The Wofford College football team scored the final sixteen points on the way to a 31-15 win over VMI on Saturday afternoon at Gibbs Stadium. The teams had two turnovers each in the first quarter and Wofford had a 15-3 lead at the half. The Keydets scored the next 13 points to take a 16-15 lead early in the fourth quarter. Wofford answered with two touchdowns and a field goal to seal the victory. Wofford is now 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Southern Conference. VMI is 0-6 on the season and 0-3 in league play. The two teams combined for eight turnovers in the game and 21 total penalties. Terriers were led by Pauly Seeley V with 14-of-27 passing and two touchdowns, while J.T. Smith Jr. had 16 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown. Brady Hammonds was 12-of-21 passing for the Keydets, who were held to just 180 total yards in the game. “I am really proud of the kids,” said head coach Shawn Watson. “They are a resilient bunch of guys. The defense played a great game today and got a number of turnovers to stymie their offense. They are just consistent for us. It was one of those games where you had to fight through whatever adversity hit you and whichever team fought through it would find the win.” The Keydets won the coin toss and received the opening kickoff. They went three-and-out and punted. On the first drive by the Terriers, they had two first downs before punting and VMI began the ensuing drive at the five-yard line. After two first downs, David Powers intercepted a pass and returned it 20 yards to the 15-yard line. Ryan Ingram had a first down run and capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Wofford ran a two-point conversion with Bryce Corriston finding Samuel Cornett to take an 8-0 lead with 5:20 left in the first quarter.The Keydets had a first down and then C.J. Coombes forced a fumble that was recovered by J’Vion Luster. On the first play by the Terriers, the Keydets came up with an interception. On the third play of VMI’s next drive, O’marion Smokes forced a fumble that was recovered by Maximus Pulley at the 22-yard line. After a first down run by J.T. Smith, Pauly Seeley found Jordan Davis for a three-yard touchdown catch. Wofford had a 15-0 lead with 1:48 on the clock in the first quarter. The Keydets had a first down and then converted a fourth-and-six on the first play of the second quarter. They got on the board with a 38-yard field goal at the 1:56 mark of the second quarter to make it a 15-3 game. Wofford had a 40-yard kick-off return by Kyle Parsons but went three-and-out on their next drive. After VMI had two first downs, they punted. The Terriers then had one first down and punted. Wofford’s defense forced a three-and-out and took over with 1:35 left in the half. After a first down reception by Kyle Watkins, Wofford had to punt. VMI had one first down before the first half came to an end. To begin the second half, the teams traded three-and-outs and punted. On the next drive by Wofford they gained two first downs before facing a fourth-and-two. A run up the middle was short by a yard and VMI took over on downs. The Wofford defense forced a three-and-out. With the ball back and facing third-and-long, VMI’s Shamus Jones intercepted a pass and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown. The point after was missed and the Wofford lead was 15-9 with 5:51 on the clock in the third quarter. Kyle Parsons returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown but the play was called back by a block in the back penalty. Wofford went three-and-out and punted. The Keydets took over at midfield and had one first down before punting. The Terriers began their next drive at the five-yard line. After going three-and-out and lining up to punt, the kick was blocked and recovered in the endzone by the Keydets for a touchdown. With the extra point, VMI had a 16-15 lead with 14:54 on the clock in the fourth quarter. Wofford had the ball back and had one first down before VMI came up with a third interception in the game and began their next drive at the 33-yard line. The Terrier defense forced a 45-yard field goal attempt that hit off the left upright and was no good. With the ball back, Wofford went three-and-out and punted. The Keydets had one first down and punted with the ball downed at the five-yard line. