University of Richmond Athletics
CAA CHAMPS: No. 7 Richmond Takes Title With Win Over William & Mary
Nov. 17, 2007
RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond Spiders are the CAA Football Champions. The seventh-ranked Spiders forced four turnovers, blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown and Josh Vaughan posted career rushing numbers as Richmond held off William & Mary, 31-20, at UR Stadium Saturday. With the win, the Spiders clinched a share of the first-ever CAA Football title -- their second conference crown since 2005 and fourth since 1998.
With senior running back Tim Hightower less than 100 percent, Vaughan carried the ball a career-high 28 times for a career-best 132 yards and two TDs as the homestanding Spiders (9-2, 7-1) outgained the Tribe 232-87 on the ground. The junior from nearby Hermitage High School put Richmond on the board first and his second TD with 7:47 left in the half gave the Spiders a 21-6 advantage.
Richmond claimed the I-64 Trophy in the 117th playing of the "The Oldest Rivalry in the South." Although the Spiders have won three straight in the series and four of the last six, William & Mary still leads the overall series 59-53-5.
Winners of six-straight games, the Spiders finished the day with seven sacks and 12 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, totaling 65 lost yards. Andrew Harris and Stephen Howell each led Richmond with 10 stops, while Martin Parker made three tackles for loss and Collin McConaghy and Tyler Sullivan each collected 1.5 sacks.
Vaughan scored on a 16-yard run to draw first-blood for Richmond, which improved to 19-4 under fourth-year head coach Dave Clawson when scoring first, 24-2 when leading at the half and 19-0 when scoring more than 30 points.
But it was defense and special teams that kept Richmond's title hopes afloat. Justin Forte busted around the left side to block a David Miller punt deep in the William & Mary end of the field and Patrick Weldon scooped it up at the five and scored the Spiders' second TD by way of a blocked punt this season. That score put Richmond up 14-0 early in the second quarter.
The Spiders forced a first-half turnover (a fumble recovery by Harris) and sacked WM quarterback Jake Phillips five times in the first 30 minutes.
Richmond kept its pressure on defensively in the second half and forced another fumble on the Tribe's first play from scrimmage. Parker busted into the backfield, forcing the ball loose from running back Courtland Marriner and Pierre Turner pounced on it at the 20.
Another Hermitage grad, Andrew Howard, booted a 28-yard field goal on the ensuing drive, giving Richmond its largest lead at 24-6. Eric Ward ran the ball in from five yards out, answering a Phillips' TD run, to put Richmond back up 18 with 3:47 left in the third.
Ward was 11-of-21 passing for 153 yards, hitting nine different receivers. Kevin Grayson hauled in three catches for 65 yards. Ward's first seven completions were to just as many targets.
Phillips threw for 342 yards on 23-of-43 passing and a TD to lead the Tribe (4-7, 2-6). Elliott Mack caught 10 for 201 yards. Marriners' 78 yards led the Tribe on the ground.
Although Richmond was outgained 429-385 and William & Mary collected four more first downs (25-21), the Spiders dominated the time of possession by 15 minutes and the ground game by nearly 140 yards.
Nursing an injury suffered in the Delaware game, Hightower saw limited action and had his streak of 11-consecutive games with a touchdown come to an end. His season-low of 60 yards came on 15 carriers.
Richmond, which lost the CAA Football automatic bid to Massachusetts in a coin-flip conducted by the conference office following victories Saturday by both teams, will await Sunday's NCAA Selection Show for its first-round opponent and location.