University of Richmond Athletics
No. 13 Spiders Roll Through Rhode Island On The Road, 37-12
KINGSTON, R.I. – The No. 13-ranked University of Richmond Spiders (5-1, 3-0 CAA) jumped ahead of Rhode Island (1-6, 1-3 CAA) and rolled to their fifth-straight victory with a 37-12 result on the road.
The offensive duo of Kyle Lauletta and Reggie Diggs each collected career-highs in passing yards (312) and receiving yards (142), respectively, while LB Omar Howard had a career day of his own on the defensive side of the ball, wrapping up 18 tackles to match his career-best. Jacobi Green was the top rusher for UR, picking up 49 yards on 13 carries with a touchdown. Seth Fisher added 21 yards and his fifth TD of the season.
The Spiders will now turn their attention to No. 5 James Madison which will host Richmond next weekend in a battle for the top spot in the CAA.
The Spiders won the toss and elected to receive to start this one with the wind in Lauletta and company's face. Two short plays led to a 3rd and long that Lauletta erased with a seven-yard toss to TE Garrett Hudson. On the very next play the QB let loose a long pass down the left side that found WR Reggie Diggs wide open for a 35-yard gain. Diggs snagged a 17-yard catch two plays later and a Brian Brown 16-yard rush on a reverse put the Spiders on the Rhody six. Jacobi Green took care of the rest, breaking a couple tackles and powering into the end zone to give Richmond the early lead.
DB Trevor Jones intercepted his first pass of the season and his career on the first Rhode Island possession, giving the Spiders the ball back near midfield. Lauletta hit Brown on the right side for a 19-yard gain on 2nd down and again two plays later for 12 more before Seth Fisher found a huge hole and galloped home for a 13-yard touchdown, his fifth of the season. The extra point was no good to leave the game at 13-0.
Rhode Island would add a field goal before the end of the first quarter to salvage a 13-3 opening frame. The teams traded punts to begin the second quarter and Rhode Island added another field goal with 7:37 left in the half to make it 13-6.
Richmond struggled with penalties on offense following a Rhode Island punt late in the second quarter. The offense found itself in a 3rd and 25 situation near midfield when Lauletta hit Green on a screen for a 17-yard gain. Yoder came on to try a 50-yard field goal that fell well short of its mark but a running into the kicker call made it 4th and three and head coach Danny Rocco opted to go for it. Lauletta rolled right and hit Brown for the first and more putting the ball at the Rhody 14. Two plays later it was Lauletta rolling left and opting to run through wide-open spaces for a 14-yard touchdown, 20-6.
Lauletta was 13-19 in the first half for 199 yards and collected 14 yards on the ground with a rushing score. Diggs was the top target in the first half with five cataches for 80 yards while Brown snagged four balls for 55 yards. Fisher and Green combined for 43 yards on 12 total attempts with a pair of touchdowns split between them.
Rhode Island began the second half in possession of the football and the Richmond defense force a three-and-out giving the offense the ball on the 22-yard line after the punt. The Spiders would be forced to punt as well after just one first down but the ball would be muffed out of the air by the Rhody returner and Omar Howard was there to fall on the ball after making 12 tackles in the first half. Richmond brought the offense back on the field at the 22-yard line. The drive would stall again after penalties but Yoder drilled a 35-yard field goal to give Richmond a 23-6 advantage.
To begin the fourth quarter Lauletta hit Diggs on three-straight plays for 17, 23 and 16 yards, respectively, putting him over his career-high receiving yards mark of 140 set last season opposite Coastal Carolina. The QB finished off the drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass to TE Stephon Jacob, the first TD catch of his career, to put the Spiders ahead 30-6 and well on their way to a fifth-straight win. With the pass to Jacob, Lauletta moved ahead of his career-high passing yards mark with 312.
Richmond later added a touchdown with the second-team offense on the field. RB Gordon Collins scored his first rushing touchdown this season and Rhode Island scored its first touchdown opposite the Spiders since 2010 in the final two minutes. The Richmond defense held Rhody out of the end zone for 17-consecutive quarters prior to the score.
CAPITALCUP125.COM
We’re getting closer to the Nov. 21 Capital Cup – the 125th football meeting between Richmond and William & Mary. But there’s still time for fans to vote for their favorite game in the series by visiting capitalcup125.com. The contest selected as the most memorable will be featured at Robins Stadium during this year’s game.
Richmond Athletics is celebrating this historic milestone of the "Oldest Rivalry in the South" with special activities and a unique website devoted to the game. Fans are encouraged to visit capitalcup125.com to relive the rivalry through photos, recaps, record books, videos and audio.