Richmond Spiders had some swagger to show to Virginia in season-opening loss

Upon further review, Virginia’s season-opening win over Richmond may have not as been as lackluster as it appeared.

The Cavaliers ultimately wore down the Spiders, winning 34-17 at Scott Stadium, in a game that for the most part went as expected. Despite falling behind briefly 7-0, Virginia held a commanding 28-10 lead at intermission and traded second-half scores to reach the outcome.

Richmond simply was not expected to beat Virginia Saturday, as the Cavaliers had the market on talent, especially at two skill positions, quarterback and receiver.

But Richmond has talent as well, and combined with Virginia’s third-quarter snooze, was able to hang around most of the afternoon.

The Spiders, picked as an upper-division team in the CAA, used a strong running game to keep the Virginia defense on the field for extended periods of time.

Three UR running backs rushed for 170 yards on 35 carries (4.9 yards per carry) while missing starting left tackle Gavin Lamp, who suffered an injury Wednesday in practice. The Spiders were so thin on the defensive line that a redshirt freshman, Carsen Stocklinski, started at tackle.

Stocklinski played on the other side of the ball last season.

Richmond did not repeat its 2016 performance in Charlottesville, when the Spiders routed Virginia, 37-20, in Bronco Mendenhall’s UVA coaching debut, but UR had plenty of reasons to be upbeat.

Despite getting a stiff uppercut by Virginia late in the first half and appearing wobbly, the Spiders got off the mat and played a solid 30 final minutes of football, limiting UVA to one score.

The game could have gotten a bit uncomfortable for Virginia in the final minutes of the third quarter. Down 28-17, Richmond had driven to the Cavalier 36, but failed to covert a critical fourth and inches, turning the ball over. UR never seriously threatened thereafter.

Richmond quarterback Reece Udinski had a solid game under first-year offensive coordinator Billy Cosh, completing 23 of 34 passes for 160 yards. The Spiders weren’t explosive, but pinpoint accuracy on short throws kept the chains moving. Udinski handled the Virginia pass rush effectively throughout the contest and did not have a turnover.

Richmond linebacker Tristan Wheeler occupied plenty of Scott Stadium turf as he was credited with 19 tackles, eight solo. Wheeler said that early in the contest, the Spiders may have been tentative on defense, maybe that was because they were facing an ACC team.

“I learned last year from playing Virginia Tech. I went into that game, I was a little sketched out,” he said. “We all play D1 ball, FBS,FCS, doesn’t mean a thing to me.”

Richmond opens its home schedule against St. Francis on Saturday, where the talent level shifts to UR.  Today, Virginia had numerous opportunities to finish off the Spiders, closing drive of the first half, or in the third quarter, and couldn’t.

Saturday against St. Francis, Richmond gets that opportunity.