University of Richmond Athletics
NEVER SAY DIE! Spiders Win Thriller Over #7 North Dakota, 27-24
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – You want a definition of resiliency? You want a definition of toughness? Look no further than the 2016 Richmond football team.
It was all about the late game magic on Saturday in North Dakota. Richmond overcame a 17-point deficit to defeat #7 North Dakota, 27-24, to a secure a spot in the FCS Quarterfinals for the second consecutive season.
“I can’t be more proud of this football team. The toughness they put on display tonight was phenomenal. I can’t say enough about them,” Head Coach Danny Rocco said.
In just his second start, sophomore Kevin Johnson tossed for 260 yards on 12-of-19 passing with two TDs, while senior Brian Brown finished with six catches for 171 yards and a TD.
Defensively, junior Brendan Coniker finished with a team-high 10 tackles, while the Spider defense was in the UND backfield all day long, finishing with six tackles for a loss.
Sophomore Griffin Trau added to his incredible season with the game-winning FG as time expired, while senior Will McCombs made perhaps the biggest play of the afternoon with a blocked punt in the fourth quarter.
An extended story will be available once the team arrives back from North Dakota.
For now, it’s on to second-seeded Eastern Washington next weekend.