Richmond Rallies Past Lafayette, 40-31

Saturday, October 3

Easton, Pa.

12:30 p.m.

University of Richmond

5-1 , 3-0

Lafayette

1-4 , 0-2

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Richmond	7	10	14	9	40
Lafayette	14	10	0	7	31

Game Notes

Aziz Foster-Powell reaches for a touchdown against Lafayette on Oct. 3, 2026

10/03/2026 | Football

Box Score

Easton, Pa. — Richmond erased a 17-point first-half deficit and scored touchdowns on each of its first three possessions after halftime to defeat Lafayette 40-31 Saturday at Fisher Stadium.

The Spiders (5-1, 3-0 Patriot League) trailed 24-10 with 33 seconds remaining in the first half before scoring 28 consecutive points around halftime. Richmond entered the game having led at halftime in each of its four games against FCS opponents this season, but went to the locker room trailing Lafayette 24-17.

Richmond scored 10 points in the final 33 seconds of the first half, beginning with Kyle Bitsko's 25-yard field goal. On Lafayette's next play from scrimmage, Daniel Sellers sacked Lafayette quarterback Daniel Lipovski for a 15-yard loss and forced a fumble that TJ Baldwin recovered at the Lafayette 16. Three plays later, Ashten Snelsire scored on a three-yard run with four seconds remaining to cut the deficit to seven.

The Spiders carried that stretch into the second half. Richmond opened the third quarter with a seven-play, 75-yard drive, tying the game at 24 on Aziz Foster-Powell's four-yard touchdown run. After Lafayette turned the ball over on downs, Richmond went 56 yards in 12 plays and took its first lead on Snelsire's nine-yard touchdown pass to Quanye Veney with 2:42 left in the third quarter.

Richmond held the ball for 12:18 of the third quarter and outgained Lafayette 148-38 during the period. The Spiders rushed for 95 yards in the quarter, including 57 yards and a touchdown on six carries from Foster-Powell.

Foster-Powell finished with 113 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, his third 100-yard rushing performance of the season. After rushing eight times for 31 yards before halftime, he carried 14 times for 82 yards in the second half. Richmond finished with 250 rushing yards and 468 yards of total offense.

The Spiders' third consecutive touchdown drive of the second half carried into the fourth quarter. Snelsire found Sean Clarke for a three-yard touchdown with 11:23 remaining, extending Richmond's lead to 38-24 and completing a stretch in which the Spiders scored 31 unanswered points over 19:10 of game time.

Lafayette responded less than two minutes later. Eddie Jordan connected with Mason Kuehner for 43 yards on the first play of the drive before Malachi Gamble scored on a 10-yard run, cutting Richmond's lead to 38-31 with 9:35 remaining.

The Leopards regained possession with 7:52 left after intercepting Snelsire, but the Richmond defense stopped Lafayette on fourth down at the Spiders' 7-yard line. Richmond then moved the ball to its 33 before Ned Gray's career-long 64-yard punt pinned Lafayette at its 3 with 1:43 remaining. A false start moved the Leopards back to the 2, and two plays later Camden Byrd tackled Jordan in the end zone for a safety that set the final score at 40-31.

The first half featured turnovers, penalties, a partially blocked Richmond punt and several explosive plays. Snelsire was intercepted on Richmond's opening possession, but freshman Caleb Geronomi answered with an interception three plays later. The Spiders later lost a fumble at the Lafayette 8 after driving 70 yards.

Lafayette generated much of its first-half offense through Jakyre Henley, who broke touchdown runs of 72 and 74 yards. His first gave the Leopards a 14-7 lead just 45 seconds after Snelsire connected with Carson Derey for a 24-yard touchdown that had tied the game. Henley's 74-yard run with 1:45 left in the second quarter pushed Lafayette's lead to 24-7 before Richmond's two late scores narrowed the gap.

Henley finished with 152 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries, but had just three carries for seven yards after halftime.

Snelsire completed 24 of 38 passes for 218 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions and added 69 rushing yards and a touchdown on eight carries. Derey caught all five of his targets for 61 yards and a touchdown, while Veney had three receptions for 51 yards and a score.

Richmond recorded 30 first downs to Lafayette's 14 and held the ball for 41:41. Both teams were penalized seven times, with Richmond assessed 87 yards and Lafayette 66.

Jackson Thorne led Richmond with nine tackles. Sellers finished with four tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and the forced fumble that preceded Richmond's touchdown just before halftime. Braxton Lassiter added a sack, while Geronomi recorded six tackles, an interception and a pass breakup.

The victory was Richmond's first in five meetings with Lafayette and improved the team to 5-0 against FCS opponents this season whiile remaining unbeaten in Patriot League play.

Richmond returns to the road next Saturday, Oct. 10, when the Spiders travel to Fordham. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.