Live Football Blog: Richmond vs. VMI

4th Quarter 0:00-Final score 34-0 UR. Thanks for following along. You can read my thoughts in my Rapid Recap, which will be posted very soon.

4th Quarter 0:12- Richmond gives it right back with a fumble by TJ Moon.

4th Quarter 1:05- Winston Craig picks off the VMI pass and brings the ball to VMI's 7 yard line.

4th Quarter 4:02- Richmond punts the ball into the endzone. VMI will take over on the 20.

4th Quarter 6:19- Shane Savage, the Cornell transfer, records his first reception for Richmond. Richmond has a 1st down on the 36.

4th Quarter 6:47- Dominque Miller intercepts Kordenbrock's pass at Richmond's 24 yard line.

4th Quarter 8:58- Lauletta hooks up with Westfall for the 10 yard touchdown pass. That was Lauletta's first touchdown pass. Jordi adds the extra point. 34-0 UR.

4th Quarter 10:50- The Spiders keep on getting first downs. They have the ball on the 8 yard line.

4th Quarter 14:05- Lauletta and David Broadus have been alternating snaps under center for the Spiders so far this quarter. After that one Tebow comment earlier, I can't help but see a little Tebow in the way Broadus runs with the ball. He isn't the fastest guy in the world, but he is strong and deceivingly elusive.

3rd Quarter 0:00 True Freshman Kyle Lauletta came in at QB for the final play of the quarter. If Strauss is done for the game his stats are 23-36 for 265 yrds, 3 TD, and 1 Int. Strauss looked confident and was consistently on target against a bad VMI defense. Next week will be the real test for Strauss when the Spiders travel to Raleigh to take on NC State.

3rd Quarter 0:17- A shanked kick gives the Spiders the ball at the 28.

3rd Quarter 1:03- VMI fails to convert a 3rd and 7 and the punt team comes on.

3rd Quarter 1:45- a 17 yard completion gives VMI a first down and gets them into Richmond territory.

3rd Quarter 1:55- a VMI false start moves the ball back to the 32. 3rd and 6 for VMI.

3rd Quarter 1:55- VMI calls their 2nd timeout of the half. VMI is facing a 3rd and 1 from the 37.

3rd Quarter 3:31- VMI has moved the ball well so far on this drive. They have a 2nd and 1 from the 37.

3rd Quarter 4:18- VMI will start with the ball on the 10 yard line following a holding call on the return.

3rd Quarter 4:29- Strauss and Ponder can't hook up on 3rd down. Jordi nails his second field goal, this time from 38 yards. 27-0 UR

3rd Quarter 4:35- Richmond faces a 3rd and 8 from the 21 after a 2 yard run from Edwards and an incomplete pass from Strauss.

3rd Quarter 5:31- Greene takes the carry 14 yards on first down. Strauss finds Barnette over the middle for 26 on the next play. Richmond is really moving the ball with ease so far on this possession.

3rd Quarter 6:45- Strauss finds TE Hunter Westfall over the middle for 17 yards. A false start will give the Spiders 1st and 15 from their 36.

3rd Quarter 6:56- Richmond will get the ball on their 24.

3rd Quarter 7:05- VMI gains 11 yards on second down. Evan Kelly brings down Kordenbrock for no gain on 3rd down. VMI to punt.

3rd Quarter 8:28- VMI was called for offensive pass interference. 2nd and 24 for the Keydets.

3rd Quarter 9:24- After two good plays by Richmond's defensive line, two dead ball penalties by the Spiders result in 30 yards of penalties in VMI's favor. They have the ball on Richmond's 42.

3rd Quarter 10:09- Brandon Jordi hits his first career field goal attempt from 29 yards out. 24-0 UR.

3rd Quarter 10:18- Strauss overthrows Edwards, who was open in the back right of the end zone, on a 3rd and 10.

3rd Quarter 11:30- Jacobi Greene must have read my halftime comment. Greene received the handoff from Strauss and quickly busted to the outside. He couldn't be caught by VMI until he got to VMI's 23.

3rd Quarter 12:05- The Spiders will start with the ball on the 24 after a nine yard returner.

3rd Quarter 12:30- Kerry Wynn makes a tackle for a loss of 2 and forces a 3rd and 4. Kordenbrock misses his third down pass and the Spiders get a stop.

