LEXINGTON, Va. – VMI Football hosts its home opener on Saturday, welcoming the Bucknell Bison to Foster Stadium for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.
WHITE OUT – Saturday's game is also a "white out" so be sure to wear white to support the team and the Corps!
Attending the Game
Tickets
Broadcasts
ESPN+
Live Radio Broadcast on 96.7 3WZ
Live Stats
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VMI (0-1, 0-0 SoCon)
Roster
Coaching Staff
Schedule/Results
Statistics
Game Notes
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Bucknell (0-1, 0-0 Patriot)
Roster
Schedule/Results
Coaching Staff
Statistics
Game Notes
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KEYDETS DROP OPENER AT NO. 22 WAKE FOREST – VMI had a tall task for its season opener, falling to the 22nd-ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem last Thursday night on the ACC Network. Although VMI moved the ball on a couple of drives and the defense held a powerful Wake Forest to field goals on three drives, the Keydets would ultimately fall 44-10. The Keydets totaled 222 yards of offense including a 34-yard touchdown from Collin Ironside to Grant Swinehart. The touchdown was the fourth touchdown of Swinehart's career, and his first receiving touchdown.
SCOUTING THE BISON – Bucknell had a tough opening-season loss, falling To Towson 14-13 in overtime when an extra point sailed wide. The Bison scored a touchdown to open the fourth quarter and tie the game at 7-7 as the teams needed more than 60 minutes to decide the game. Towson would score on their first overtime possession, holding on for the victory when Bucknell could not convert an extra point following its overtime touchdown. Preseason, Bucknell was slated to finish 7th in the Patriot League after a 1-10 finish in the 2021 campaign. Coached by Dave Cecchini (4th season), Bucknell's top returner is defensive back Gavin Pringle who was voted an All-Patriot League player in 2021.
A VMI win over Bucknell would…
---Be VMI's fourth straight win in a home opener
--Be a second straight win over the Bison as the Keydets took the last matchup on Sept. 24, 2016 by a 23-17 score in 3OT
--Even the all-time series at 3-3
TV/STREAMING: Saturday's game can be seen on ESPN+ with a paid subscription. Wade Branner will be on the play-by-play and Chip Tarkenton will serve as analyst.
VMI RADIO NETWORK: WWZW – A free audio broadcast of the game is available at 3wzfm.com. Richard Lewis will call the play-by-play and Rick Cruze will be the analyst.
THE SERIES – VMI and Bucknell have met three times historically, with the Bison having the edge 3-2 all-time. The teams first met in Pennsylvania in 1978 with the Keydets claiming a 25-14 victory. The two sides wouldn't meet again until 2013, but would play four times in a three-year span, with VMI's 23-17 triple-overtime victory in Lewisburg snapping a three-game skid in the series.
WHO STOOD OUT – Seth Morgan would total 101 yards on the ground and in the air, while Chance Knox (4 catches, 33 yards) and Leroy Thomas (5 catches, 29 yards) led the receiving efforts. Defensively, 28 players recorded at least one tackle, led by Alex Oliver's 11.
BALL-CARRIER BALANCE – While Korey Bridy will presumably pick up where he left off last season, Rashad Raymond, Hunter Rice and Grant Swinehart provide VMI a ton of depth at the running back position. The trio combined for 62 yards on 12 carries rushing against Wake Forest.
VETERAN PRESENCE – VMI is fortunate to return 17 total starters from the 2021 squad, including preseason All-Americans Stone Snyder (LB), Robert Soderholm (LS) and Jerry Rice (K). Snyder, who has played in just 29 games, now has 238 tackles for his career.
NEWCOMER NOTES – Rookie Jahleel Porter had a strong debut, with seven tackles and two passes broken up at Wake Forest.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS – Jerry Rice connected on a 42-yarder at Wake Forest, giving him 29 career field goals at VMI, tying him for third all-time. Rice is just two made field goals away from tying Wade Hawkins with 31.