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Pauly Seeley found Rickie Shaw II open at midfield and he went the distance with a 95-yard touchdown reception. The two-point pass failed and Wofford had a 21-16 lead with 6:23 left in the game. On the next drive by the Keydets, Marion Smokes had a sack on first down and Javis Mynatt intercepted a third-down pass. Starting at the 34-yard line, Wofford converted a fourth-and-one on a rush by Pauly Seeley for a first down. J.T. Smith Jr. added a 20-yard run for a first down and he scored on a four-yard touchdown run. With the point after, Wofford had a 28-16 lead with 1:56 left in the game. On the first play from scrimmage on VMI’s next drive, Jalen Marshall had a sack and stripped the ball, which was recovered by O’marion Brown. The Terriers added a 23-yard field goal by Devery Cagle to make it a 31-16 game with ten seconds left on the clock. The Keydets ran one play before time expired in the game. Wofford had 349 total yards, with 188 receiving yards. VMI had 180 total yards, with 94 of those rushing yards. Wofford had 12 first downs to nine for the Keydets. Wofford was 5-of-17 on third down and 1-of-2 on fourth down. VMI was 3-of-14 on third down and 1-of-1 on fourth down. VMI was called for seven penalties, while Wofford was called for 14. Wofford had a 31:29 to 28:31 time of possession advantage. Wofford vs. VMI Post-Game NotesThis was the 28th meeting between the two teams, with Wofford holding a 15-13 lead in the series. The 95-yard touchdown reception by Rickie Shaw II from Pauly Seeley in the fourth quarter was the longest passing play in school history. Rickie Shaw II had two catches for 103 yards, giving him his first career 100+ receiving game. It was the fourth 100+ receiving game of the season for a Terrier. Jalen Marshall led the defense with eleven tackles, along with a sack and forced fumble. C.J. Coombes had eight tackles and a forced fumble. Marion Smokes had his first career sack in the fourth quarter and O’marion Brown had his first career fumble recovery in the fourth quarter. David Powers had an interception in the first quarter, giving him interceptions in back-to-back games this season. Javis Mynatt had his second career interception in the fourth quarter. The 14 penalties committed by the Terriers, the second-most in a game (16 in 1979 vs. Catawba). The Terriers will be at Chattanooga on Saturday, October 19 with a 1:30 p.m. kick-off. Game captains were Jordan Davis and David Powers. Attendance at Gibbs Stadium was 4,248.
The Wofford College football team scored the final sixteen points on the way to a 31-15 win over VMI on Saturday afternoon at Gibbs Stadium. The teams had two turnovers each in the first quarter and Wofford had a 15-3 lead at the half. The Keydets scored the next 13 points to take a 16-15 lead early in the fourth quarter. Wofford answered with two touchdowns and a field goal to seal the victory.
Wofford is now 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the Southern Conference. VMI is 0-6 on the season and 0-3 in league play. The two teams combined for eight turnovers in the game and 21 total penalties. Terriers were led by Pauly Seeley V with 14-of-27 passing and two touchdowns, while J.T. Smith Jr. had 16 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown. Brady Hammonds was 12-of-21 passing for the Keydets, who were held to just 180 total yards in the game.
“I am really proud of the kids,” said head coach Shawn Watson. “They are a resilient bunch of guys. The defense played a great game today and got a number of turnovers to stymie their offense. They are just consistent for us. It was one of those games where you had to fight through whatever adversity hit you and whichever team fought through it would find the win.”
The Keydets won the coin toss and received the opening kickoff. They went three-and-out and punted. On the first drive by the Terriers, they had two first downs before punting and VMI began the ensuing drive at the five-yard line. After two first downs, David Powers intercepted a pass and returned it 20 yards to the 15-yard line. Ryan Ingram had a first down run and capped the drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Wofford ran a two-point conversion with Bryce Corriston finding Samuel Cornett to take an 8-0 lead with 5:20 left in the first quarter.
The Keydets had a first down and then C.J. Coombes forced a fumble that was recovered by J’Vion Luster. On the first play by the Terriers, the Keydets came up with an interception. On the third play of VMI’s next drive, O’marion Smokes forced a fumble that was recovered by Maximus Pulley at the 22-yard line. After a first down run by J.T. Smith, Pauly Seeley found Jordan Davis for a three-yard touchdown catch. Wofford had a 15-0 lead with 1:48 on the clock in the first quarter. The Keydets had a first down and then converted a fourth-and-six on the first play of the second quarter. They got on the board with a 38-yard field goal at the 1:56 mark of the second quarter to make it a 15-3 game.
