Game #11 - VMI Keydets

In the final regular season conference game the Cats travel to Lexington, VA to face the defending SoCon Champions, the VMI Keydets.  

The Cats have won three straight games in Lexington since the Keydets return to the SoCon, can we make it four?  






Game #11 - VMI Keydets

When: Saturday, November 20

Time: 12:30 pm EST

Where: Alumni Memorial Field at Foster Stadium, Lexington, VA
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV/video: ESPN+

Live Stats:  VMI

Game Notes:   Western Carolina  -   VMI

Fan Message Board:  Keydet Sportstalk

The Series: Western currently leads the series with VMI, by a 22-4 margin. The Cats and Keydets first played on the gridiron in 1978, and the Cats owned a sixteen-game winning streak over the Keydets until this past spring when the Keydets broke that streak on their road to a SoCon Championship.  The Cats do hold a 10-3 record of games played in Lexington and are 3-0 there since VMI's return to the Southern Conference.  

The last game played vs. VMI:  March 6, 2021 - Catamount Football Drops Home Opener to VMI, 30-7 - Cullowhee, N.C. – VMI running back Korey Bridy rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns to guide the Keydets to a 30-7 victory over Western Carolina on Saturday afternoon in Southern Conference action at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.

Head Coach: Scott Wachenheim - Entering his seventh season as VMI’s head football coach, Scott Wachenheim has taken VMI Football back to championship level play and guided the program toward football prominence on the FCS level. In the spring football season of 2021, Wachenheim led the Keydets to a 6-2 season mark and the Southern Conference football championship after going 6-1 in league play – securing the Institute’s first title since 1977 and first outright league championship since 1974. VMI also attained its first FCS national ranking and completed the year ranked 12th in the polls while also earning its first-ever FCS playoff appearance. The season was VMI’s first winning campaign since 1981. 

Scott Wachenheim's record vs. Western Carolina:  1 - 5

Kerwin Bell's record vs. VMI:  0 - 0

This Season's Record (VMI):  6-4 overall, 4-0 home, 2-4 away, 4-3 SoCon

Last Season's Record (VMI):  6-2 overall, 3-1 home, 3-1 away,  6-1 SoCon  

Offensive Formation: Air Raid
Defensive Formation: 3-4
Starters returning/lost:    17   /   11

The defending SoCon champs, VMI completed the spring season with a 6-1 conference record, losing only to ETSU. However, the Keydets did not play ChattaQuitta, with their game originally being postponed, then canceled when the Mocs bailed on the season.  The Keydets returned nearly their entire offense, losing only Brad Davis off of the offensive line. The Keydets are not quite as fortunate on the defensive side of the ball, losing 5 starters, one lineman (Jordan Ward), two linebackers (Connor Riddle & Tyren Cloyd), and two defensive backs (Alex Smith & Josh Sarratt). 

The Keydets come into this game riding a two game losing streak, most recently losing to the Paladins on the road last Saturday.  VMI sits in 4th place in the conference, with a 4-3 conference record.  The Keydets rank 3rd in the SoCon in scoring offense, averaging 32 points per game, and 7th in scoring defense, giving up 35.7 ppg.  Fortunately for the Cats, the Keydets are averaging only 155 yards on the ground (7th in the SoCon), but are 3rd in passing offense at 263 yards per game in the air.  

 

2021 VMI Statistics  (8 games)
Rushing Offense: 1553 yards
Yards per game: 155.3
Yards per rush: 4 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 81
TDs rushing: 22
Passing Offense: 2626 yards or 262.6 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 6.9 yards
Passing 1st downs: 120
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 247-379-10
TDs Passing: 16
Total Offense: 4179 yards or 417.9 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 10 - 6
3d Down Conversions: 63 of 148 (43%)
4th Down Conversions: 16 of 24 (67%)
Field goal - attempts:  16 - 18
PAT-Attempts: 36 of 36
On-side kicks: 1 - 1
Red Zone Scores: 42 of 50 (84%)
Red Zone Touchdowns: 31 of 50 (62%)
Punts - Yards: 39 - 1638 - Avg per punt: 43