Saturday, October 20
Davidson, N.C.
7:00 p.m.
Davidson College
24
vs
21
Drake
Ryan Alexander became the school's all-time leader in total offense (photo by Brian Westerholt).
Davidson Ties NCAA Record in 24-21 Win Over Drake
10/20/2007 8:26:11 PM | Football
Marc Gignac
Box Score
Davidson, N.C. - Senior Cody Elder booted a 20-yard field goal to break a 21-21 tie with 1:24 left, and junior Matt Mikrut picked off a Derek Retherford pass to seal Davidson's 24-21 Pioneer Football League victory over Drake at Richardson Stadium Saturday night.
Senior Ryan Alexander threw for 299 yards and ran for 18 more to become the school's all-time leader in total offense with 6,136 markers. Classmate Ryan Hubbard had a career-high 14 receptions for 178 yards.
Senior Bud Crawford had a monster game, recording four tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble, to lead a tremendous effort by the Davidson defense. The Wildcats (4-3, 2-2 PFL) combined for season-highs of 14 tackles-for-loss and five sacks and held Drake's Scott Phaydavong, the NCAA's active leading rusher, to 37 yards.
“Our coaches put together a great game plan, and hats off to our defense for executing it,” said Davidson coach Tripp Merritt. “This is the biggest win this program has had since I've been the head coach.”
The Davidson defense was only half the story, and special teams play was the other half. The Wildcats tied an NCAA Division I record (both FBS and FCS) with three safeties and added a blocked punt, which set up a score.
The safeties came on Drake (5-3, 2-2 PFL) punts because three Travis Klatt snaps sailed high over the head of punter Brandon Wubs and ended up out of the end zone as Davidson took a 6-0 lead. The first one ended up being a -33-yard play, the second was -47 and the third was -9.
“That was the difference in the game,” said Alexander. “I've never seen anything like it, but that and the blocked punt is how you overcome four turnovers.”
With Davidson leading 15-13, freshman Ben Sarver blocked a Wubs' punt and recovered the ball at the Drake 2-yard line. Sophomore Kirk Benedict punched it in from there, but the 'Cats couldn't convert the extra point, leaving the lead at 21-13 with 7:50 remaining.
“We said 'they're shaky; let's go get it,'” said Merritt. “Ben has shown the knack for doing that in practice.”
The Wildcats got the ball back but Tyler Marley recovered a Kenny Mantuo fumble at the Davidson 27-yard line. After Retherford picked up a first down on 4th-and-1, Phaydavong scampered 17 yards for the Bulldog touchdown. Retherford rolled out to the right and found Greg Smit in the back of the end zone for the 2-point conversion and a 21-21 tie with 5:14 to play.
Three pass plays from Alexander to Hubbard, one for 11 yards, one for 15 and one for 28, keyed the drive that set up the game-winning kick. All told, the 'Cats went 62 yards in 11 plays and took 3:45 off the clock.
After two incompletions, Retherford scampered 11 yards for a first down on the Bulldogs' ensuing possession. But with the ball resting at the Drake 46, Retherford overthrew his receiver, and Mikrut got the interception on the near sideline to seal the victory.
With Davidson leading 6-0, Crawford forced Retherford to fumble late in the first half, and the 'Cats Alex Griswold recovered at the Davidson 43. The Wildcats drove down to the Drake 20-yard line where Elder made good on a 37-yard field goal to give Davidson a 9-0 lead at intermission.
A 31-yard pass from Alexander to Hubbard set up a 1-yard touchdown run for Mantuo with 5:57 left in the third quarter. The Wildcats tried to run a fake for the two-point conversion, but Crawford's rush attempt was denied, leaving the margin at 15-0.
Augustine Agyei returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards to the Davidson 37-yard line. Cole Ingle hit Travis Hardgraves with a 31-yard pass to set up a 3-yard TD run by Michael Bialas. The Bulldogs missed the extra point, making the cushion 15-6.
Davidson was on the move in Drake territory on their next possession, but a Hubbard fumble after a 7-yard pickup gave the Bulldogs the ball at their own 30. A 25-yard run by Agyei keyed an eight-play, 70-yard drive, capped by a 14-yard TD pass from Ingle to Daniel Marx. The point after made the score 15-13.
Davidson plays its next two contests on the road, beginning with a noon kickoff at Butler next weekend.
Notes: It was Davidson's first win over Drake in three attempts… Alexander surpassed Tommy Dugan, who compiled 6,068 yards from 1994-98… Alexander needs 16 yards to become the all-time leader in passing yards at Davidson … Zach Long's interception was the sixth of his career… Senior wide receiver Beaux Jones returned to action for the first time since Sept. 15… Prior to tonight, the last time the 'Cats had a safety was at Butler Sept. 20, 2003… Alabama State had three safeties against Albany St. (Ga.) Oct. 15, 1988, the only other time in FCS history… Four FBS teams had three safeties with the last by Bowling Green against Miami (Ohio) Nov. 15, 2005… Hubbard became the first Davidson receiver with over 150 yards since he accomplished the feat with 189 against Butler Nov. 11, 2006.
