University of Richmond Athletics
Postgame Notes -- Richmond 31, William & Mary 20
Nov. 17, 2007
• The win allowed Richmond to clinch a share of the first-ever CAA Football title. It marks the Spiders second conference crown in three years and fourth since 1998 and ninth all-time conference championship (one CAA, three A-10, one Yankee, four Southern).
• Under head coach Dave Clawson, Richmond improved to 19-0 when scoring over 30 points...19-4 when scoring first...16-7 as a ranked team...10-4 at home as a ranked team.
• Saturday marked the 117th meeting between rivals Richmond and William & Mary. It stands as the oldest rivalry in the south and fourth oldest in all of college football. The Spiders have won three straight in the series for the first time since 1973.
• The Spiders have now won six-consecutive games, its longest winning streak since taking eighth-straight wins into the second round of the 2005 NCAA Playoffs.
• Richmond reached the nine-win mark (9-2) for just the fourth time in the 125 years of football at the school, but the second time under Clawson.
• The Spiders went undefeated at home during the regular season (5-0) for the first time since the 1995 season (5-0). Richmond averaged 38.2 points in its five home games this season.
• Walter Payton Award candidate Tim Hightower will enter the playoffs needing 172 yards for the Spiders' career rushing record, 69 yards for the single-season rushing record and 141 yards for the single-season all-purpose yards records.
• With Richmond's first TD of the day, Josh Vaughan has now scored touchdowns in four of the past five games.
• Vaughan finished the day with career highs in both carries (28) and yards (132) and tied his career high with two TDs.
• Eric Ward turned a busted play into a first-down on fourth-and-three deep in Tribe territory. After his pass was batted in the air by a W&M defensive lineman, Ward caught the tipped pass and scrambled for a gain of five to move the chains. The Ward to Ward pass was the first reception of his career.
• Ward completed his first seven passes to seven different receivers.
• Richmond's blocked punt for TD was the Spiders' fifth blocked kick of the season and the second time a blocked punt has been returned for a touchdown.
• William & Mary kicker Brian Pate had been perfect on his 38 previous PAT attempts this season before his extra-point attempt bounced away off the left upright in the second quarter.