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Richmond vs. Saint Francis
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2022 St. Francis (PA) vs Richmond
Both Saint Francis and Richmond opened with Week 1 losses to FBS opponents, but both showed plenty in those decisions. The Spiders overcame a first-half deficit at Virginia and, for all intents and purposes, outplayed the Cavaliers after intermission.
The revamped Richmond offense showed plenty of promise in the debut for both coordinator Billy Cosh and quarterback Reece Udinski, while the two-headed backfield of running backs Aaron Dykes and Savon Smith provided more than ample ground-based punch to the air-raid look.
While the 34-17 final score is misleading in conveying just how competitive the Week 1 matchup played out, Saint Francis' 30-23 overtime loss at Akron details exactly how close the Red Flash were to scoring the win. SFU led going into the fourth quarter and scored a game-tying touchdown with 3:30 left in regulation, but could not answer Cam Wiley's touchdown carry in the extra frame.
Damon Horton buoyed a Red Flash rushing attack that spread 40 carries among seven players, gaining 86 yards on 18 touches with a touchdown.
Justin Sliwoski and Cole Doyle shared quarterbacking duties at Akron, attempting 17 and 16 passes respectively. Both are mobile, making it two weeks in a row that a Richmond defense undergoing some personnel changes up front face an opponent with capable ball-carriers behind center.
Brennan Armstrong went for 105 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. But after a first half that included a 64-yard gashing, the Spiders buckled down behind the leadership of Tristan Wheeler. The heat-seeking linebacker made 19 tackles as the young line settled in, most notably Jeremiah Grant.
Grant's five tackles and two for loss operating on the interior suggests Richmond may have its latest d-line star after thriving with standouts like Maurice Jackson, Kobie Turner and Darius Reynolds in recent years.
"He's one of those guys that's always trying to learn," Wheeler said of Grant. "This camp, he's busted his tail to get to the point [of] what he showed today. He's in there watching film with us, doing all the little things right. You prepare that way, it's going to show up in your performance come game time."
With SFU showing a multifaceted rushing approach, Richmond will need to replicate that second-half play in the Spiders' home opener to leave with the win.