Davidson, N.C. - Senior Cody Elder booted a 20-yard field goal to break a 21-21 tie with 1:24 left, and junior Matt Mikrut picked off a Derek Retherford pass to seal Davidson's 24-21 Pioneer Football League victory over Drake at Richardson Stadium Saturday night.
Senior Ryan Alexander threw for 299 yards and ran for 18 more to become the school's all-time leader in total offense with 6,136 markers. Classmate Ryan Hubbard had a career-high 14 receptions for 178 yards.
Senior Bud Crawford had a monster game, recording four tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble, to lead a tremendous effort by the Davidson defense. The Wildcats (4-3, 2-2 PFL) combined for season-highs of 14 tackles-for-loss and five sacks and held Drake's Scott Phaydavong, the NCAA's active leading rusher, to 37 yards.
“Our coaches put together a great game plan, and hats off to our defense for executing it,” said Davidson coach Tripp Merritt. “This is the biggest win this program has had since I've been the head coach.”
The Davidson defense was only half the story, and special teams play was the other half. The Wildcats tied an NCAA Division I record (both FBS and FCS) with three safeties and added a blocked punt, which set up a score.
The safeties came on Drake (5-3, 2-2 PFL) punts because three Travis Klatt snaps sailed high over the head of punter Brandon Wubs and ended up out of the end zone as Davidson took a 6-0 lead. The first one ended up being a -33-yard play, the second was -47 and the third was -9.
“That was the difference in the game,” said Alexander. “I've never seen anything like it, but that and the blocked punt is how you overcome four turnovers.”
With Davidson leading 15-13, freshman Ben Sarver blocked a Wubs' punt and recovered the ball at the Drake 2-yard line. Sophomore Kirk Benedict punched it in from there, but the 'Cats couldn't convert the extra point, leaving the lead at 21-13 with 7:50 remaining.
“We said 'they're shaky; let's go get it,'” said Merritt. “Ben has shown the knack for doing that in practice.”
The Wildcats got the ball back but Tyler Marley recovered a Kenny Mantuo fumble at the Davidson 27-yard line. After Retherford picked up a first down on 4th-and-1, Phaydavong scampered 17 yards for the Bulldog touchdown. Retherford rolled out to the right and found Greg Smit in the back of the end zone for the 2-point conversion and a 21-21 tie with 5:14 to play.
Three pass plays from Alexander to Hubbard, one for 11 yards, one for 15 and one for 28, keyed the drive that set up the game-winning kick. All told, the 'Cats went 62 yards in 11 plays and took 3:45 off the clock.
After two incompletions, Retherford scampered 11 yards for a first down on the Bulldogs' ensuing possession. But with the ball resting at the Drake 46, Retherford overthrew his receiver, and Mikrut got the interception on the near sideline to seal the victory.
With Davidson leading 6-0, Crawford forced Retherford to fumble late in the first half, and the 'Cats Alex Griswold recovered at the Davidson 43. The Wildcats drove down to the Drake 20-yard line where Elder made good on a 37-yard field goal to give Davidson a 9-0 lead at intermission.
A 31-yard pass from Alexander to Hubbard set up a 1-yard touchdown run for Mantuo with 5:57 left in the third quarter. The Wildcats tried to run a fake for the two-point conversion, but Crawford's rush attempt was denied, leaving the margin at 15-0.
Augustine Agyei returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards to the Davidson 37-yard line. Cole Ingle hit Travis Hardgraves with a 31-yard pass to set up a 3-yard TD run by Michael Bialas. The Bulldogs missed the extra point, making the cushion 15-6.
Davidson was on the move in Drake territory on their next possession, but a Hubbard fumble after a 7-yard pickup gave the Bulldogs the ball at their own 30. A 25-yard run by Agyei keyed an eight-play, 70-yard drive, capped by a 14-yard TD pass from Ingle to Daniel Marx. The point after made the score 15-13.
Davidson plays its next two contests on the road, beginning with a noon kickoff at Butler next weekend.
Notes: It was Davidson's first win over Drake in three attempts… Alexander surpassed Tommy Dugan, who compiled 6,068 yards from 1994-98… Alexander needs 16 yards to become the all-time leader in passing yards at Davidson … Zach Long's interception was the sixth of his career… Senior wide receiver Beaux Jones returned to action for the first time since Sept. 15… Prior to tonight, the last time the 'Cats had a safety was at Butler Sept. 20, 2003… Alabama State had three safeties against Albany St. (Ga.) Oct. 15, 1988, the only other time in FCS history… Four FBS teams had three safeties with the last by Bowling Green against Miami (Ohio) Nov. 15, 2005… Hubbard became the first Davidson receiver with over 150 yards since he accomplished the feat with 189 against Butler Nov. 11, 2006.
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