The Collegian
Friday, March 29, 2024

Last-second field goal gives Towson 31-28 win

TOWSON, Md. — With the game tied, DJ Stoven kicked a game-winning 27-yard field goal for Towson University as time expired to hand the University of Richmond its third-consecutive loss, 31-28.

While the field goal directly ended the game, the play likely haunting the Spiders defense came four plays earlier. With Towson facing a third and 12 from its own 49-yard line, Tigers quarterback Grant Enders eluded the Richmond pass rush and, on the run, found receiver Leon Kinnard open 21-yards downfield for a first down that put his team in field-goal range.

Towson made some plays at the end that Richmond didn't and that was story of the game, Richmond interim coach Wayne Lineburg said.

In the loss, Richmond quarterback Aaron Corp had one of the best statistical games in Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) history. He completed 31 passes in 34 attempts for 353 yards and two touchdowns. That completion percentage of 91.2 percent set a FCS single-game record. The 353 yards is also a career high for Corp.

"We talked this week about keeping the passing game simple," Corp said. "And obviously, the offensive line came back big this week."

Corp's crediting of the offensive line was deserved as the unit allowed no sacks, and helped fullback Kendall Gaskins to a 99-yard, one-touchdown performance. Gaskins has scored a touchdown in all six games the Spiders have played this season.

Richmond entered the fourth quarter trailing, 14-13, and Towson quickly increased its lead, scoring a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter when tailback Terrance West rushed for a three-yard touchdown.

The Spiders defense was unable to keep West out of the end zone all game, as he finished with 128 yards and four touchdowns.

Richmond's offense came back onto the field after that score and drove 90 yards in eight plays, finishing with a touchdown on a 12-yard pass from Corp to receiver Ben Edwards. Corp then found receiver Stephen Barnette in the back of the end zone on the two-point conversion, and Richmond tied the game at 21.

The team's followed by exchanging scores, with Barnette catching an eight-yard touchdown with just over two and half minutes remaining.

In Corp's record-setting game, his usual favorite target, Tre Gray, produced the most, with 10 receptions for 141 yards. Three other Spiders--Barnette, Edwards and tight end Kevin Finney--also had more than 40 yards receiving.

"I've been saying this all year," Gray said. "The wide receiver group is good all through, and Corp just found the open guy."

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On defense, it appeared the amount of injuries along the defensive line for Richmond finally impacted play significantly. The Spiders even experimented by using four linebackers and three defensive linemen (instead of its normal formation of three linebackers and four defensive linemen) at one point during the second quarter.

"More than anything, we did it out of necessity," Lineburg said. "Right now, we're down on some numbers. It's a way to give our linemen a blow; we're down to ix defensive linemen."

The loss gives Richmond (3-3, 0-3) its third-straight loss in the Colonial Athletic Conference. The team has an off week next Saturday, and will come back on Oct. 22, for its Homecoming game against University of Maine.

"We're not concerned at all," Corp said. "There's still a lot of football left to be played."

Game Notes: Richmond kicker Will Kamin missed a 26-yard field goal during the second quarter, his first miss of the season... Gray fumbled the ball away at the Towson 28-yard line on Richmond's first possession... Safety Colin Pehanick led the Spiders in tackles with 11.

Contact staff writer David Weissman at david.weissman@richmond.edu

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