders touchdown, the game was suspended with 4:48 left to go in the opening half due to inclement weather in the Charlottesville area.

As rain fell and lighting touched down in the area, officials moved teams to the locker rooms at approximately 6:59 p.m. With Richmond showing momentum prior to the delay, the game would not resume until over two hours later at 9:17 p.m.

UVA came out of the delay and put together a quick four-play drive that included a 43-yard rush and ended in another Cavalier score to take a 27-7 lead.

Virginia missed a field goal at the end of the second quarter, resulting in their first drive of the opening half to not end in a score.

The Cavaliers' following attempt would end in another score though, this time a seven-yard touchdown run by Virginia quarterback Anthony Colandrea after a 12-play drive that took 6:39 off the clock. Colandrea ended the night going 17-of-23 for 297 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Wickersham was 13-of-22 for 110 yards.

Richmond made a fourth and one stop and took over on downs at the Virginia 28-yard line at 2:33 in the third. Playing in his first collegiate game, redshirt freshman Aziz Foster-Powell ran the ball on three consecutive plays to set up for a Peskin 35-yard field goal to make it 34-10 at the end of the third.

Redshirt freshman Matthew Traynor recorded his first career interception with just over 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter to set up another field goal from Peskin, this one from 33 yards out.

"We saw some young guys," said Huesman. "We played a lot of guys in there, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Some of the guys we brought in did a really nice job for us."

Carter Glassmyer led the defense in his Spider debut, registering seven tackles while five Spiders each added five apiece including Matei Fitz who also came up with a sack for a loss of 20 Cavalier yards.

Richmond returns home to Robins Stadium next Saturday, Sept. 7 to take on Wofford at 3:30 p.m. in the home opener. Tickets to all six home contests at Robins Stadium can be purchased over the phone by calling 1-877-SPIDER-1, visiting the Robins Center Ticket Office or via online orders by clicking here.