3rd Quarter 13:07- Another eight yard completion gives VMI 2nd and 2 from their own 37. VMI looked confused at the line and used their first timeout of the 2nd half.

3rd quarter 14:10- VMI received the kickoff to begin the second half. After an eight yard completion and four yard cary, the Keydets pick up a first down.

Halftime- To all those curious, the are 31 students in the student section.

Halftime- Both teams have returned to the field. A 10 minute warmup period has just begun.

Halftime- Kickoff has now been moved to 9:05.

Halftime- Kickoff is scheduled for 8:50.

Halftime- We here at The Collegian are placing the over/under for number of students attending the second half at 25 1/2. Tweet @URCollegian your predictions.

Halftime- Once 30 minutes pass since the last recorded lightning strike, the teams will be allowed to return to the field. There will be an eight minute warmup period once the delay is over. The last recorded lightning strike was at 8:10, which would mean the 2nd half would begin at 8:48.

Halftime- This marks two years in a row there has been some sort of weather delay in Richmond's home opener.

Halftime- A lightning delay was just issued. It will be at least 30 minutes until the 2nd half begins. The weather over the stadium does not look to bad but you can see some flashes of lightning over the Robins Center to the left of the pressbox.

Halftime- Another note: Sophomore kicker, a former member of Richmond's soccer team, Brandon Jordi was 3-3 on extra point attempts. Last year at this time, extra points were far from a sure bet for the Spiders. So far, Jordi is making it seem like extra points and short field goals will be less stressful for Richmond players, coaches and fans this year.

Halftime- A few defensive notes: The defensive line, lead by Kerry Wynn, lead the Spiders' suffocating first half defense. VMI's longest drive was seven plays for 15 yards and The Keydets never had the ball beyond Richmond's 40.

Halftime- A few offensive notes from the first half: Richmond can really move the ball through the air. For the most part, Strauss (20-28, 214 yds, 3TD, 1 Int) has been able to pick apart VMI's secondary and get multiple receivers involved. Credit the offensive line for giving Strauss all day to see the field. The running game has been a different story. I expected Jacobi Greene to be a bigger factor running the football, yet he only had 28 yards on six attempts in the first half. FB Seth Fisher, who has 26 yards on five carries, looked good in the first half.

Halftime- Richmond heads into the dressing room up 21-0 at the half.

2nd Quarter 0:36- Touchdown Richmond. Strauss finds Barnette in the back of the endzone for a 12 yard touchdown pass. 21-0 Spiders.

2nd Quarter 1:26- LB Walt Sparks picks off a VMI pass. Credit Wynn on pressuring VMI QB Eric Kordenbrock and forcing the errant throw. Wynn blew through two offensive lineup to get to Kordenbrock.

2nd Quarter 2:19- Touchdown Spiders. Strauss finds Ben Edwards open along the sideline just passed midfield. Edwards caught the ball without any momentum then exploded past the entire VMI secondary. He proved why he was named to the Pre-Season All-CAA team with that touchdown. 14-0 UR.

2nd Quarter 3:40- Strauss hooks up with Barnette for 13 yards. Seth Fisher runs over some VMI defenders on his way to a nine yard carry.

2nd Quarter 3:50- Jacobi Greene gets stuffed at the line on the 1st down carry. The Spiders' running game has not looked stellar. VMI calls their first timeout.

2nd Quarter 4:33- The student section is packed and energetic.

2nd Quarter 4:33- Richmond forces a three and out. Edwards calls for a fair catch at the 15.

2nd Quarter 4:45- The score is still 7-0 Richmond. Richmond should have more than seven points but their two turnovers have cost them.

2nd Quarter 5:28- Strauss makes a poor pass in the middle of the field that floats into a VMI safety's hands. VMI takes over on Richmond's 45.

2nd Quarter 6:23- Barnette makes a great catch along the sideline in the red zone, but is called for pass interference. It didn't look like a push off up here.

2nd Quarter 7:32- Reggie Diggs gets in the action with his first catch for an eight yard game. Diggs is the 8th Spider to catch a pass today. Strauss scrambles for two yards and a first down on the next play.

2nd Quarter 7:50- Strauss finds Edwards in the middle of the field. Richmond picks up a first down.

2nd Quarter 8:19- The Spiders are called for a snap infraction. 3rd and 7.

