VMI got the win that makes the alums happy, no matter what else happens, defeating The Citadel, 17-13, in the Military Classic of the South on Saturday, reclaiming the Silver Shako.
After a back-and-forth first half, The Citadel (0-7, 0-4 SoCon) took its first lead of the game with 4:57 left in the third on a 38-yard Colby Kitner field goal.
VMI (3-3, 2-1 SoCon) ultimately earned the win in the fourth quarter by going on a 12-play, 86-yard drive in the middle of the period that took up 6:13 of game clock.
The winning drive was capped by a 19-yard touchdown scamper by Hunter Rice around the corner with just 4:42 to play as the junior extended his arms out to hit the pylon and cross the plane of the endzone for the winning score.
Rice gained 111 yards on the ground and had two TDs on the day for the Keydets, who had wideout Chance Knox go for 98 yards on nine catches.
“At the end of the day, it was a team win,” first-year VMI coach Danny Rocco said. “We made some plays in the kicking game. Jack (Culbreath) had some big kicks that flipped the field and give us good field position. We’re excited to get home and build on this one and be home for the next two games.”
The win snapped a two-game losing streak for VMI in the series.
“It means an awful lot,” Rocco said. “This was a great atmosphere, and it was obvious how important it was to a lot of people. Our alumni, our cadets, our comms staff, Maj. Gen. Wins, our athletic department, and obviously my staff and our football team.”
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Chris Graham
