BRIDGEWATER, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College football team dropped its ODAC opener to (RV) Randolph-Macon 27-3 on Saturday in front of a packed Stadium at the Jopson Athletic Complex.
Bridgewater received the kickoff and quickly gained a first down as Jaicere Bateman and Ian Browne connected for a gain of 12 on the second play of the afternoon, but the drive stalled out, leading to a punt. Randolph-Macon ended up with a short field after a good return and methodically worked its way down the field. The Eagles forced the Yellow Jackets to a pair of third downs, and RMC converted early in the drive. The Eagles’ defense held its own deep in their own end as they held Randolph-Macon to a 32-yard field goal, as the visitors took a 3-0 lead.
A bad snap on first down stalled the next BC drive, and RMC pounced. The Eagles pushed the Yellow Jackets to a third down, but a quick completion extended the drive. Two plays later, the Yellow Jackets’ run game struck as Mitchell Johnson scampered in from 65 yards out. The PAT was good to make it 10-0 late in the opening frame.
Bridgewater tried to get something going on offense, but was forced to punt after a sack stalled the drive. Randolph-Macon looked to take control as it once again methodically pushed down the field, before a 13-yard passing touchdown capped off the drive. The kick was true, making it 17-0 for the Yellow Jackets. BC looked to respond, but the drive started rocky. The Eagles converted on third and long as Bateman found Ian Browne for a gain of 21 to get into RMC territory. BC drove to inside the RMC red zone, but settled for a field goal after a pair of incompletions in tight. Augustin Miguel knocked the 33-yard kick through the uprights to make it 17-3.
RMC looked to respond before the half, but Aaron Nie made sure that didn’t happen as he hit the RMC quarterback behind the line and forced a fumble. Darryl Dawkins fell on it to give BC the ball at the RMC 26. The Eagles’ defense would only get one snap off as Robinson had the ball knocked out on the very next play, and the Yellow Jackets fell on it. Randolph-Macon took a knee, and the game was sent to the break at a 17-3 Yellow Jacket edge.
The BC defense started the second half, the same way it ended the first, as a stop behind the line by Andrew Brown on first down put RMC behind the line. The Eagles struck again as Jamari Lewis knocked the ball away from a receiver on second down, and Ty Johnson fell on it to give BC the ball back. The RMC defense responded though, with a stop on fourth down to take the ball back in Yellow Jacket territory. Bridgewater forced a punt and got the ball back deep in its own territory. BC worked out of the shadow of its own endzone, but Bateman had a pass knocked sky high at the line of scrimmage, and RMC was able to snag it for an interception.
The Yellow Jackets did not capitalize easily on the turnover. The BC defense stood tall and held RMC to a field goal to make it 20-3. Bridgewater started to get the offense rolling in response, but a breakup on a deep pass stalled the drive and forced a punt.
The teams traded punts and RMC was stopped on downs in BC territory with 8:39 to go to give the Eagles life. Bridgewater overcame a sack on the second play of the drive, but would not overcome the next as Bateman was sackaed on third down and BC was unable to convert on fourth and long.
Randolph-Macon added an insurance score as three plays of over 10 yards led to a rushing score to make it 27-3 with 3:03 to go. BC looked to reply, but Bateman was sacked on three consecutive plays to lead to a turnover on downs to secure the Yellow Jacket victory.
Bridgewater was limited offensively. The Eagles netted zero yards in the run game thanks to eight sacks, but outgained the Yellow Jackets in the passing game. Browne paced the offense with 65 yards through the air. Nice led the BC defense with a pair of Sacks and two forced fumbles. Oscar Whitely tallied 12 total tackles as he and Elijah Choy each had seven solo stops.
Mitchell Johnson had 110 yards to fuel RMC’s 165 yards on the ground. Nine different Yellow Jackets were in on stops behind the line.
The Eagles are back in action next Saturday as they head to Averett.
— BC Athletics —
