Spiders Defense Holds Off Furman in 13-9 Win

Saturday, September 26

Richmond, Va.

2:00 PM

University of Richmond

4-1 , 2-0

Furman

2-3 , 1-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Furman	3	6	0	0	9
Richmond	3	7	3	0	13

Game Notes

Daniel Sellers celebrates a sack against Furman on Sept. 26, 2026

09/26/2026 | Football

Box Score

Richmond, Va. — Richmond's defense kept Furman out of the end zone and stopped the Paladins twice in Richmond territory in the final four minutes as the Spiders held on for a 13-9 victory Saturday at Robins Stadium.

The win moved Richmond to 4-1 overall and 3-0 at home. Furman fell to 2-3. The Spiders limited the Paladins to 215 yards of offense, including 78 rushing yards, and all nine Furman points came on field goals. Richmond finished with 355 yards, including 188 on the ground.

Richmond's pass rush set the tone early, recording all five of its sacks in the first half. Daniel Sellers led the effort with a career-high three sacks and career-high nine tackles, while Braxton Lassiter and Camden Byrd added one apiece. Sellers entered the game with 2.5 sacks through Richmond's first four contests, while Byrd's sack moved his career total to 23, 1.5 shy of tying Tom Coles for fourth all-time at Richmond.

The Spiders opened the scoring with a 26-yard Kyle Bitsko field goal with 5:44 left in the first quarter. Furman answered with Nathan Chapman's 33-yard field goal on the final play of the period to make it 3-3.

Richmond produced the game's only touchdown midway through the second quarter. Ashten Snelsire capped an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Carson Derey, giving the Spiders a 10-3 lead with 9:22 remaining before halftime.

Furman closed the half with field goals of 42 and 49 yards from Chapman, trimming Richmond's lead to 10-9 at the break. The Spiders' defense also generated its first takeaway in the second quarter when Tramayne Bullock forced a Paladins fumble that Jeremiah Washington recovered.

Bitsko extended the lead to 13-9 with a 30-yard field goal with 5:34 remaining in the third quarter for the final points of the afternoon.

Bullock forced his second fumble of the game later in the third quarter, knocking the ball loose before Tayshaun Burney recovered. Richmond forced two Furman turnovers, both on Bullock forced fumbles. The two forced fumbles were a career high for Bullock, who entered the game without one in his collegiate career.

The Spiders, however, committed four turnovers of their own with three interceptions and a fumble.

Richmond had an opportunity to extend its lead in the fourth quarter, driving 70 yards and reaching the Furman 1. Aziz Foster-Powell was stopped at the goal line and fumbled, with Furman returning the fumble to their own 16.

The Spiders' defense forced a three-and-out, but Furman received another opportunity when Snelsire was intercepted at the Richmond 27 with 4:07 remaining. The Paladins moved to the Richmond 19 before the defense stopped C.J. Stokes for no gain on third-and-2 and a one-yard loss on fourth down, turning the ball back to the Spiders with 2:29 left.

Furman got one final possession with 55 seconds remaining and drove from its own 15 to the Richmond 29. After a Richmond timeout with nine seconds left, Byrd hurried Connor Ackerley into an incompletion before Blake Houser broke up Ackerley's final pass in the end zone to end the game.

Foster-Powell led the Richmond offense with career highs of 25 carries and 125 rushing yards while adding a 30-yard reception, also a career long. Snelsire completed 19 of 40 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown, while Derey caught four passes for 22 yards and the Spiders' lone touchdown. Justin Rice also established career highs with four receptions and 27 receiving yards.

Caleb Geronomi totaled a career-high seven tackles, while Lassiter matched his career high with five. Sellers' nine tackles led Richmond. The Spiders held Furman to just 3.5 yards per play.

Richmond hits the road next week when it visits Lafayette in Easton, Pa. on Saturday, Oct. 3. Game time is set for 12:30.