RICHMOND, Va. – The VMI Football Team traveled to Richmond to take on the Spiders for the first time in a decade, trailing by just a touchdown before a nearly three-and-a-half-hour weather delay before ultimately falling 38-14.

VMI drops to 1-3 on the young season, while Richmond improves to 2-2. The Keydets have an early bye week, then return to the field on October 4 when they host Chattanooga.

"I think it's probably at the right time for us," said Head Coach Danny Rocco of the bye. "We'll take a step back and take a look at what we have to do moving forward. Reassess some things tomorrow, have a different week with no game and get ourselves ready for UT Chattanooga."

Key Stats
- Owen Sweeney records his second multi-touchdown game of the season, finds the end zone for the sixth time this season and fourth consecutive game (4 catches, 106 yards, 2 TDs)
- Collin Shannon goes 16-for-34, 198 yards, two touchdowns and an interception
- Malik McNeely has five catches for 44 yards
- EJ Wilborne collects career-high 13.0 tackles, Stephen Dean III has 8.0 tackles and a TFL
- Kouri Crump has 3.0 tackles and a forced fumble
- Ben Shrewsbury punts nine times for an average of 46.1 yards per kick, hitting four 50-plus yarders
- Richmond outgains VMI 541-229

Rocco's Remarks
On the Weather Delay
"This one was a little unpredictable, nobody saw it coming. In the pregame meeting it wasn't mentioned with the officials. The showers just wouldn't go away. We didn't maximize our energy, but I've been a part of these before and they are always difficult."

On when the Game Changed
"It flipped in the middle eight – last few minutes of the second quarter and the opening of the third quarter. We had the ball with an opportunity to score at the end of the second but they stopped us, got the ball and got the score."

How it Happened
First Half
- Richmond opened up with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive but VMI was quick to respond, as Shannon hit Sweeney on the first play from scrimmage to tie the contest at 7-7
- The Spiders responded quickly themselves, beating VMI coverage deep to jump in front 14-7
- After a three-plus hour delay, the Keydets struck first as big third-down conversions resulted in Sweeney's second score of the day
- The Spiders would jump in front 21-14 with 3:20 to play, adding three more as VMI held for a field goal attempt before the break (24-14, half)

Second Half
- Kouri Crump would force a fumble recovered by Isaiah Grevious but VMI couldn't convert as the Spiders took an 83-yard rush to the house (31-14, 6:17 in the 3^rd)
- Richmond took the lead into the 4^th, adding one more touchdown