William & Mary uses third-quarter highlights to beat Lafayette in home opener

After suffering a 43-point season-opening loss to Virginia on Sept. 4, William & Mary came into Saturday’s home opener hoping to make a statement.

Against Lafayette College, William & Mary erupted in the third quarter for a pair of highlight-reel-worthy touchdown plays for a decisive 24-3 victory at Zable Stadium.

“This week was an opportunity to flip that script, because as a (defensive) unit we do feel like we have great players and we can be great together. ... We’ve just got to keep building,” safety Gage Herdman said.

In the third quarter, Herdman found himself in the right place at the right time, plucking a deflected Rent Montie pass out of the air and returning it 78 yards for the game’s first touchdown to spark William & Mary’s second-half run.

Prior to the sudden second-half theatrics, the game had been slow, with both offenses struggling to sustain drives and stay on the field.

Heading into the break, the Tribe clung to a 3-0 lead after a 36-yard field goal from Ethan Chang, and at the start of the third quarter, it didn’t seem like much change was on the way. After William & Mary went three-and-out to open the quarter, the visitors from Pennsylvania came back with a long drive, marching from its 22-yard line to the William & Mary 23.

With the Tribe on its heels, Herdman made an “explosive play,” W&M coach Mike London said.

“That’s the way football goes,” London added. “Sometimes you go with the ebb and flow, and the ability to withstand what they’re doing and make an explosive play like that for a score is critical.”

William & Mary’s defense came up big again on the ensuing drive, stopping Lafayette on fourth down to give the ball back to the Tribe’s offense on the Leopards’ 49-yard line. Two plays later, William & Mary found the end zone again, this time on a play you’d have to see to believe.

On second-and-12, Hollis Mathis dropped back and sent a pass in the direction of tight end Anthony Mague, who ended up flat on the turf. The ball bounced off of his outstretched hands and into the waiting arms of Cole Blackman, who grabbed it in full stride and ran it in for the 38-yard score to give the Tribe a 17-0 lead.

Mathis, who started his first game since suffering an injury in the spring, finished with 106 total yards, including 96 on 9-of-20 passing.

Throughout the game, the Tribe defense stayed stout, coming up with three takeaways, including a fourth-quarter interception returned for a touchdown by Quinn Osborne, and hurrying Lafayette’s offense off the field on nearly every drive.

“I thought the defense played excellent tonight,” London said. “Obviously, when you get a chance to score on defense twice, get some fourth-down stops. We had several sacks, tackles for loss, the quarterback was under duress most of the time, and that’s a sign of a good defense.

“You like to click on all three cylinders, but sometimes one of the units or two of the units have to see you through.”