VMI shut out 38-0 by East Tennessee State at Foster Stadium

VMI fell to 0-8 on Saturday, shut out 38-0 by East Tennessee State in front of the home crowd at Foster Stadium in Lexington. The Keydets are 0-3 at home and 0-4 in conference play.

The Buccaneers (6-2, 4-0 in conference) scored in every quarter and finished with 482 total yards to VMI's 143.

How it unfolded

East Tennessee State took a 7-0 lead on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Mason Mims to Khristian Means with 1:19 left in the first quarter. Ewan Johnson added a 37-yard field goal at 6:49 of the second, and Mims found Tyler Griffin from 23 yards out with 2:29 left in the half for a 17-0 lead.

Jason Albritton ran for a 7-yard score at 7:09 of the third to make it 24-0. In the fourth, Suderian Harrison hit Griffin from 13 yards for a touchdown, and TJ Peyton closed the scoring with a 28-yard touchdown run at 6:10.

Mims completed 22 of 25 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Griffin caught seven passes for 56 yards and two scores. Peyton ran 15 times for 121 yards and a touchdown, and the Buccaneers rushed for 272 yards at 6.0 per carry. They converted all five of their fourth-down tries and held the ball for 34:32.

VMI's offense

The Keydets managed six first downs and went 3 for 12 on third down. Ian Reynolds completed 2 of 5 passes for 13 yards and also carried 10 times for 14 yards. VMI's drives ended in punts on its first 8 possessions of the day, and the offense gained 130 yards on 37 rushes.

JoJo Crump led the Keydets with 54 rushing yards on five carries, including a 47-yard run in the fourth quarter that set up VMI's deepest push. That drive reached the ETSU29, but Jack Joyce's 47-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Xavier Porter with 2:54 left. Traveion Slaughter had the lone catch of note, 12 yards.

Ben Shrewsbury punted eight times for 393 yards, a 49.1 average, with a long of 58.

VMI's defense

Ethan Haston led VMI with 10 tackles, and Nic Land added nine. Jacob Moore had two sacks and two tackles for loss, and Steven Riveros added a sack.

Next up

VMI plays at Chattanooga on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. ET.