October 24, 2026 | Lexington, Virginia
LEXINGTON, Va. — The East Tennessee State Buccaneers continued their push toward a Southern Conference championship Saturday afternoon, delivering a commanding 38-0 victory over the VMI Keydets at Foster Stadium in Lexington, Virginia.
The No. 18 Buccaneers improved to 6-2 overall and 4-0 in Southern Conference play, keeping their undefeated conference record intact. Meanwhile, VMI dropped to 0-8 overall and 0-4 in the SoCon as the Keydets continued searching for their first victory of the season.
From the opening quarter to the final whistle, ETSU controlled the contest on both sides of the football, combining an efficient offensive performance with a dominant defensive showing that left the Keydets without an answer.
Quarterback Mason Mims led the Buccaneers' offensive attack, completing 22 of his 25 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception. Mims wasted little time getting ETSU on the scoreboard, connecting with Khristian Means for a 19-yard touchdown late in the first quarter to give the Buccaneers a 7-0 advantage.
ETSU continued building its lead in the second quarter when kicker Ewan Johnson converted a 37-yard field goal, extending the advantage to 10-0. Later in the quarter, Mims connected with Tyler Griffin for a 23-yard touchdown pass, sending the Buccaneers into the locker room with a comfortable 17-0 halftime lead.
While the passing game provided several key moments, the Buccaneers also established themselves on the ground, rushing for 272 yards and averaging six yards per carry. Running back TJ Payton led the rushing attack with 121 yards on 15 carries, including a 28-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that capped off ETSU's scoring.
Jason Albritton also contributed to the ground game, finding the end zone on a seven-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter. Griffin added another touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, hauling in a 13-yard pass from Suderian Harrison. Griffin finished the afternoon with seven receptions for 56 yards and two touchdowns.
By the time the final whistle sounded, the Buccaneers had accumulated 482 yards of total offense, demonstrating their ability to move the football through both the passing and rushing attacks.
However, as impressive as the offense was, ETSU's defense arguably delivered the biggest statement of the afternoon.
The Buccaneers completely shut down VMI's offensive attack, holding the Keydets to just 143 total yards and six first downs. VMI managed only 13 passing yards, completing two of five attempts, while struggling to establish any consistent offensive momentum.
ETSU's defense recorded two sacks, forced eight punts, and prevented VMI from reaching the red zone throughout the contest. The Keydets simply could not find a way to move the football consistently against a Buccaneer defense that appeared determined to preserve the shutout.
The statistical difference between the two programs illustrated just how one-sided Saturday's matchup became. ETSU recorded 32 first downs compared to VMI's six, converted all five of its fourth-down attempts, and scored on all four of its red-zone opportunities.
The Buccaneers also controlled the time of possession, holding the football for 34 minutes and 32 seconds compared to VMI's 25 minutes and 28 seconds.
For ETSU, the victory represents another important step in what has become an increasingly promising Southern Conference campaign. With four conference victories and no losses, the Buccaneers remain firmly in the conference championship conversation as the regular season enters its final stretch.
Saturday's performance also demonstrated the balance that has helped ETSU find success this season. Whether through Mims' efficiency in the passing game, Payton's production on the ground, or a defense capable of completely shutting down an opponent, the Buccaneers have shown they possess multiple ways to win football games.
Still, the road ahead will present additional challenges, and maintaining that consistency will be essential if ETSU hopes to turn its strong conference start into a championship and a potential appearance in the FCS playoffs.
The Buccaneers will now turn their attention toward their next matchup, returning home to Johnson City on Saturday, October 31, to face Tennessee Tech.
For ETSU, the mission remains the same: continue winning, protect the undefeated conference record, and keep building momentum as the postseason approaches.
The Buccaneers traveled to Lexington, put 38 points on the scoreboard, surrendered none, and returned to East Tennessee with another Southern Conference victory.
And if Saturday's performance proved anything, it's that these Buccaneers have no intention of slowing down.
For continued coverage of ETSU Athletics, including game recaps, breaking news, player performances, and more, follow @etsubucseverything on Instagram and @tristaretsu on X.
