Spartanburg, SC. —Wofford spotted VMI an early 14-3 lead and then scored the final 38 points of the game, beating the Keydets 41-14 on a sunny and windy Homecoming Saturday at Gibbs Stadium in front of 6,102 fans. The Terriers piled up a season high 514 total yards and head into the bye week at 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Southern Conference. VMI falls to 0-7 and 0-3.
Gerald Modest Jr. carried 20 times for 173 yards and three touchdowns, his third 100 yard rushing game of the season and of his career. J.T. Fayard completed 16-of-21 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns. Ivory Aikens (four catches, 105 yards, one touchdown) and Anjuan Coleman Jr. (five catches, 104 yards, one touchdown) each posted the first 100 yard receiving game of their careers. Traveion Slaughter led VMI with 75 rushing yards and a touchdown.
“I was a little fired up at halftime because I felt like we got a slow start,” said head coach Shawn Watson. “I challenged them, and they did a great job in the second half. We tightened it up and played what we call Wofford football, so I was really happy to see the way they responded. I thought our defense played a great game, and that’s hard against an option football team. And then offensively, I thought Lane (Knost) called a really good game. He and Corey (Woods) had some excellent run schemes dialed up, and Gerald (Modest) took advantage of them. The offensive line is really getting better and better. I thought J.T. (Fayard) played a really good game, and both Ace (Coleman) and Ivory (Aikens) had explosive plays, so I am really proud of the effort. Heading into the bye week, we’re going to take some time down, let our kids get healthy.”
The start was rough. After both teams went three and out, Wofford fumbled on the first play of its second possession and Isaiah Grevious returned it 46 yards for a VMI touchdown. Conner Deviney answered with a 29 yard field goal to finish a 15 play drive, but a 61 yard Keydet run up the middle made it 14-3 with 1:57 left in the first quarter.
VMI never scored again. Modest capped an 11 play drive with a 12 yard touchdown run to make it 14-10 with 10:36 left in the second quarter. Fayard then hit Coleman for 39 yards to set up a 5 yard Modest touchdown run and a 17-14 lead with 4:35 before the half. A Nicholas Mathious tackle for loss forced a VMI punt, and although Gavin Batt’s return for a touchdown was wiped out by a holding penalty, Fayard found Aikens in stride on third down for a 56 yard touchdown and a 24-14 halftime edge with 45 seconds left.
Eli Campbell blocked a 52 yard VMI field goal try on the opening drive of the second half, giving Wofford blocked field goals in consecutive games. On second down from the 35, Modest went 65 yards up the middle for a 31-14 lead with 9:34 left in the third. It was the first Terrier run of more than 50 yards since Ryan Ingram’s 53 yard touchdown at Furman in 2023. Ky’Ree Murphy intercepted a pass near midfield for his second career pick, and a 39 yard Aikens catch set up Deviney’s 27 yard field goal for 34-14 with 4:57 left in the quarter.
Mathious ended VMI’s next drive with a sack on fourth and six, and Coleman turned a catch into a 43 yard touchdown down the far sideline for 41-14 with 11:37 to play. A first down run by Troy Timko let the Old Gold and Black kneel out the clock.
Wofford outgained VMI 514 to 188 and held the Keydets option attack to 152 rushing yards. The Terriers had 19 first downs to 13 and went 6-of-10 on third down, while VMI was 4-of-14 on third down and 2-of-3 on fourth down. Logan McCloud led the defense with seven tackles, the unit combined for eight tackles for loss, and Mathious, Corley Watson and Cooper Horton each recorded a sack. Murphy’s pick gives Wofford nine interceptions on the season. Wofford was flagged 12 times for 85 yards, and VMI held a 30:45 to 29:15 edge in time of possession. Game captains were Campbell, Fayard and Jack Purdy.
The win was the 30th meeting in the series, and Wofford now leads it 17-13. It was the 81st Homecoming game in program history, and the Terriers are 51-28-2 all time on Homecoming.
After the bye week, the Tdawgs play two straight on the road, starting at Samford on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN+ and Nexstar. The next home game at Gibbs Stadium is Saturday, Nov. 14, against ETSU.