CSU gets 31-21 Big South Victory on the road against VMI

Antwan Ivey returns a punt 50 yards for a touchdown, the first CSU punt return for a touchdown since 2006

LEXINGTON, Va. – Charleston Southern won the turnover battle and big plays on special teams to get their first road victory of the season, 31-21 over the Virginia Military Institute, Saturday at Foster Stadium.

For the first time this season, CSU (3-5, 1-2 Big South) earned an advantage in the turnover battle, forcing a VMI (2-6, 1-3 Big South) fumble and picking off a pass, while only giving the ball up one time.

CSU also had a punt return for a touchdown by Antwan Ivey, a blocked punt by Kenny Johnson and a 50-yard kick return from Antwain Harvey that helped in getting the first Big South victory of the season.

Offensively, A.J. Toscano appeared to return to form, completing 79 percent of his passes (19-24) for 193 yards. After two-straight games completing less than 50 percent, Toscano had his second most completions and second best completion percentage of the season (21-26, 80 percent against Savannah State). Kwame Krakue was the favorite target, catching six passes for 57 yards to lead the squad in both categories.

B.J. Hackworth led the team with 50 yards rushing, including 24 big yards and a touchdown in the waning moments of the game. Antwan Ivey had 11 carries for 24 yards and a touchdown, while Toscano also added a touchdown on the ground.

Fred Godfrey and Chris Patrick led the defense with nine stops each, with Patrick recording the lone sack of the day for CSU against the triple-option attack of VMI. The unit recorded seven stops behind the line of scrimmage, with seven different players making a tackles for loss.

Big plays dictated the first half, with each team recording touchdowns on plays of 50 yards or more.

The CSU offense showed early on that they were going to be aggressive going into a stiff wind as they went for it on two fourth downs. After converting the first on a sneak by Toscano, CSU lined up in the “Wild Buc” formation with Ivey giving the ball to Gerald Stevenson on the second, which came on the VMI 33 yardline. Stevenson finished the game with 12 yards rushing on six carries, and 33 yards through the air.

On their second play from scrimmage, VMI went 66 yards with the legs of quarterback Kyle Hughes, putting the Keydets up 7-0 early.

Utilizing Ivey and Toscano behind center, CSU put together a 13 play, 90-yard drive to knot the game at 7-7 with 3:31 left in the first quarter. A six yard touchdown run by Toscano capped off the drive that was kept alive by a 22-yard pass to Tim Jones on third and 11 early in the drive.

CSU took the lead the first time they touched the ball in the second quarter as Ivey took a punt back 50 yards for a touchdown after spinning away from the initial pack. It was the first punt return for a touchdown since C.J. Hirschman took one back 63 yards against Liberty on Nov. 11, 2006.

Another big play for VMI put the Keydets in the end zone again as Howard Abegesah got loose for 46 yards down the left sideline to tie the game at 14.

Antwain Harvey turned in another good special teams play with a 50 yard kick return, giving CSU the ball back on the VMI 36 yardline. As they crept inside the red zone, the ball was knocked out of Toscano’s hands, giving VMI a chance to take the lead back. Facing second and goal on the five, Matt Bach popped the ball loose from Michael Rainey-Wiles and returned it 43 yards to the VMI 48.

The Bucs used the momentum to drive down and score with :28 on the clock in the first half, giving them the 21-14 advantage at the break.

A 73-yard drive tied the game in the third as Abegesah punched it in from six yards out after a nine-play drive.

The first snap of the fourth quarter, CSU had a chance to reclaim the lead but John Paglia was wide right on his 33-yard attempt. Paglia had his redemption, giving CSU the lead on an 18-yard field goal midway through the fourth as CSU elected to take the points and the lead instead of going for it on fourth and goal from the one.

Andrew McKain got his second interception of his career and the first of the season to give CSU the ball back with the momentum as he picked off Hughes and returned it to the VMI 24 yardline. It took CSU only a pair of 12-yard runs by B.J. Hackworth to get the touchdown, giving CSU a 31-21 lead, the largest lead of the game for either team.

A VMI fourth-down conversion attempt was blown up at the line of scrimmage by the CSU defensive line, giving CSU the ball back with 3:25 on the clock as they tried to run out the clock.

Without a first down, they were forced to kick it away with 1:43 left, but the defense again proved they were up to the challenge as they forced Hughes out of bounds on fourth down, one-yard shy of the first down, sealing the victory.

Charleston Southern will look for their second-consecutive road win, and their fourth-straight win over Presbyterian as they travel to Clinton, S.C., next Saturday for a 1:30 kickoff.

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