LEXINGTON, Va. – After bouncing back with a 24-14 win over Bucknell, VMI Football returns to Foster Stadium on Saturday, hosting Cornell in a rematch from 2021. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m.
Reunion Week – Saturday's game is the first reunion week of the season. VMI will welcome back and celebrate the classes of 2007, 2012 and 2017.
KEYDETS BOUNCE BACK FOR VICTORY OVER BUCKNELL – In rainy conditions, the Keydets blitzed Bucknell to the tune of 24-0, holding on with defense and special teams in the fourth quarter to grab their first win of the 2022 season.
Hunter Rice and
Rashad Raymond combined for 182 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, while
Seth Morgan hit
Max Brimigion for a 55-yard touchdown pass.
SCOUTING THE BIG RED – The Big Red have yet to play a game this season, as the Ivy League plays just a 10-game schedule. In 2021, Cornell was 2-8. The Big Red are a much younger squad than last season, with just 17 seniors on the roster. Offensively, fifth-year senior Thomas Glover is the biggest threat with 807 career yards to his name. Jake Stebbins powers the defense with 154 tackles in the last two seasons. The All-Ivy linebacker led the league in tackles last season (95), with 10 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.
A VMI win over Cornell would…
--Improve VMI to 9-2 at Foster Stadium over the last three seasons
--Give VMI a 4-2 record in non-conference contests dating back to last season
THE SERIES – Last September marked the first meeting between the two schools, as the Keydets traveled to Ithaca, taking down the Big Red 31-21.
Korey Bridy scampered for 92 yards and a touchdown, while
Collin Ironside – who came in for an injured
Seth Morgan – threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns. With Cornell mounting a comeback, VMI's defense held the Big Red scoreless in the 4
th and just 13 yards on the ground.
VMI vs. IVY LEAGUE – When Cornell and VMI met last season, it was the first time since 1939 that the Keydets had played an Ivy League School (Columbia).
WOAH NELLY - For the first time in program history, the Keydets will face consecutive opponents with school names ending in 'nell' after hosting Bucknell last week and facing Cornell this week.
KEYDET COVERAGE – Junior defensive back
Josh Knapp had a career day against Bucknell, recording two interceptions in the 10-point win. The Abingdon, Maryland, native secured the first interception of his career on Bucknell's first offensive drive, laying out for his second pick in the third quarter.
TAKE A CHANCE – While 10 receivers have caught at least two passes thus far, junior
Chance Knox paces the team with 12 receptions and 90 yards. Senior
Leroy Thomas checks in with seven receptions for 32 yards, while
Grant Swinehart and
Max Brimigion have taken long receptions to the house.
DEFENDING HOME FIELD –
Stone Snyder led VMI with 11 tackles against Bucknell, trailing only
Alex Oliver (19.0) and
Evan Eller (18.0) – who each recorded 1.5 tackles for loss in the win - for total tackles this season. In the victory, VMI held Bucknell to just 34 yards rushing. With the win, VMI improves to 8-2 in its last 10 games at Foster Stadium.
SPECIAL TEAMS SHINE – Despite the rainy conditions, the special teams unit for VMI was flawless in the victory. In addition to a
Jerry Rice field goal,
Jack Culbreath hit six punts for an average of 36.5 yards, including a 50-yarder. All-American long snapper
Robert Soderholm got every snap off clean, and there were no special teams penalties.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS –
Jerry Rice continued to move up the all-time rankings at VMI, as his 39-yard field against Bucknell gives him 30 for his career. Rice, who is in third place for made field goals, is just one made field goal away from second place (Wade Hawkins with 31).
