HBCU Football: Hampton gives ranked CAA opponent a scare

Courtesy of Hampton Athletics

HAMPTON, Va. – In an HBCU vs PWI game in the Coastal Athletic Conference (CAA) that was delayed 15 minutes after the Villanova team bus was stuck in traffic trying to navigate the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, the Wildcats (7-2, 4-1) edged Hampton (5-4, 2-3) 20-14 at Armstrong Stadium. Hampton’s crushing defense held the No. 13-ranked Wildcats at bay throughout. The CAA football game was as close as the statistics. Villanova finished with 241 total yards to Hampton’s 239 and both teams ran 64 plays and each finished with 12 first downs.

Hampton was the first to put points on the scoreboard. Aided by three Villanova penalties, Hampton rook the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in nine plays, and scored when quarterback Chris Zellous connected with Kymari Gray on a six-yard pass to give the Pirates a 7-0 lead 3:14 into the game. Ja’Quan Snipes was key, rushing for 37 of the team’s 75 yards on four carries.

Midway through the first quarter, Villanova’s Tyrell Mims intercepted a Hampton pass at the 29-yard line. The Wildcats were unable to move the ball and Ethan Gettman missed a 29-yard field goal attempt. But Gettman got another chance later in the quarter. This time, he booted a 42-yard field goal with 2:13 left to make it 7-3 at the end of the opening quarter.

Neither team was able to mount a drive the rest of the half and the Wildcats took a 10-7 lead to the locker room. Both defenses excelled in the opening half. The Pirate defense limited the Wildcats to just 95 total yards, less than three yards per play and Villanova completed just 3-of-13 passes. Hampton had 102 yards on offense with 92 yards on the ground. The offensive star for the Pirates was Snipes who finished the opening half with 70 yards rushing on 10 totes.

The Wildcats offense came to life in the second half. Taking the second-half kickoff, Villanova drove 52 yards in 10 plays. The Pirate defense stiffened and Gettman booted a 40-yard field goal to put the Wildcats up 13-7 with 10:06 left in the third quarter.

On their next possession, Wildcat quarterback Connor Watkins hit Jaylan Sanchez with a 72-yard pass to the Hampton one-yard line. On the next play, linebacker Brendan Bell lined up in the backfield. Bell got the handoff and dove into the endzone for the score giving Villanova a 20-7 lead with 4:59 left in the third quarter.

Hampton’s offense took control on the ensuing possession. Sparked by a 27-yard pass from Zellous to Snipes, Hampton scored its first touchdown since its initial possession of the game. Zellous scored from one-yard out with 1:03 left in the third quarter and Brian Csehoski’s extra point cut the Hampton deficit to 20-14.

The defenses took control in the fourth quarter and neither team threatened to score. Snipes finished with 85 yards on the ground and Zellous rushed for one touchdown and passed for another to lead the HBCU by the Bay. Freshman Michael Matthews-Canty had seven tackles as did Akie Nance and Tre Everett.

The HBCU football Pirates return to action next Saturday when Hampton plays at Towson in CAA football action on Nov. 9 at 1:00 p.m.