No. 1 Richmond Thumps No. 14 UMass: Postgame Notes

Oct. 24, 2009

Team Notes

· Richmond improved to 7-0 overall and matched the 1985 team for the best start in school history.

· At 5-0 in CAA Football, the Spiders are the lone remaining undefeated team in the league and continue to hold sole possession of first place.

· The victory extended Richmond's overall winning streak to 16 game (continuing a school record). It stands as the longest active streak in the FCS, and ties Florida for the longest in Division-I football. The Gators are playing tonight at Mississippi State.

· Richmond has also won six-straight home games.

· The Spiders have won 10-consecutive games over teams from the CAA North Division. Since 2007, Richmond is a spotless 9-0 in its interdivision games and out-scoring the North 494-254 in those games.

· The Minutemen still lead the all-time series against Richmond, 13-11, but the Spiders have won two-straight in the series. UMass had not lost at UR Stadium since 2000 - winning its last two visits in 2002 and 2005.

· The announced attendance of 8,214 was Richmond's largest crowd of the season.

· Richmond improved to 33-39 all-time when facing a ranked team, but is 16-3 since 2007.

· When playing as the No. 1-ranked team, Richmond improved to 10-2 all-time.

· Richmond owned a four-minute advantage in time of possession and has won the time-of-possession battle in every game this season.

· UMass entered the game with CAA Football's fifth-best rushing game, but were limited to 62 yards on 30 carries. Since the start of last season, Richmond has limited 17 opponents to less than 100 yards rushing and is 16-1 in those games.

· After entering the game with just five interceptions on the season, Richmond's defense picked off six UMass passes Saturday. The Spiders have 10 interceptions in the last three games.

· The school record for interceptions in a game is eight, which was set in 1938 vs. Hampden-Sydney.

Individual Notes

· Senior TB Justin Forte - the leading rusher in CAA Football season - picked up his third career 100-yard game, thanks to his career-high 26 carries for 118 yards. He's averaging 113.8 yards over the Spiders' last four games.

· Senior K Andrew Howard converted both of his field goal attempts - 29 and 22 yards - and has now made 49 in his career, moving him into a tie for third on the CAA Football career list. With 10 points in the game, he now has scored 325 in his career and is the eighth-leading career scorer in CAA history. Both the 49 FGs and 325 points are school records.

· Senior Michael Ireland's 91-yard interception return stands as the second-longest in school history. Although he was stopped a yard short of the end zone on the game's final play, it stands as the longest return since a 64-yarder by Jeff Nixon in 1978 vs. Cincinnati. The school record is a 95-yarder by Tom Theodose vs. Davidson in 1955.

· For Ireland, it was his seventh career interception and second in as many games this season.

· The interception for senior NG Parker Miles was also his second is as many games and just the second in his career. He remains the only Richmond active defensive lineman with an interception in his career. Miles returned the interception 15 yards for a touchdown. Last Saturday at Maine, he was tackled just shy of the end zone after a five-yard return.

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