Nov 02, 2024
LEXINGTON, Va. - Two costly turnovers proved to be the deciding factor in the Washington and Lee University football team's 20-7 loss against No. 24 Randolph-Macon College on Saturday afternoon at Wilson Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After a three-and-out by the Generals (5-3, 4-1 ODAC), the Yellow Jackets (7-1, 5-0 ODAC) embarked on a 13-minute, 21-play drive to score the first touchdown of the game. Mitchell Johnson capped off the 77-yard drive with a one-yard rush, putting the visitors up 7-0 in the second quarter.
- The Blue and White found momentum on their next drive, gaining 40 yards on eight plays before Anthony Crawford fumbled the ball at the RMC 39-yard line. Randolph-Macon capitalized on the early turnover, extending their lead to ten points with a 21-yard field goal from Kyle Ihle.
- The Yellow Jackets tacked on three more points on their first drive of the second half as Ihle nailed a 29-yard field goal with 7:28 remaining in the third quarter.
- Both offenses struggled to break through the stout defenses until a 63-yard touchdown pass brought the Generals within one score. Ty Collins hit senior running back Jacob Romero on a swing route, and Romero received a great block from Evan Novak, allowing him to slip down the sideline all the way into the end zone.
- However, the Yellow Jackets responded with another lengthy drive. RMC orchestrated a 14-play, 75-yard drive, consuming nine minutes of game time to make it a two-score game. Casciola punched it in from one yard out, putting RMC up 20-7 with 1:41 remaining.
- The Generals turned to the air on their final drive, hoping for big plays to stage a comeback. On 4th-and-7, Collins attempted a pass to Marcus Payne across the middle, but it fell incomplete, sealing the victory for the Yellow Jackets.
W&L GAMES NOTES
- The Generals fall to 5-3 on the season and drop their first Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) game of the year, placing them in second in the league standings. They have now lost the last three meetings against the Yellow Jackets.
- The Blue and White recorded just 187 yards of total offense this afternoon, their lowest output since the 2021 season opener, when they managed only 174 yards against Christopher Newport. They rushed for 89 yards, marking their lowest ground game total since being held to 35 yards by Mount Union in the NCAA First Round in 2021.
RMC GAME NOTES
- Randolph-Macon improved to 7-1 on the season, securing sole possession of first place in the ODAC with the win. Although the Yellow Jackets were held to their second-lowest point total of the season, they dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for nearly 44 minutes.
- The Yellow Jackets' offense recorded 285 total yards on 70 plays with a balanced approach, rushing for 141 yards and two touchdowns while adding 144 yards through the air.
- RMC's defense posed significant challenges for the Generals, limiting them to just 89 rushing yards while forcing and recovering two fumbles.
TOP PERFORMERS
- RMC quarterback Dante Casciola completed 17 of 23 passes for 144 yards while adding 48 rushing yards and scoring both touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets. Sophomore Ty Collinscompleted 8 of his 13 passes for 98 yards and one touchdown.
- Jacob Romero led all rushers with 57 yards on 18 carries and topped the receiving corps with two catches for 64 yards. Kwesi Clarke led RMC's rushing attack with 55 yards.
- Basit Qadri of RMC caught three passes for 45 yards, while Clarke hauled in a game-high seven receptions for 38 yards.
- Jack Johnson led all defenders with a career-high 14 tackles, while Jalen Todd (12), Will Mahmud (11), and Brennan Stout (10) each recorded double-digit tackles. Tony Skinner led the Yellow Jackets with 11 total tackles, and Jeffrey Achaempong and Owen Arruza each contributed a sack this afternoon.
UP NEXT
- The Blue and White are back in action on Saturday, Nov. 9 as they take on Bridgewater College in their final away game of the season. The Generals and Eagles will square off at 2 p.m. inside the Jopson Athletic Complex.