Joseph Williams absolutely went off, carving up the field for 206 rushing yards and three touchdowns as Holy Cross dropped No. 21 Richmond 33-14 on Saturday. The Crusaders scored 26 unanswered points, completely flipping the script after a tough start and shutting down a ranked opponent.
Williams Answers Every Shot Richmond Threw
Richmond actually landed the first blow, with Aziz Foster-Powell punching in a 3-yard touchdown run to cap their opening drive. That was his eighth score of the season, and you could feel the momentum swinging their way early. But Williams had an immediate answer, busting loose for a 21-yard touchdown run to keep Holy Cross right in it. The Spiders, however, weren’t ready to back down. Ashten Snelsire found Andreas Hill for an 11-yard score, putting Richmond back up by seven points. Williams again pulled Holy Cross close, scoring on a 3-yard run in the second quarter to make it 14-13. The back-and-forth was intense, but you could tell Holy Cross was building something.
Crusaders Close the Door in a Big Way
The Crusaders finally took the lead for good late in the third quarter when Jake Croce hammered it in from 2 yards out. That score felt like a turning point, and Holy Cross never looked back. Williams then exploded in the fourth quarter, ripping off a massive 62-yard touchdown run that blew the game wide open. Croce wasn’t done either, adding another 2-yard score with just over five minutes left to seal the deal. Holy Cross ended up rushing for a dominant 323 yards and five touchdowns, averaging an insane 7.5 yards per carry. On the other side, Richmond, ranked No. 21 in the Stats Perform FCS poll, couldn’t buy a score after the first quarter. They were held scoreless for the final three quarters and finished with just 209 total yards. Snelsire, their quarterback, managed 81 yards passing with one touchdown and an interception. Holy Cross just took control and never let go.
Next up, Richmond has to regroup quickly as they head to Villanova next Saturday. Holy Cross, riding high after this performance, will be on the road to face Georgetown next Saturday. Can they keep that offensive fire burning? We’ll be watching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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