LEXINGTON, Va. – The VMI Football team played host to Southern Conference foe Wofford on Saturday, grinding out a 17-14 victory in rainy conditions at Foster Stadium.
"I think it's really big for this program, our team, this season," Head Coach Danny Rocco said of the win. "We needed to break through, we did…it's hard to win in this league, that's the one thing I'm most excited about, getting a conference win. Being at the FCS level the last 17 seasons, this is pretty cool."
Hunter Rice was the story of the game offensively, totaling 90 yards on the ground, rushing and passing for a touchdown along the way. As a team, VMI – who moves to an even 2-2 on the season (1-0 SoCon) – committed just one penalty all afternoon.
Key Stats
- Rice rushes, throws for touchdown to go with 90 total yards on the ground
- VMI defense forces and recovers two fumbles, totals 64 tackles
- Aidan Twombly hauls in second TD reception of the season
- Chance Knox has 5 catches, 42 yards
- Evan Eller leads defense with 11.0 tackles and a forced fumble
- Josh Knapp (5.0 tackles) and Jabari Haslem (4.0 tackles) each force a fumble
- Jack Culbreath punts nine times, pins the ball inside the 20 six times (47.9 average)
- Caden Beck goes 2-of-2 on PATs, hits a 25-yard field goal
- Wofford outgains VMI 343-216, Keydets rush the ball 51 times
- VMI commits just one penalty all game (5 yards)
Catching up with Coach (Rocco)
On the Special Teams
"Jack (Culbreath) was great punting the ball. We made a big field goal. We squibbed the ball when we had to. It was a very muddy, wet surface."
On the Weather
"As the game went on it got worse and worse. Traction was tough. We started missing tackles because we weren't coming to balance, weren't under control and they had that long run which is insane, but we just couldn't change direction and he outran us to the goalpost."
On the Turnovers
"We hadn't got the breaks you normally get so far in the season – the ball has been on the ground this year, we haven't gotten it, a ball gets tipped and the other team gets it – it was just kind of an odd start to the season…We hit the football out a couple of times (today). We were active to get to the football, and took the ball away a few times."
What's Next
The Keydets hit the road, traveling down to Macon, Georgia for a matchup with Mercer (2-2, 0-1 SoCon) on September 30.
A Closer look
A big kick return from Wofford set up a touchdown run from Ryan Ingram as the Terriers jumped in front 7-0 in the first. On the ensuing VMI possession, Ironside scrambled for a big gainer, Ironside hit Knox for a 24-yard reception and Rice punched in a seven-yard score.
The Keydets would get the ball on their own 47 with two minutes left in the half, marching down to the five before an interception was negated by a hands-to-the-face call, setting up a Rice jump-pass to Twombly to make the score 14-7 after 30 minutes.
Near the midway point of the third, Jabari Haslem forced another fumble, as Josh Knapp recovered on the Wofford nine, leading to a Caden Beck field goal (17-7). With just over seven to play, Ryan Ingram ripped off an 83-yard score to make the deficit just three. As Wofford threatened, the VMI defense forced a field goal attempt, leading to a bad snap in the wet conditions as the Terriers came up empty.
With 2:20 remaining, Wofford advanced the ball for the VMI 33 yard line, but the pressure from the Keydets forced an intentional grounding that resulted in a 10-second runoff and a VMI victory.
