LEXINGTON, Va. - The top two teams in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) will meet on Saturday afternoon as the Washington and Lee University football team and No. 24 Randolph-Macon will square off at 3 p.m. at Wilson Field.
Game Information:
When: Saturday, November 2nd, 2024
Where: Lexington, Va.
Stadium: Wilson Field
Kickoff: 3 p.m.
Gameday Forecast: 71°, Partly Sunny, Wind S 6 mph
Gameday Links: Watch | Live Stats | Flipcard
Series History:
This marks the 72nd meeting between the two institutions, with the Yellow Jackets holding a 35-33-3 lead in the all-time series. The Generals have gone 4-6 in the last ten meetings, though Randolph-Macon has won the last two. The last time W&L defeated RMC was in 2021, when they scored on the final play of the game—a one-yard rush by Stephen Murrin '24, followed by a successful two-point conversion by Josh Breece '23—to overcome the 16th-ranked Yellow Jackets, 25-24.
Last season, the Blue and White trailed 21-6 at halftime before No. 9 Randolph-Macon added two more scores in the second half, ultimately defeating the Generals 35-12. Despite the loss, the Generals rushed for 203 yards on 53 carries, totaling 353 yards of offense. W&L's two touchdowns came from a one-yard rushing score by Anthony Crawford and a 41-yard touchdown pass from Murrin to Burke Cigelske. RMC's Drew Campanale completed 15 of 23 passes (65%) for 215 yards and one touchdown, while Murrin went 14-of-22 for 150 yards and one touchdown. Jacob Romero rushed 26 times for a game-high 91 yards, while Nick Hale led the Yellow Jackets with 76 yards on 18 carries, scoring three touchdowns. JoJo Marinella led RMC's receiving corps with three catches for 88 yards, while David Wallis and Burke Cigelske each hauled in a touchdown pass. RMC's Cade Jones and Neftali Reyes recorded double-digit tackles in the win, while Hunter Hawk '24 led the Blue and White with eight solo stops and two tackles for loss.
Scouting the Yellow Jackets:
The Yellow Jackets enter Saturday's contest with a 6-1 record and a 4-0 mark in league play. Their only loss this season came in week three when they fell 28-24 to Berry College (Ga.) in the ODAC/SAA crossover series, with Berry scoring in the final minute to upset the ninth-ranked Yellow Jackets. RMC opened the season with victories over Dickinson College (47-21) and Hobart College (14-7 OT) and has been flawless in conference play. They narrowly avoided an upset at Shenandoah, edging the Hornets 22-21, before overpowering Guilford 63-0 and posting 49 points in back-to-back matchups against Averett (49-10) and Bridgewater (49-16). Last week, the Yellow Jackets recorded 375 total yards of offense and scored five touchdowns en route to a 33-point victory. Dante Casciola completed 10 of 16 passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 25 yards. Mitchell Johnson led the ground game with 57 yards on 12 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per rush. DJ James and Jason Moore each contributed over 60 receiving yards, combining for 123 yards on five catches and one touchdown. On defense, Daniel Eliasek and Tony Skinner led with seven total tackles, while Jarren King, Skinner, and Brandon Watson each recorded a sack in the win.
This season, Randolph-Macon is outscoring opponents 268-103, averaging 38.3 points per game. Their offense averages 361.1 yards per game, with 208.1 yards on the ground, scoring 24 of their 32 offensive touchdowns this season via the run. They rank second in the conference and 20th in Division III in rushing offense, with the 33rd-best scoring offense nationally. RMC's passing game averages 153.0 yards per game, gaining 7.99 yards per attempt. Casciola has played in all seven games, completing 71 of 112 passes (63%) for 887 yards and six touchdowns, while adding 198 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Mitchell Johnson leads the ground attack with 268 yards on 60 carries and five touchdowns. Kwesi Clark, DJ James, and Cameron Chatmon have each surpassed 200 rushing yards, collectively scoring nine touchdowns. Jason Moore leads the receiving corps with 305 yards on 18 catches and four touchdowns, averaging 43.57 yards per game.
The Yellow Jackets lead the conference in rushing defense, allowing an average of just 63.4 rushing yards per game. They rank 16th in Division III in scoring defense, allowing only 14.71 points per game. RMC has yet to allow more than 88 rushing yards in a game, limiting Bridgewater to only 18 yards in last week's victory. The Yellow Jackets have forced 20 turnovers this season, including 15 interceptions and five fumble recoveries. Daniel Eliasek leads the team with 42 total tackles (24 solo) and two interceptions. Jeffery Achaempong leads the defense with 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, while Coleton Payne tops the secondary with three interceptions, with four other Yellow Jackets recording two interceptions each.
