RICHMOND, Va. — In a decisive performance, Zach Palmer-Smith rushed for 129 yards and scored a touchdown, while Camden Coleman contributed two rushing touchdowns, leading Richmond to a 27-0 victory over William & Mary on Saturday. This win secured the top seed in the Coastal Athletic Association for the Spiders (FCS No. 7, 10-2, 8-0), who will enter the FCS Playoffs as the CAA’s leading team for the second consecutive year, having shared the conference title last season. Remarkably, it marks Richmond’s first time achieving back-to-back conference championships since they claimed victories in the Southern Conference in 1968 and 1969. This triumph also signifies their third straight playoff berth.

The 135th meeting of this historic rivalry, known as “The Oldest Rivalry in the South,” saw Richmond dominate the ground game, amassing 238 rushing yards while limiting the Tribe to just 164 total yards. The Spiders took control of the game early, with Sean O’Haire hitting a 50-yard field goal and Coleman scoring two short rushing touchdowns, establishing a 17-0 lead by halftime.

In the fourth quarter, O’Haire nailed a 30-yard field goal, and Palmer-Smith capped off the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run. Coleman had a noteworthy game, completing 9 of 14 passes for 69 yards, though he did throw one interception. He also rushed for 73 yards. On the other hand, Darius Wilson managed to go 9-for-19 passing for 95 yards for William & Mary, with one interception as well.

This matchup between Richmond and William & Mary is noteworthy as it ranks as the fourth-most frequent contest in Division I football, following Lafayette-Lehigh (160 games), Princeton-Yale (146), and Harvard-Yale (140). Currently, Richmond holds a narrow edge in the series at 66 wins to 64 losses with 5 ties, having claimed victory in 16 of their last 21 encounters.