# 2017 Richmond Spiders football team

The 2017 Richmond Spiders football team represented the University of Richmond in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Russ Huesman and played their home games at E. Claiborne Robins Stadium. The Spiders were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. They finished the season 6–5, 4–4 in CAA play to finish in sixth place.

## Coaching change

Russ Huesman, who previously served as defensive coordinator for the Spiders from 2004–2008 including the Spiders' national championship year of 2008, returned to the program after serving as head coach at Chattanooga for eight seasons. He replaced Danny Rocco, who served as head coach of the Spiders for five seasons before taking the same position at Delaware.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 3 Sam Houston State* | No. 7 | McLane StadiumWaco, TX | ESPN3 | L 34–48 | 8,048 |
| September 9 | 1:00 p.m. | at Colgate* | No. 9 | Crown Field at Andy Kerr StadiumHamilton, NY | STADIUM | W 20–17 | 6,994 |
| September 16 | 2:00 p.m. | Howard* | No. 8 | Robins StadiumRichmond, VA | CSN MA+ | W 68–21 | 8,217 |
| September 23 | 6:00 p.m. | Elon | No. 8 | Robins StadiumRichmond, VA | WTVR DT3 | L 33–36 | 8,217 |
| October 7 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 24 Albany | No. 14 | Robins StadiumRichmond, VA | NBCS WA+ | W 41–38 $^{2OT}$ | 8,217 |
| October 14 | 4:00 p.m. | at Towson | No. 13 | Johnny Unitas StadiumTowson, MD | FSGO | W 23–3 | 5,768 |
| October 21 | 3:30 p.m. | at Delaware | No. 11 | Delaware StadiumNewark, DE | CSL | L 35–42 $^{2OT}$ | 15,710 |
| October 28 | 3:00 p.m. | No. 22 Stony Brook | No. 19 | Robins StadiumRichmond, VA | CSL | L 24–27 | 8,217 |
| November 4 | 1:00 p.m. | at No. 20 Villanova | | Villanova StadiumVillanova, PA | NNAA | W 22–0 | 3,508 |
| November 11 | 3:30 p.m. | at No. 1 James Madison | | Bridgeforth StadiumHarrisonburg, VA (rivalry) | MASN2 | L 13–20 | 24,586 |
| November 18 | 3:00 p.m. | William & Mary | | Robins StadiumRichmond, VA (Capital Cup) | NBCS WA | W 27–20 | 8,057 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS FCS Poll released prior to game Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time ||||||||
* ↑ Game was originally scheduled for August 27, but postponed and relocated due to Hurricane Harvey.
* Source: Schedule

## Game summaries
### At Sam Houston State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 7 Spiders | 6 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 34 |
| No. 3 Bearkats | 6 | 35 | 7 | 0 | 48 |

### At Colgate

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 9 Spiders | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 20 |
| Raiders | 0 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 17 |

### Howard

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bison | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| No. 8 Spiders | 14 | 34 | 13 | 7 | 68 |

### Elon

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Phoenix | 6 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 36 |
| No. 8 Spiders | 7 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 33 |

### Albany

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total |
| No. 24 Great Danes | 0 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 38 |
| No. 14 Spiders | 0 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 41 |

### At Towson

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 13 Spiders | 7 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 23 |
| Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |

### At Delaware

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | Total |
| No. 11 Spiders | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 35 |
| Fightin' Blue Hens | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 42 |

### Stony Brook

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 22 Seawolves | 7 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
| No. 19 Spiders | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 |

### At Villanova

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Spiders | 3 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 22 |
| No. 20 Wildcats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

### At James Madison

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Spiders | 0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| No. 1 Dukes | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 20 |

### William & Mary

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tribe | 0 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 20 |
| Spiders | 0 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 27 |

## Ranking movements

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes т = Tied with team above or below :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Final |
| STATS FCS | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 19 | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV |
| Coaches | 7 | 9 | 6–T | 6 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 17 | RV | RV | RV | RV | — |