Scouting the Generals:
The Blue and White are coming off a dominant 34-0 shutout win at Ferrum College on Saturday afternoon. W&L controlled the game, maintaining possession for 41 minutes and accumulating 563 yards of offense with five touchdowns. The Generals rushed for a season-high 477 yards on 69 carries, averaging 6.9 yards per rush and accounting for all five scores. Defensively, the Generals limited the Panthers to 163 total yards, their second-lowest output of the season, while recording two interceptions and one sack. Ty Collins completed 5 of his 7 passes for 86 yards and added 71 yards on the ground. Jacob Romero led all rushers with 143 yards on 19 carries and three touchdowns, while Anthony Crawford followed closely behind with a career-high 117 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns. Evan Novak led all receivers with 71 yards on two catches, including a 40-yard reception in the first quarter. Jalen Todd led the defense with eight tackles (two solo), along with 0.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks. Brennan Stout registered six tackles, and Uno Christopher led with 1.5 tackles for loss.
The Generals are averaging 34.4 points per game through seven games this season, outscoring their opponents 241-141. The offense averages 410.0 total yards per game, including 330.3 rushing yards per game, making them the top rushing unit in the ODAC and the second-best in Division III this season. Of their 32 touchdowns, 26 have come on the ground, with an average of 6.4 yards per rush. Collins has completed 40 of his 66 passes (61%) for 558 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions. He has also contributed 281 rushing yards and one touchdown. Romero leads the rushing attack with a conference-high 764 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 6.4 yards per carry and 109.1 yards per game. Andrew Bland and Josh Garcia remain Collins' primary targets, combining for 315 yards on 21 receptions with three touchdowns.
W&L's defense has allowed an average of 20.1 points per game this season while giving up 336.4 total yards per game. They have limited opponents to 129.6 rushing yards per game and 3.9 yards per carry, ranking third in the ODAC. The defensive unit has registered 16 sacks, 38 tackles for loss, eight interceptions, and forced four fumbles this season. Jalen Todd leads the team with 80 tackles, including 24 solo stops, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. Brennan Stout is having an impressive rookie season, ranking second on the team with 59 tackles (22 solo), along with 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Will Mahmud is the team's top edge rusher, recording 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. Connor O'Malley leads the team with three interceptions, while five other Generals each have one. Charlie Fleming has broken up a team-high six passes, while Gabe Joyner, O'Malley, and Todd have combined for seven pass breakups.
National Statistical Rankings:
After nearly reaching 500 rushing yards in their last game, the Blue and White now hold the second-best rushing offense in Division III, averaging 330.3 yards per game on the ground. The offensive line has been instrumental in powering this rushing attack and has protected sophomore quarterback Ty Collinseffectively, allowing only four sacks through seven games—a mark that ranks 12th nationally this season. The Generals' offense also ranks 30th in fourth-down conversion percentage, successfully converting 15 of 23 attempts (65%) this season. Additionally, W&L's punt return unit ranks third in the nation, averaging 24 yards per return, while the punt team ranks 31st with an average of 37 yards per punt.
Individually, Jacob Romero has emerged as one of the top running backs in the country this season. He ranks 17th in total rushing yards (764), 18th in rushing yards per game (109.1), 20th in rushing touchdowns (9), and 24th in yards per carry. Jalen Todd is having an outstanding senior season, ranking third nationally in tackles per game with 11.4 and seventh in total tackles with 80. Wilson Axley and Marcus Payne are tied for fourth in the nation in punt return touchdowns, each scoring one. Payne returned a blocked punt for a 25-yard touchdown in the Generals' 68-28 win over Apprentice, while Axley recorded W&L's first punt return touchdown since 2005 in their 40-23 victory over Guilford.
Around the ODAC:
Only two conference teams remain unbeaten after week eight, as both the Generals and Randolph-Macon secured decisive victories on Saturday afternoon. RMC defeated Bridgewater 49-16, removing the Eagles from the ranks of the unbeaten. W&L recorded their second shutout of the season, blanking Ferrum 34-0, while Hampden-Sydney defeated Averett 42-21 to return to the win column. Shenandoah scored 21 unanswered points in a 42-10 home victory over Guilford.
Saturday, Nov. 2
Guilford vs. Ferrum | 1 p.m.
Averett vs. Shenandoah | 1 p.m.
Bridgewater vs. Hampden-Sydney | 2 p.m.
Washington and Lee vs. No. 24 Randolph-Macon | 3 p.m.