Richmond Spiders Playoff Preview

[MacThor]

The Spiders lost a heartbreaker at home in the last minute to the eventual CAA champion and #1 overall seed in the playoffs.
On the last Saturday of the season, UR traveled to Williamsburg and beat a quality Tribe squad in a "win and you're in" game.
UR is the 4th CAA team to get into the playoffs, after JMU, UNH and Villanova.
If UR advances to the quarterfinals, they must travel to the #2 seed, who are the 3-time defending national champions, and unbeatable at home in the playoffs.


Wait a minute...is it 2014....or 2008??? xcoolx

[BigHouseClosedEnd]

Didn't realize all those parallels. Good stuff. If we had ends lIke Sidbury and Logan, I'd feel better about our chances to repeat history.

[lknspider]

Spiders are a team to keep an eye on.....lost to UNI with 19 seconds to go, controlled most of the Villanova game with back-up QB, but lost their offensive chemistry when QB Michael Strauss was injured and out for 4 games. They have proven with Strauss at QB to also be a strong road team, with wins at Liberty (stadium record 21000 fans), beat Albany at their Homecoming, easily defeated Elon without Strauss and played their best game of season at William and Mary. Turnovers have been achilles heel for Spiders until W&M game with none and a big win! Defense really stepped up vs Villanova and W&M, barely giving up 300 yds. of offense to both.

By the way, bad loss to JMU is worthy of a comment......game was an aberration (taking nothing from JMU)...two apparent Richmond TD's with no one between the runner and goal line resulted in 2 Fumbles! And the loss of two Richmond touchdowns. Then Strauss trying to play on a hobbled ankle, threw 2 interceptions that went for 2 JMU TD's......as I said an aberration of 4 TD's!! No question, it was a bad embarrassing loss but no reason to believe the Spiders are not a dangerous team.

The biggest motivator is.......22 seniors who were kept out of the playoffs in 2012 when they were CAA Co-Champs, 8-3 record, and defeated Villanova who went to the playoffs. 2008 National Championship and 2009 season of 10-1 is still fresh in the minds of that senior class. They have a lot to prove. Go spiders!!

[SpiderJPO]

Lknspider you are dead on with that analysis. We will play like hungry dogs that need to eat!

[MacThor]

Richmond fans can't be unhappy with this draw.

After the JMU game, most felt like it was "see you next year."
Getting the MEAC team at home in the first round is like hitting the lottery
We seem to match up well with Coastal Carolina. The best team they played all year - Liberty - beat them at home. Does any Spider fan feel like Liberty was even close to the best team we played this year?

[BigHouseClosedEnd]

Coastal will have 2 weeks to watch our tape and stew over the Liberty loss. We will have our hands full.

[kdinva]

Spiders win 41-17.