LEXINGTON, Va. - VMI redshirt freshman quarterback Jonathan Wilson (Natural Bridge, Va.) completed 17 of 22 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns to lead VMI to a 42-14 non-conference win over Georgetown on homecoming weekend in Lexington.
VMI sophomore back Sean Mizzer produced his fourth straight 100-yard game when he rushed for 110 yards on 14 carries and one touchdown.
The Keydets moved to 3-2 for the first time since 1991. It was also VMI's first homecoming win since 1995.
Georgetown, which had dropped its first three games by a combined 11 points, fell to 0-4.
For the second straight week, VMI scored on three consecutive second half possessions to break the game open. Leading 21-7 at the half, the Keydets moved 72 yarsds in 12 plays on their second possession and extended the lead to 28-7 with 4:04 left in the third quarter when Wilson fired a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Donnie Johnston, successfully converting a third and 10 play call.
Georgetown answered when quarterback Andrew Crawford connected with wideout Walter Bowser on a fly pattern down the right sideline for a 46-yard score to half the deficit to 28-14 with :57 left in the third quarter.
But the Keydets responded quickly with a three-play, 65-yard drive that was capped by a Colby Hollinsworth three-yard run. Mizzer opened the possession with a 45-yard burst to equal his longest of the season and put him over the century mark in rushing for the fourth straight week.
The Keydets capped the scoring when Wilson connected with Mizzer on a screen pass for a 57-yard catch and run to the endzone with 9:45 remaining.
Mizzer finished with 204 all-purpose yards and sophomore slotback Gary Price, starting in place of senior T.J. Snelling who was attending the funeral of his grandfather, had 125 all-purpose yards including seven catches for 103 yards.
VMI rolled up 514 yards total offense including 321 yards passing, both figures the third-highest marks by a Cal McCombs coached VMI team. The 321 yards passing were also the most in a game since Samford in 2001.
Crawford completed 17 of 28 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown, but was picked off twice.
Hoya standout receiver Luke McArdle, who entered the game ranked third in I-AA in receiving yards (125.3) with six touchdowns, caught six passes for 108 yards but did not catch a scoring strike.
The Keydets jumped to a 7-0 lead on their first possession when slotback Kirk Monteleone, a converted quarterback, tossed a 42-yard touchdown pass to Greg Carlson with 10:14 remaining in the first. The lead increased to 14-0 later in the period when the Keydets recovered a fumbled caused by a jarring hit on Crawford by end Justin Huggard. The ball squirted back svearl yards before safety Maury Pauling picked up the ball before attempting an unsuccessful lateral that was recovered by the Keydets. Four plays later, Mizzer crashed into the endzone from 15 yards out.
Georgetown got on the board when backup quarterback Alondzo Turner capped a 16-play, 83-yard drive with a one-yard sneak with 9:17 left in the first half. Turnere rushed four times for 11 yards to close out the drive.
VMI pushed its lead to 21-7 with 5:28 left before halftime when slotback Titus Green scored on a 10-yard burst up the middle. Wilson keyed the possession with three rushed for 17 yards.
VMI will next face Liberty in its first ever Big South game next Saturday, at 7:00 p.m. Georgetown plays Lafayette next Saturday at 1:00 p.m.
POSTGAME QUOTES
VMI HEAD COACH CAL MCCOMBS
On why it took a while to get sophomore running back Sean Mizzer going: "He's had an (elbow) injury and he hasn't gotten the work that he normally gets. He's been on antibiotics all week. Colby Hollingsworth and Titus Green both got some good work."
On the double pass thrown from Kirk Monteleone to Greg Carlson for a first quarter touchdown: "Kirk was a quarterback when we started the season. He told me that he wanted to move to slotback. We put that play in and had it all season. They (Georgetown) sucked up on the play, Kirk put it right there for him and it was an easy touchdown."
On quarterback Jonathan Wilson: "He gets better every game. When you have a live arm, you have a tendancy not to take it off of some balls, but he's getting better and putting some air under the ball. He will get better every week because he's a very conscientious young man."
On the VMI team as a whole: Even though this is a young football team, they move through with a great deal of maturity. They knew what they had to do this week to prepare to win the football game today. I think that they will prepare well this week (for the game next Saturday against Liberty), knowing that will be on the road."
GEORGETOWN HEAD COACH BOB BENSON
- "The big play of the first half was the fumble by our quarterback."
- "VMI has a great offense, but I thought our offense moved the ball well too."
- "VMI's offense is very balanced. Mizzer keeps your defense on its toes. Their players are very talented and well coach. On the same note, we need to tackle well against them. We did not do that today."
POSTGAME NOTES
VMI
- Sophomore running back Sean Mizzer ran for over 100 yards (106) for the fourth straight game, a career-high. He turned the trick three straight times last season. Only Andre Gibson, Thomas Haskins, and Floyd Allen had produced four straight 100-yard rushing games in VMI history.
- Mizzer ran for two touchdowns for the third time in his career and second time this season.
- Sophomore slotback Gary Price caught seven passes for 103 yards, both career-highs.
- Freshman quarterback Jonathan Wilson thre for 250 yards, a career-high.
- The 42 points scored by the Keydets were the most scored by a VMI teams since Sept. 9, 1995 (50 vs. Liberty). It was the highest point total in the Cal McCombs era. The 28 first half points were the most since the Keydets scored the same amount on Oct. 26, 2002.
- Senior placekicker Matt Sharpe attempted his 77th career point after attempt (PAT). He is one behind Mike Harris (78). He is now tied with Harris for PAT's made (73).
- The 321 total net passing yards were the most since the Keydets played Samford on Nov. 17, 2001. It was the third-highest toal under Cal McCombs
- The 514 total yards accumulated by VMI were the third most under Cal McCombs.
- The touchdown pass by sophomore slotback Kirk Monteleone in the first quarter was the first pass of his career. He started this season listed as a quarterback.
- The win was the first on Homecoming Day since Sept. 15, 1995 over East Tennessee State (37-23).
GEORGETOWN
- Senior wide receiver Luke McArdle posted his third staight 100-yard receiving game (108). He did not score a toucdown for the first game this season.
