WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The No. 11/14 William and Mary football team extended its winning streak against VMI to 24 games with a 45-0 victory in its home opener on Saturday evening at Zable Stadium.
In addition to winning its seventh consecutive home game, the Tribe (1-1, 0-1) posted its third shutout in its last four games played at Zable Stadium. Additionally, W&M pushed its winning streak against non-conference FCS opponents to 18 games.
Complete Game Video Highlights
The College outgained VMI (1-1), 391-239, and allowed the Keydets inside the red zone just once. Additionally, W&M limited VMI to just 1-of-19 on third and fourth down situations. W&M's defensive unit also registered five interceptions ? the most by a Tribe team since equaling the feat against Penn in 1995. Sophomore safety
Brian Thompson led the individual efforts with a pair of interceptions and a TFL, while junior defensive end
Marcus Hyde totaled a team-high nine tackles with a sack and a pair of TFLs.
Despite playing just two and a half quarters, senior quarterback
Mike Callahan posted some impressive numbers, completing 12-of-17 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown. Junior running back
Jonathan Grimes, a 2010 Payton Award candidate, rushed for 71 yards and scored three touchdowns as he moved into the program's all-time top-10 list for rushing touchdowns (19). Sophomore wideout
Ryan Moody led the receiving corps with four catches for 110 yards, all of which he recorded in the first half.
W&M got on the scoreboard first early in the opening quarter when sophomore
B.W. Webb returned a punt 64 yards down the Tribe sideline for a touchdown. The score was his third career touchdown, as he returned a pair of interceptions for scores last season.
After registering a key fourth-down stop on the Keydets' ensuing drive, the College capped off a nine-play, 58-yard drive with a 30-yard field goal by senior
David Miller with 2:56 remaining in the first quarter. The score was set up with a 33-yard pass from Callahan to senior wide receiver
Cameron Dohse.
W&M's defense forced a three-and-out on VMI's following drive, and then the Tribe offense marched 70 yards in eight plays to increase the advantage to 17-0 on a 1-yard run by Grimes with 14:24 left in the second quarter. Highlighting the scoring drive was a 47-yard reception by Moody.
The Tribe pushed the lead to 24-0 with 5:18 remaining in the half when Callahan connected with senior wide receiver
Chase Hill on a 23-yard strike. The touchdown pass capped off an eight-play, 70-yard drive that lasted 4:21.
W&M tacked on its final touchdown of the half on a 4-yard run by Grimes with 1:30 showing.
In addition to leading 31-0 at the half, the Tribe outgained the Keydets, 250-143, in the opening 30 minutes.
While neither team mounted sustained drives for much of the third quarter, Grimes' third touchdown of the game ? a 1-yard run ? extended the margin to 38-0 with 3:54 showing. A 27-yard catch by Dohse along the Tribe sideline helped set up the score.
VMI's lone trip into the red zone came early in the fourth quarter but yielded no points, as a pair of false start penalties preceded a missed 47-yard field goal attempt by Jeff Sexton.
The Tribe tacked on the contest's final touchdown when redshirt freshman Jerome Couplin intercepted a pass by Eric Kordenbrock and returned it 22 yards into the end zone with 6:50 remaining.
The Tribe will return to action when it plays at Old Dominion next Saturday at 7 p.m. The contest will be televised live by Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic and on tape delay (10:30 p.m.) by Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia.
