Game #8: Virginia Military Institute

For the eighth game of the season, the Cats travel to Lexington, KY to face the Keydets of the Virgina Military Institute.

VMI has struggled this season, only scoring an average of 8.3 points per game, while giving up 41.7 ppg. The loss of quarterback Al Cobb had a major detrimental effect on the Keydet offense.

The Cats won all three games against the Keydets since their return to the Southern Conference in 2014, can we make it four in a row?




When: Saturday, October 21 at 1:30 pm
Where: Alumni Memorial Field, Lexington, VA
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
  -Talent - Gary Ayers (pxp), Daniel Hooker (color), Jeff Bryson, Greg McLamb (sideline)
TV / video:  ESPN3
  -Talent - Wade Branner (play-by-play) and Chip Tarkenton (analyst)
Game Notes:      Western Carolina        -          VMI        -          SoCon Weekly Release
Fan Message Board:  Keydets Sportstalk

Head Coach:  Scott Wachenheim (Air Force, ‘84)
Record at VMI: 5-17 (2 yrs)
Career Record: Same
Basic Offense: Spread
Basic Defense: 3-4
Lettermen Returning / Lost: 36 / 23
Starters Returning / Lost (O/D/S): 12 (4/7/1) / 12 (7/4/1)
The Series: The Cats and Keydets first played on the gridiron in 1978, and the Cats currently own a thirteen game winning streak over the Keydets. Western currently leads the series with VMI, by a 20-3 margin. In games played in Lexington, the Cats are 8-3-0.

The last game played vs. VMI:  Nov. 5th 2016 - Defense, Special Teams Key Football Senior Day Victory  - Cullowhee, N.C. - Terryon Robinson hauled in a 53-yard scoring strike from Tyrie Adams inside the final minute of regulation on Saturday afternoon as Western Carolina rallied past the VMI Keydets to score a 32-29 victory on Hall of Fame and Senior Day at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field. But it was the Catamount defensive unit and special teams that keyed the come-from-behind victory and proved to be the difference makers as WCU snapped a six-game seasonal slide with their 14th-consecutive victory over VMI, remaining perfect in Cullowhee at 12-0 in the all-time series.

Last Season's Record (VMI): 2016 - 3-8 overall, 1-3 home, 2-5 away,  1-7 SoCon

Games played by the Keydets this year prior to the WCU game: (7)  Record: 0-7 overall, 0-4 SoCon, 0-3 home, 0-4 away
- Air Force (away) Keydets travel to Colorado Spring a drop a 62-0 game
- Catawba (home) - VMI returns home and drops a 7 point game to Div II Catawba
- Robert Morris (away) - On the road again, the Keydets lose to NEC member Robert Morris,  23-0
- Chattanooga (home) - Kicking off the home conference schedule, the Keydets lost to the Mocs 63-7
- Mercer (away) - Traveling to Macon, the Keydets lose to the Bears 14-49
- Samford (home) - The Bulldogs travel to Lexington an only win by a 26-7 final score.
- Furman (away) - It gets ugly again in Greenville as the Palading win 42-10.

Key Personnel Lost  -  QB Al Cobb, WR Aaron Sanders, 3 from offensive line - Roseborough, Lewis, & Hann, LB Alijah Robinson, 2 defensive backs, Jones & Nicholson.

Currently the Keydets are holding down last place in scoring offense (8.3 ppg), scoring defense (giving up 41.7 ppg), rush defense (215 ppg), pass defense (257 ppg)


2017 VMI Statistics (7 games)
Rushing Offense: 608 yards
Yards per game: 86.9
Yards per rush: 3.0 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 35
TDs rushing: 3
Passing Offense: 915 yards or 130.7 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 48 yards
Passing 1st downs:35
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 96-190-13
TDs Passing: 3
Total Offense: 1523 yards or 217.6 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 9 - 4
3d Down Conversions: 26 of 96 (27%)
4th Down Conversions: 2 of 7 (29%)
Field goal attempts: 7 - 21
PAT-Attempts: 3 of 8
On-side kicks: 0-0
Red Zone Scores: 3 of 6 (50%)
Red Zone Touchdowns: 2 of 6 (33%)
Punts - Yards: 48 - 2236 - Avg per punt: 42.4



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