No. 5 W&M Blanks Towson, 31-0, to Extend Winning Streak to Four Games

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11/07/09 5:45PM

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The fifth-ranked William and Mary football team extended its winning streak to four games with a 31-0 victory against Towson at Zable Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The victory marked the Tribe’s first shutout since blanking Liberty, 56-0, in 2005.

With the win, W&M improves to 8-1 and equals the program’s best mark through nine games since 1986. Additionally, the College improves to 5-1 in league play for the second consecutive season. The triumph also secures head coach Jimmye Laycock’s 10th eight-win season leading the Tribe.

W&M nearly doubled Towson’s total yardage, outgaining the Tigers 396-201. Entering the game as the nation’s top-ranked defense against the run, the Tribe posted another impressive showing by allowing just 72 yards on the ground. Additionally, the Tribe limited the Tigers to just 11 first downs.

Senior quarterback R.J. Archer threw for 206 yards accounted for two touchdowns – one through the air and one on the ground. Sophomore running back Jonathan Grimes led the Green and Gold with a game-high 91 rushing yards and a touchdown, while junior tailback Courtland Marriner also came up big with 65 rushing yards on nine carries (7.2 yards per carry) and a touchdown. Senior tight end Rob Varno registered a game-high four catches for 70 yards, while senior wideout Eric Robertson had a pair of catches for 48 yards and hauled in his first career touchdown catch.

Defensively, sophomore linebacker Jake Trantin recorded a team-high eight tackles with an interception and a tackle for a loss, while junior linebacker Evan Francks tallied seven stops with a sack. Junior cornerback Terrell Wells earned his first career interception, which halted Towson’s only trip into the Red Zone.

After holding TU to a three-and-out on its opening possession of the contest, the Tribe got on the scoreboard first when senior place-kicker Brian Pate capped off an 11-play, 57-yard drive with a 39-yard field goal from the left hash. Grimes had a key 3-yard rush on a fourth-and-one near midfield to keep the drive alive, while sophomore wide receiver Chase Hill (21-yard reception) and Marriner (17-yard run) helped set up the score.

W&M put itself in position to score again after stopping Towson on a fourth-and-one at the TU 29-yard line on the Tigers’ next possession, but the Tribe lost 14 yards on the series and was forced to punt.

The College held Towson to just 36 yards of total offense in the opening quarter and yielded just one first down.

The Tribe increased its lead to 10-0 when Archer scored on an 8-yard quarterback keeper with 10:29 remaining in the second quarter. The 18-play, 68-yard drive that lasted more than 7 minutes looked to be stopped on just three plays after an incomplete pass to junior wide receiver Dohse on a third-and-9, but Towson was flagged with a personal foul after the play. Among the drive’s key plays was a 3-yard rush by Archer on a fourth-and-one at the TU 43.

A 2-yard touchdown run by Grimes with 3:13 left in the opening half pushed the margin to 17-0. Grimes’ score punctuated W&M’s longest scoring drive of the season, which covered 92 yards in eight plays. Highlighting the drive were a 19-yard completion to Dohse and a 39-yard pass to Varno over the middle, which came on consecutive plays.

W&M outgained the Tigers, 208-100, in the first half and surrendered just four first downs. Additionally, the Tribe controlled the time of possession, 18:13-11:47.

The College added another score when Robertson hauled in a 25-yard touchdown, the first of his career, with 4:16 remaining in the third quarter. Dohse helped set up the score on the preceding play when he registered a 33-yard catch along the Tribe sideline.

Although the Tribe only outscored Towson 7-0 in the third quarter, W&M outgained the Tigers, 98-19, and surrendered just two rushing yards.

Towson’s lone trip into the Red Zone came midway through the fourth quarter and was stopped when Wells intercepted Tommy Chroniger at the W&M 2-yard line.

Sophomore quarterback Terrance Schmand engineered the Tribe’s final scoring drive, which covered 83 yards on 11 plays and ended with a 2-yard scamper by Marriner on a fourth-and-goal. It was the College’s third touchdown drive of the afternoon that covered more than 80 yards.

The Tribe will close out its regular-season home slate next Saturday when it hosts No. 7/8 New Hampshire on Senior Day.

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