Boxscore
Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

RICHMOND, Va. -- A spirited defensive effort by the University of Delaware wasn’t enough Saturday afternoon as the Blue Hens couldn’t overcome program-low performance from its offense and the result was a 31-14 setback to the No. 7 ranked University of Richmond Spiders Saturday afternoon in a Colonial Athletic Association football battle at Richmond Stadium.

The undermanned Delaware defense, beset by a rash of injuries the entire season, provided the only points the Blue Hens could muster the entire afternoon, but the unit was run ragged by Richmond running back Josh Vaughan as the Spiders (8-3, 5-2 CAA) kept their strong playoff hopes alive with their third straight victory.

The Blue Hen offense managed just three first downs and 53 total yards, both the lowest single game totals in school history. In addition, the Hens were held to just five total yards rushing, were sacked four times, and turned the ball over twice.

Delaware scored its only points on a 57-yard interception return by Tyrone Grant (bottom right) in the first quarter and on a 55-yard fumble return for a score by Charles Graves (middle right) midway through the final period. Graves also recorded an interception while Grant added a fumble recovery during the day. Senior linebacker Erik Johnson (top right) recorded a team-high 11 tackles, including two for losses.

The previous lows were four first downs vs. Bucknell in 1964 and 56 yards vs. Northeastern in 2001. Richmond also set a record for lowest total yards allowed in a game, breaking its record of 81 vs. William & Mary in 1955, and for fewest first downs allowed (three vs. Furman in 1969).

“I’ll remember this defensive effort for a long time,” said Delaware head coach K.C. Keeler, whose defense has lost 12 players to season-ending injuries, including five defensive linemen in the last three weeks. “We were outmanned everywhere but they lived up to their part of the bargain. This was a special night for them and was proud of their effort. They had the chance to lead us to an amazing win. But obviously this was a disappointing effort by our defense. We were out of sync all night and did so many little things wrong. Richmond has one of the best defenses in the nation and they are headed to the playoffs, but no matter how good the defense is, you have to execute. We need answers. This is not the way Delaware teams play offense.”

The loss dropped Delaware to 4-7 overall (2-5 CAA), matching the program record for losses in a season set five other times, most recently in 1983 when the team went 4-7. The Hens, who have the toughest rated schedule in the nation at the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision level, will close out the season next Saturday at home vs. No. 6 Villanova at Delaware Stadium.

Vaughan, the second leading rusher in the CAA, was a workhorse for the Spiders as he carried 40 times for 156 yards and scored on an 11-yard run with 46 seconds left in the first half that sent Richmond into halftime up 17-7. He led an offense that piled up 23 first downs and 441 total yards, including 251 on the ground. Quarterback Eric Ward completed 16 of 24 passes for 190 yards and 27-yard touchdown to tight end Joe Stewart with 8:51 left in the first half that put UR up for good at 10-7. Richmond owned an incredible 23-minute advantage in time of possession, which helped them overcome four turnovers.

Delaware quarterback Lou Ritacco, making his second career start after throwing for 255 yards in a 31-21 win over Towson, was harassed all day by a Richmond defense that entered the day ranked first in the CAA in scoring defense and total defense. Ritacco completed 13 of 22 passes for 48 yards but threw an interception and was sacked four times.

Senior running back Kervin Michaud was Delaware’s top ground-gainer with 20 yards on nine carries while Martwain Johnston caught four passes for 22 yards. Delaware senior wide receiver Aaron Love caught three passes for 11 yards, increasing his career-pass reception total to 193 to break the school record of 192 set by Eddie Conti in 1994-98. But Love (back) and fellow top receiver Mark Duncan (ankle) missed the entire second half with injuries.

Things looked bright early for the Hens as sophomore cornerback Tyrone Grant stepped in front of a Ward pass to the sideline and returned the interception 55 yards down the right sideline for a 7-0 Delaware lead with 6:19 left in the first stanza. It was Grant’s second pick for a touchdown this season as he earlier returned one 60 yards for a score vs. Albany. He became just the fifth player in UD history to return two interceptions for scores in the same season and the first since All-American Warren McIntire in 1991.

But that was the last lead the Blue Hens would enjoy the rest of the day as the offense, which did not gain a first down until the final minute of the opening half, sputtered and the defense wore down after spending three quarters of the game on the field.

Richmond took a 17-7 lead into halftime as Andrew Howard nailed a 43-yard field goal into a stiff wind, Ward connected with Stewart on a 27-yard touchdown pass across the middle, and Vaughan capped an 80-yard drive with a tackle-breaking 11-yard dash in the final minute of the half.

After a scoreless third quarter which saw each team squander a scoring opportunity after snaring an interception, the Spiders built the lead to 24-7 when Ward capped a 90-yard drive with a one-yard burst with 9:46 left to play.

Delaware came right back with another big defensive play as Blue Hen redshirt freshman Andrew Harrison, a Richmond native, stripped Vaughan off the ball and Graves picked it up at the 45-yard line and ran untouched into the end zone with 8:45 left to narrow the deficit to 24-14.

But Richmond came right back to ice the win as the Spiders drove 62 yards on eight plays and capped the drive when John Crone scored around left end from six yards out to up the lead to 31-14.

“It’s demoralizing,” said Johnson, a senior captain of the loss after a great effort by the defense. “They just wore us down. They knew we were thin and they came right at us. I’m proud of our defense because everyone out there wants to make plays. We’ve been through a lot, but we are going to prepare for next week just like we always do.”