Box Score
LEXINGTON, Va. – The VMI Football team scored 20 unanswered points in the last six minutes of its game against Cornell on Saturday, but ran out of time and fell to the Big Red 28-22.
VMI (1-2) would cut the lead to six with five seconds to play, but Cornell (1-0) knocked the onsides attempt out of bounds and knelt the ball down for its season-opening win. The Keydets totaled 358 yards passing and collected 85 tackles on defense, led by an
Eric Weaver safety and 19 tackles from
Stone Snyder.
"The message to the team is we have to start faster, and that's on me," said head coach
Scott Wachenheim. "You have to give credit to Cornell, hats off to them for playing a really clean game. But I'm proud of our team's effort. Happy with the way they fought back."
Standout Stats
- Keydets total 358 yards in the air
- Eight players record at least one reception, Knox hauls in 6-for-69 and a touchdown
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Leroy Thomas tallies 7 catches for 77 yards;
Isaiah Lemmond totals 80 yards on 3 catches
- 19 Keydets register a tackle; Weaver records a safety, 5 tackles
- Snyder has 19 tackles, 8 solo & 2 tackles for loss
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Austin White grabs second interception of career, returns it for 40 yards
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Max Brimigion blocks punt, sparks rally
How it Happened
Cornell forced a three and out to open the game, going down the field to jump in front 7-0. VMI looked to equalize later that quarter, nearly getting a touchdown on a
Seth Morgan rush, but he was ruled down just shy of the goal line. On the ensuing possession,
Eric Weaver burst into the endzone and brought down the ball carrier for a safety. The Big Red scored a pair of touchdowns and would take a 21-2 lead into half.
Both teams played stout defense to open the third, before Cornell broke through to extend its lead to 26 as the game moved to the fourth. With 5:53 to play, Ironside found
Leroy Thomas for a 41-yard gainer setting up a
Hunter Rice touchdown. On the next VMI possession,
Isaiah Lemmond hauled in a 63-yard reception before
Chance Knox bullied his way into the endzone.
Ironside and the Keydets gave themselves a fighting chance as the sophomore from Knoxville, Tennessee, scrambled in to make it a one possession game, but Cornell recovered the onside kick to clinch the game.
Catching up with Coach
On the Comeback
"Momentum is an amazing thing. And when you get it on your side it's amazing how much better you play. We didn't get momentum until we blocked that punt (Brimigion) and then we all the sudden started to play like a team that knew how to play."
On Moving Forward
"We'll watch the game. Correct the errors and celebrate the positives, because we did have some positives. I thought Isaiah Lemmond played really well. We will build on those positives."
What's Next
VMI has an early bye, returning to the field on October 1 when they visit Western Carolina to open up SoCon play.