Wofford had a 40-yard kick-off return by Kyle Parsons but went three-and-out on their next drive. After VMI had two first downs, they punted. The Terriers then had one first down and punted. Wofford’s defense forced a three-and-out and took over with 1:35 left in the half. After a first down reception by Kyle Watkins, Wofford had to punt. VMI had one first down before the first half came to an end.
To begin the second half, the teams traded three-and-outs and punted. On the next drive by Wofford they gained two first downs before facing a fourth-and-two. A run up the middle was short by a yard and VMI took over on downs. The Wofford defense forced a three-and-out. With the ball back and facing third-and-long, VMI’s Shamus Jones intercepted a pass and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown. The point after was missed and the Wofford lead was 15-9 with 5:51 on the clock in the third quarter. Kyle Parsons returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown but the play was called back by a block in the back penalty. Wofford went three-and-out and punted. The Keydets took over at midfield and had one first down before punting. The Terriers began their next drive at the five-yard line. After going three-and-out and lining up to punt, the kick was blocked and recovered in the endzone by the Keydets for a touchdown. With the extra point, VMI had a 16-15 lead with 14:54 on the clock in the fourth quarter.
Wofford had the ball back and had one first down before VMI came up with a third interception in the game and began their next drive at the 33-yard line. The Terrier defense forced a 45-yard field goal attempt that hit off the left upright and was no good. With the ball back, Wofford went three-and-out and punted. The Keydets had one first down and punted with the ball downed at the five-yard line. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Pauly Seeley found Rickie Shaw II open at midfield and he went the distance with a 95-yard touchdown reception. The two-point pass failed and Wofford had a 21-16 lead with 6:23 left in the game.
On the next drive by the Keydets, Marion Smokes had a sack on first down and Javis Mynatt intercepted a third-down pass. Starting at the 34-yard line, Wofford converted a fourth-and-one on a rush by Pauly Seeley for a first down. J.T. Smith Jr. added a 20-yard run for a first down and he scored on a four-yard touchdown run. With the point after, Wofford had a 28-16 lead with 1:56 left in the game. On the first play from scrimmage on VMI’s next drive, Jalen Marshall had a sack and stripped the ball, which was recovered by O’marion Brown. The Terriers added a 23-yard field goal by Devery Cagle to make it a 31-16 game with ten seconds left on the clock. The Keydets ran one play before time expired in the game.
Wofford had 349 total yards, with 188 receiving yards. VMI had 180 total yards, with 94 of those rushing yards. Wofford had 12 first downs to nine for the Keydets. Wofford was 5-of-17 on third down and 1-of-2 on fourth down. VMI was 3-of-14 on third down and 1-of-1 on fourth down. VMI was called for seven penalties, while Wofford was called for 14. Wofford had a 31:29 to 28:31 time of possession advantage.
Wofford vs. VMI Post-Game Notes
This was the 28th meeting between the two teams, with Wofford holding a 15-13 lead in the series.
The 95-yard touchdown reception by Rickie Shaw II from Pauly Seeley in the fourth quarter was the longest passing play in school history.
Rickie Shaw II had two catches for 103 yards, giving him his first career 100+ receiving game. It was the fourth 100+ receiving game of the season for a Terrier.
Jalen Marshall led the defense with eleven tackles, along with a sack and forced fumble. C.J. Coombes had eight tackles and a forced fumble.
Marion Smokes had his first career sack in the fourth quarter and O’marion Brown had his first career fumble recovery in the fourth quarter.
David Powers had an interception in the first quarter, giving him interceptions in back-to-back games this season. Javis Mynatt had his second career interception in the fourth quarter.
The 14 penalties committed by the Terriers, the second-most in a game (16 in 1979 vs. Catawba).
The Terriers will be at Chattanooga on Saturday, October 19 with a 1:30 p.m. kick-off.
Game captains were Jordan Davis and David Powers.
Attendance at Gibbs Stadium was 4,248.
