Yale Bulldogs beat Spiders in a last-second win

The Yale University Bulldogs beat the University of Richmond Spiders 28-27 on Saturday night at the home football game, where Yale scored the game-winning touchdown with nine seconds left.

The Spiders held a 20-7 lead in the beginning of the second half. In the last 15 minutes, Yale scored the game’s final 14 points.

The Spiders started off the game with a 21-yard field goal from first-year Jake Larson. UR continued its success in the second quarter with a 20-yard touchdown pass to redshirt first-year Justin Jasper, his first career touchdown.

Redshirt junior quarterback Joe Mancuso had a career-high 117 yards rushing. This marks the first time a Spider has passed the 100-yard mark on the ground this season.

The Spiders had four drives that were in the red zone but accounted for only six total points. Two of the drives ended in successful field goal attempts, and two resulted in missed field goals.

After Larson’s second successful field goal, the Spiders led 13-0. In response, Yale scored a touchdown on a one-yard pass, putting the score up to 13-7. 

UR came back with a touchdown shortly after, ending the first half with a 20-7 lead.

At the end of the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs converted two fourth downs and recovered an onside kick with 1:23 remaining in the game. In the final 1:14 of the game, Yale scored a touchdown as senior quarterback Kurt Rawlings threw a 16-yard pass to lead the Bulldogs to the win.

Coach Russ Huesman believed that the Spiders played strong the whole game and outplayed Yale by "a million miles," he said.

“We didn’t let up. We played hard from the first half to the last half. But we handed them that game," Huesman said. "We got the ball the last time with 5 minutes to go and we go backward. We can’t do those things. We put the game out right there.”

Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Kobie Turner believed that his teammates played hard and said that the team was already looking ahead to the Spider’s game against the University of Delaware on Oct. 26. 

“We know exactly what kind of team we have, and we know what it takes to win," Turner said. "Coach Huesman was saying before the game that all we have to do is be one point ahead of the other team. That’s all we have to do. Moving forward, looking at Delaware, we just have to figure out a way to have one more point and come away with the win. That’s all that really matters.”

Contact lifestyle writer Kaitlin Edwardson at kaitlin.edwardson@richmond.edu