LEXINGTON, Va. – The VMI Football Team hosted Norfolk State on Saturday afternoon, dropping its contest to the Spartans 32-10.
Key Stats
- Norfolk State outgains VMI 393-203; 9-for-17 on third downs
- Chandler Wilson (5-for-12, 33 yards, INT) gets the start at quarterback, Brady Hammonds comes on in relief (12-for-23, 85 yards, INT)
- Caden Beck hits career-best 54-yard field goal
- Jalen Daniels throws three touchdowns, 277 yards in win
- Cade Cox scrambles for first rushing touchdown of career
- Destin Moore leads VMI receivers with 4 receptions for 28 yards
- Rankin has a season-high 13.0 tackles, forces a fumble
- Kouri Crump has 9.0 tackles, 2.0 TFLs; Shamus Jones records 8.0
What's Next
VMI (0-4) will have the week off, returning to the field on October 5 when it visits Samford.
Rocco's Remarks
Assessing the Season
"We played 14 rookies last week, and we probably played about the same today. We're a little banged up, but we have the open date, the bye week. We've got to take a time out, take a step back and reassess before conference play."
On the Message to the Team
"I talked to the team after the game about the necessity of sticking together and staying united to fight our way through this. We're going to continue to work hard, it's all we can do."
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Half
Neither team could establish anything of significance in the first, but Norfolk State opened the second by converting a third and four into a 24-yard score. After a VMI three and out, Jalen Daniels found Tavian Morris for 80-yard score to make it 12-0. A couple possessions later, Daniels would find Jacquez Jones for his second receiving touchdown of the day and send the Spartans into the half leading 19-0.
Second Half
VMI would finally get on the board in the third quarter, as Hammonds led a seven play, 21-yard drive that was capped off by a 54-yard field goal from Beck to get VMI on the board.
Looking for momentum, the Keydets forced a three-and-out, but Hammonds would toss a pick-six to push Norfolk State's lead to 26-3. The Spartans continued to extend their lead to 29 at the start of the fourth. Cade Cox would close on a strong note for VMI, barreling in for a two-yard touchdown (32-10).
