University of Richmond Athletics
Spider Football Puts Out Liberty Flames In 2OT
LYNCHBURG, Va. -- The Richmond football team rallied for a double-overtime, 46-39 victory over the Liberty Flames in front of a record-breaking crowd of 20,838 at Williams Stadium Saturday night.
With the win, Richmond improves to 3-2 on the season, while Liberty drops to 3-3 overall. This also marks the first time since 2005 the Spiders picked up a double-overtime win when Richmond upended Hofstra, 43-27. The Spiders are now 11-1 in overtime games.
The Spider victory spoiled the Flames' Homecoming, but gave Richmond head coach Danny Rocco an emotional and successful homecoming as he returned to Liberty for the first time, where he was head coach for six seasons.
Richmond kept the offensive threat going this season as it continued to impressively out gain its opponents. The Spiders topped Liberty 498-414 in total yards, while throwing for 325 yards and giving up no turnovers.
QB Michael Strauss led the Spiders with 323 yards off 34-of-47 passing and two touchdowns, while RB Seth Fisher rushed a career-high 132 yards for his second-career 100-yard game. WR Brian Brown also picked up 100 yards as collected 125 for his fourth-career 100 yard receiving day.
Defensively, LB Aaron Roane led the squad with eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss, while thee other Spiders picked up six tackles each, including LB Omar Howard who had the game-winning stop - a interception in the final overtime.
The Spiders got right to business as they drove the ball down field 75 yards on their first possession. Eight minutes into the contest, Richmond got on board with Fisher diving for a catch in the end zone from QB Michael Rocco, a two-yard TD pass. In addition, Strauss headed the offense as he went 6-of-7 passes to lead the Spiders down field.
The Richmond defense kept the momentum going for the Spiders, holding Liberty to just four plays on the next possession, which led to eight more points for the offense.
With 29 seconds left in the first, Richmond went up 15-0 when Fisher grabbed another receiving TD, this time for eight yards. The Spiders then went for two as WR Porter Abell found WR Brian Brown on a reverse.
After an early second quarter score, the Spiders responded with two minutes left in the half with seven points. Strauss recorded his first-career rushing touchdown, a one-yarder, that capped off a nine-play, 68-yard drive to go into halftime with the 22-7 lead.
Heading into the break, Richmond out gained Liberty in total yards 215-118 with the help of 125-53 passing. Strauss led the Spider offense with 123 yards off 16-of-20 passes and a touchdown, while Fisher collected 60 yards rushing on 12 attempts.
Liberty came out of the locker room and scored back-to-back touchdowns and a two-point conversion to even the score at 22 with five minutes left in the third quarter.
Again, the two teams traded touchdowns, which started with Richmond going ahead 29-22 with a three-yard catch to WR Stephen Barnette three minutes into the fourth quarter, but Liberty responded with 2:02 left to play.
K Peter Yoder looked like he sealed the deal with eight seconds left with a 21-yard field goal to give the Spiders the three point lead, but Flames' kick John Lunsford booted a 60-yarder as the clock hit zero to force overtime.
After the two teams traded touchdowns in the first OT, Richmond had the first possession and put seven points on the board as Fisher recorded his final touchdown of the day - a one-yard run.
It was up to the defense to force a stop and that's exactly what Howard did on a third-and-four. The Midlothian, Va., native came up with his first career-interception to give the Spiders the win.
Richmond will return to action Saturday, Oct. 11 when it travels to New York to take on CAA-foe Albany at 3:30 p.m.