2nd Quarter 8:19- Jacobi Greene takes the first down carry to the 28. Seth Fisher gains a yard on 2nd down. 3rd and 2.

2nd Quarter 9:23- Jacob Pierce makes the 3rd down stop. Richmond nearly blocks VMI's punt. The Spiders will get the ball on their own 21.

2nd Quarter 10:50- A screen to Deon Watts gives VMI a 3rd and 4.

2nd Quarter 12:15- Freshman and Richmond native Brian Brown picks up his first collegiate catch for a three yard gain. Richmond couldn't pick up the third down and Richmond punts. VMI takes over on their own 17.

2nd Quarter 12:45- Strauss connects with Barnette to pick up the first down. Strauss then finds Roller and Ponder to pick up another first down. Strauss has really made use of his deep group of receivers early on.

2nd Quarter 14:45- Strauss finds Edwards in the flat, but VMI swarms him immediately. 3rd and 7.

1st Quarter 0:28- Richmond picks up the stop, in large part because of Kerry Wynn's pressure on the 3rd down. VMI punts on 4th down and Edwards returns the ball to the 20. FB Seth Fisher picks up six yards on first down.

1st Quarter 1:33- VMI picks up a holding penalty on a third down. It is now 3rd and 16.

1st Quarter 3:27- Edwards takes over at QB in a wildcat formation. Edwards fumbled the ball on the carry and VMI recovers. VMI takes over on their own 46.

1st Quarter 3:33- Strauss puts the ball in Stephen Barnette's hands with no one around him but Barnette dropped the pass. The Spiders burn another timeout.

1st Quarter 4:05- Redshirt freshman David Broadus comes in for QB on third down. He bulldozed his way for a first down. One person up here in the press box compared his third down run to a Tim Tebow like play.

1st Quarter 4:30- Strauss just barely overthrew Edwards on a deep pass that would have most likely lead to a touchdown. Jacobi Green takes the handoff on 2nd down and picks up 8. 3rd and 2.

1st Quarter 5:50- Edwards takes the sweep from Strauss and picks up 11. First down Spiders.

1st Quarter 6:25- Another big hit from Barnette helps force a 4th down. Ben Edwards calls for a fair catch on the ensuing punt. Richmond ball at their own 18.

1st Quarter- Reggie Barnette puts a big hit on VMI WR Deon Watts. 3rd and 8 from VMI's 43.

1st Quarter 9:05- On a 3rd and 1, Kerry Wynn stops a run plat at the line of scrimmage. VMI goes for it on 4th down and picks up the 1st down with a 3 yard run.

1st Quarter 9:54- Freshman Peter Yoder kicks the ball off for the Spiders. VMI will start on their own 30.

1st Quarter 10:01- That was Greene's first career touchdown.

1st Quarter 10:01- Touchdown Spiders. A 7-yard play action pass from Strauss to Jacobi Greene caps off an impressive opening drive from the Spiders. 7-0 UR.

1st Quarter 11:29- Strauss connects with Edwards in the flat. Edwards burst of speed after the catch leads to another first down.

1st Quarter 11:35- Strauss calls the Spiders' first timeout. Richmond has moved the ball pretty effortlessly against the VMI defense thus far.

1st Quarter 12:25- Stephen Barnette picks up 10 yards on a quick pass from Strauss.

1st Quarter 13:05- TJ Moon picks up a first down on a 3rd and 2 on his first collegiate carry.

1st Quarter 14:05- Strauss connects with Rashad Ponder for a first down and more. Spider ball on VMI's 41.

1st Quarter 14:30- 3rd and 7 for the Spiders after an incomplete pass and a short run.

1st Quarter 14:59 - Short kickoff by VMI. Richmond calls for a fair catch and will start on their own 22.

Pregame- Richmond won the coin toss and has elected to receive.

Pregame- The student section is looking pretty full. Hopefully I will be able to say the same thing in the 4th quarter.

Pregame- Check out the the cover of the game program here.

Pregame- I'll also be tweeting about the game. Check out my twitter here. Feel free to tweet me any thoughts or questions you have on Spider football.

Pregame- If you haven't had the chance, check out my season preview.

Pregame- Welcome back to another year of Richmond football. If you have any questions or comments during the game please feel free to post a message below. I will do my best to respond through this blog.

Contact staff writer Jack Nicholson at jack.nicholson@richmond.edu