# 2018 VMI Keydets football team

The 2018 VMI Keydets football team represented the Virginia Military Institute in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. It was VMI's 128th football season. The Keydets were led by fourth-year head coach Scott Wachenheim. They played their home games at 10,000–seat Alumni Memorial Field at Foster Stadium. They were a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon). They finished the season 1–10, 0–8 in SoCon play to finish in last place.

## Preseason
### Preseason media poll

The SoCon released their preseason media poll on July 25, 2018, with the Keydets predicted to finish in last place. The same day the coaches released their preseason poll with the Keydets also predicted to finish in last place.
Media poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Samford | 204 (20) |
| 2 | Furman | 174 (2) |
| 3 | Wofford | 163 (1) |
| 4 | Mercer | 133 |
| 5 | Western Carolina | 114 |
| 6 | Chattanooga | 88 |
| 7 | The Citadel | 83 |
| 8 | East Tennessee State | 53 |
| 9 | VMI | 23 |
Coaches poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Samford | 63 (7) |
| 2 | Wofford | 53 (1) |
| 3 | Furman | 52 (1) |
| 4 | Western Carolina | 39 |
| 5 | Chattanooga | 34 |
| 6 | Mercer | 32 |
| 7 | The Citadel | 28 |
| 8 | East Tennessee State | 15 |
| 9 | VMI | 8 |

#### Preseason All-SoCon teams

The Keydets placed one player on the preseason all-SoCon teams.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 7:00 p.m. | at Toledo* | Glass BowlToledo, OH | ESPN3 | L 3–66 | 24,136 |
| September 8 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 8 Wofford | Gibbs StadiumSpartanburg, SC | ESPN+ | L 14–59 | 4,957 |
| September 14 | 2:30 p.m. | East Tennessee State | Alumni Memorial FieldLexington, VA | ESPN+ | L 24–27 | 2,764 |
| September 22 | 3:30 p.m. | at Western Carolina | E. J. Whitmire StadiumCullowhee, NC | ESPN+ | L 50–52 | 12,759 |
| September 29 | 1:30 p.m. | Mercer | Alumni Memorial FieldLexington, VA | ESPN3 | L 38–48 | 3,251 |
| October 13 | 2:00 p.m. | at Samford | Seibert StadiumHomewood, AL | ESPN+ | L 22–73 | 4,163 |
| October 20 | 1:30 p.m. | The Citadel | Alumni Memorial FieldLexington, VA (Military Classic of the South) | ESPN3 | L 32–34 | 7,002 |
| October 27 | 3:00 p.m. | at Chattanooga | Finley StadiumChattanooga, TN | ESPN+ | L 27–34 | 8,201 |
| November 3 | 1:30 p.m. | Tusculum* | Alumni Memorial FieldLexington, VA | ESPN+ | W 20–11 | 3,617 |
| November 10 | 1:30 p.m. | Furman | Alumni Memorial FieldLexington, VA | ESPN+ | L 13–49 | 3,922 |
| November 17 | 2:00 p.m. | at Old Dominion* | Foreman FieldNorfolk, VA (Oyster Bowl) | ESPN+ | L 14–77 | 20,118 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||
Source:
* ↑ This game was originally scheduled for September 15. It was moved up one day in anticipation of Hurricane Florence.

## Game summaries
### At Toledo

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Keydets | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Rockets | 21 | 21 | 21 | 3 | 66 |

### At Wofford

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Keydets | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| No. 8 Terriers | 21 | 21 | 17 | 0 | 59 |

### East Tennessee State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Buccaneers | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
| Keydets | 0 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 24 |

### At Western Carolina

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Keydets | 14 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 50 |
| Catamounts | 14 | 7 | 21 | 10 | 52 |

### Mercer

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 13 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 48 |
| Keydets | 7 | 13 | 0 | 18 | 38 |

### At Samford

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Keydets | 9 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Bulldogs | 14 | 28 | 24 | 7 | 73 |

### The Citadel

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bulldogs | 7 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 34 |
| Keydets | 7 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 32 |

### At Chattanooga

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Keydets | 14 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 27 |
| Mocs | 7 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 34 |

### Tusculum

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Pioneers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 11 |
| Keydets | 0 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 20 |

### Furman

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Paladins | 21 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 49 |
| Keydets | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13 |

### At Old Dominion

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Keydets | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Monarchs | 21 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 77 |