SPARTANBURG, S.C. (Interstat) — J.T. Fayard completed 16 of 21 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns, and Wofford defeated Virginia Military Institute 41-14 in an NCAA Football Championship Division game on Saturday at Gibbs Stadium. Attendance was 6,102. The Terriers improved to 5-3, while the Keydets fell to 0-7. Wofford scored 21 points in the first quarter, 10 in the second, seven in the third and three in the fourth. VMI scored both of its touchdowns in the first quarter. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Fayard, a quarterback from Katy, Texas, keyed the Terriers’ offense and was the game’s top performer. He had thrown for 130 yards on 11-of-25 passing in Wofford’s previous game, a 16-0 win over Elon.

Fayard spread the ball to several receivers, and the Terriers’ defense and special teams also set the tone. Ivory Aikens, a 5-foot-6, 145-pound receiver, caught four passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, and Anjuan Coleman Jr., a 5-foot-10, 175-pound receiver, had five receptions for 104 yards and a score. Jack Purdy, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound receiver, added two catches for 27 yards, and Terrence Honeywood, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound receiver, had one for 14 yards. Davis Penn ran eight times for 39 yards and caught one pass for 3 yards, while Kaeden Gilstrap, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound quarterback, added a 10-yard run. Gerald Modest Jr. scored on runs of 12, 5 and 65 yards. Conner Deviney, a 5-foot-8, 180-pound kicker, kicked field goals of 29 and 27 yards and added extra points. Cillian Bonner punted twice for 89 yards, Gavin Batt, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound receiver, returned four punts for 81 yards and Colby Alexander, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound receiver, returned a kickoff 24 yards. Ky’Ree Murphy intercepted a pass.

Among the key plays, VMI took an early lead on Grevious’s 54-yard fumble return after Erick Roman forced a fumble, but Wofford scored 21 first-quarter points to build a cushion. Wofford answered with a 29-yard field goal from Deviney. Slaughter’s 61-yard touchdown run followed for the Keydets. Modest scored on 12- and 5-yard runs in the second quarter, and Fayard hit Aikens for a 56-yard touchdown just before halftime. Campbell blocked Joyce’s 52-yard field goal try in the third quarter, and Modest added a 65-yard scoring run. Deviney made a 27-yard field goal, and Fayard connected with Coleman on a 43-yard touchdown in the fourth. Gavin Batt returned a punt 80 yards for an apparent touchdown, but the return was nullified by a holding penalty.

Virginia Military Institute’s Ian Reynolds, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound quarterback, completed 5 of 9 passes for 36 yards and ran six times for 6 yards. The Keydets’ first touchdown came on the 54-yard fumble return by Isaiah Grevious after Erick Roman forced a fumble. Traveion Slaughter later broke free for a 61-yard touchdown run. Zion Trump caught one pass for 6 yards, Cade Cox had one reception for 11 yards and Cole Varner had one for 3 yards. Jack Joyce kicked the extra points. VMI’s defense received seven tackles each from EJ Wilborne, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound defensive back, and Ayden Babich, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound safety. Steven Riveros, a 5-foot-11, 210-pound linebacker, and Erick Roman, a 6-foot, 230-pound linebacker, each made six stops. Isaiah Grevious, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound safety, added six, and Jacob Moore recorded five tackles and two sacks. JoJo Crump, a 6-foot-1, 194-pound quarterback, and Chandler Wilson, a 6-foot, 205-pound quarterback, also saw time at quarterback for the Keydets.

Wofford’s defense got three tackles and a quarterback hurry from Aiden Morris, and Mark Arthur, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound linebacker, and Eli Campbell, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound defensive back, each made three stops. Elijah Washington, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound linebacker, Marek Marcellus and Alijah Williams, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker, each recorded four tackles. Whit Blackburn, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound linebacker, had five stops. Nicholas Mathious had six tackles and a sack, Jacobi Hatter, a 5-foot-10, 188-pound defensive back, made six stops and Logan McCloud, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker, led the Terriers with seven tackles. Ky’Ree Murphy intercepted a pass, and Campbell blocked a 52-yard field goal attempt by Joyce. The Terriers also received tackles from Mike Jones, Palmer Flake, Jordan Johnson, Ramon McCollough Jr., Zayd Rogan, Jeremiah Shelby, Tyce Donnelly, Dh’King Brown, Joseph Polite and Jake Thorner. Cooper Horton and Corley Watson IV each recorded half a sack. Wofford held VMI to 36 passing yards and one offensive touchdown.

Wofford’s special teams also contributed. Bonner averaged 44.5 yards on two punts. Batt returned four punts for 81 yards. Alexander had a 24-yard kickoff return. Murphy intercepted a pass. Campbell blocked a field goal. The Terriers’ defense limited VMI’s passing game throughout.

Wofford’s win came after a 16-0 victory over Elon in its previous game, and the Terriers are 5-3 this season. Wofford’s five wins include a 42-14 victory over Citadel, a 17-13 win over Gardner-Webb, a 32-25 win at Furman and the 16-0 win over Elon. The Terriers’ three losses came against Kent State, Chattanooga and Tennessee Tech. VMI remained winless after a 54-3 loss to Mercer in its previous game. The Keydets have lost all seven of their games, including a 73-3 loss at Virginia Tech, a 45-7 loss at Samford, a 27-24 loss at Davidson, a 14-3 loss to Bucknell and a 38-10 loss at Idaho State. Wofford next visits Samford, while VMI next hosts East Tennessee State. After that, VMI plays at Chattanooga and at Tennessee Tech, and Wofford visits Western Carolina. VMI’s next game is its first home contest since facing Mercer. The game was played before a crowd of 6,102 at Gibbs Stadium.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Wofford 53, Virginia Military Institute 12. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Wofford with a 98.2 percent probability to win.