1 and Done
After our Game of the Week was delayed for an hour and a half, JMU and Norfolk State finally kicked off. Yet, storms continued to rumble through Norfolk and the game was called after just one quarter of play. JMU only needed one quarter though to rack up 100 yards rushing, a Jimmy Moreland interception and a 17-0 lead over the Spartans. Because the Dukes held a commanding lead when both sides agreed to cease play, the game will count as a win. Despite the victory, QB Ben Dinucci really struggled, completing just one pass for 12 yards.
The Dukes will come home for the first time this season and play host to Robert Morris next. For Norfolk State, QB Juwan Carter will return after serving his suspension but they now head to Lynchburg, VA to play Liberty.
Hoosiered
UVA faced their first real test of the year as they traveled west to play Indiana. After the defense showed their dominance last weekend against Richmond, they stumbled out the gate and let Indiana score 20 points in the first half. Although they shut out the Hoosiers in the second half, Indiana RB Stevie Scott ran for over 200 yards. His consistency kept the ball away from Bryce Perkins and the UVA offense for a good portion of the third quarter. Speaking of the offense, this new style of play has yielded one of the strongest run games in the country. However, Perkins only completed 12 of his 24 attempts and couldn't deliver in the 4th quarter. While the Hoos' had their moments, there are still a lot of questions and losing this early in the season makes returning to a bowl game difficult.
Wilder Things Have Happened
For the second week in a row ODU faced a delay, this one pushing kickoff back two hours. Unlike last week though, ODU got off to a quick start, taking a 17-0 early in the second quarter. Keep in mind that across town and at around the same time, JMU was just gifted a win while up 17-0 after the first quarter. Despite both games dealing with the same storm system, the game at Foreman field continued.
While the game continued, the Monarch's lead did not. FIU closed the game before half and only trailed by six points at the break. Then for the opening drive of the third quarter, the Golden Panthers marched down the field on a 19 play drive, scored a touchdown and took a 21-20 lead. Bobby Wilder's squad never bounced back and suffered their second defeat in as many games. Additionally, Wilder gave both quarterbacks (Steven Williams and Blake Larussa) equal playing time, meaning the Monarchs now have now leader behind center. After the game Bobby Wilder stated, "We’ll move forward with both quarterbacks helping this team win games in the future,” so this position battle is expected to continue.
Player of the Week
Kevin Johnson - QB
Richmond Spiders
After getting shellacked week ago, head coach Russ Huesman was looking for any sign of life from his offense. To put it simply, he found one. Kevin Johnson threw for 273 yards, and 2 touchdowns on 21 attempts and ran for 2 more touchdowns. Even though the Spiders held a 17 point lead at the half, Johnson helped them explode in the 3rd quarter for 35 more points. Is he good enough to make up for the loss of Lauletta? It's obviously too early to tell just two games into the year but if he delivers like this on a consistent basis, the Richmond won't miss a beat.
Other Games:
Liberty 14 @ Army 38
William & Mary 17 @ Virginia Tech 62
Hampton 28 @ Monmouth 56
VMI 14 @ Wofford 59
