LEXINGTON, VA. - The Coastal Carolina University football team gave up 28 unanswered points in the second half and fell at VMI, 47-20, Oct. 11 in a Big South Conference game. With their second-straight conference loss, the Chanticleers fell to 3-4 overall and 0-2 in Big South play, while the Keydets moved to 3-3 and 1-0 in the league with their first Big South win in over three years.

VMI got on the board with the opening drive of the game, mixing the run and pass throughout the 11-play, 79-yard march over 5:13. Chaz Jones burst into the end zone from three yards out and Greg Stevens extra-point attempt made it 7-0 Keydets early in the first quarter.

Coastal Carolina got the ball back in great position, as safety Keon Cunningham intercepted quarterback Kyle Hughes' pass to give the Chants the ball on the VMI 21. It took one play to get on the board, as running back Eric O'Neal took the option pitch, cut back against the defense and broke three tackles en route to the end zone. Justin Durham tacked on the extra point and the game was knotted at seven with 1:31 remaining in the first quarter.

The Chants' quickly got back on the board but this time the defense got in the act. On 3rd-and-6 at the VMI 25, the Keydets' Tim Maypray was wrapped up and a fumble was forced at the VMI 31 by Brian Harrison. Safety Brandon Autry picked it up at the VMI 31 and scampered the entire distance for a Coastal Carolina touchdown and a 14-7 lead late in the first.

Another turnover was forced by the Chanticleer defense on the second play of the next possession, as defensive lineman Jeremy Harden stripped Maypray of the ball and fell on it at the VMI 37. However, Coastal Carolina could not move the ball and Durham's 42-yarder went wide left, the second missed field goal from at least 40 yards in the game.

VMI got a chance deep in Chant territory after Jacob Rochester intercepted Zach MacDowall's pass and returned it to the Coastal Carolina 14. However, the defense held and forced a field goal attempt, which Stevens hit from 24 yards to cut the Chanticleer lead to 14-10 with 5:10 to play in the first half.

Coastal Carolina answered on its ensuing drive, going 72 yards in seven plays over 2:38. MacDowall connected with Marquel Willis on a 5-yard pass for the touchdown to put the Chants up 20-10 with 2:32 remaining in the half. However, VMI blocked the ensuing point after attempt and Juan Thrasher picked it up and returned it the distance for two points for the Keydets to cut the lead to 20-12.

The Keydets took the momentum and went quickly down the field, taking just 1:50 to go nine plays and 80 yards. Jones posted his second touchdown of the game, going in from five yards out, with the point after attempt cutting the margin to 20-19 with 35.2 remaining in the half. Coastal Carolina kneeled on the ball to go into the halftime locker room with a one-point advantage.

VMI held on Coastal Carolina's first possession and was pinned back on its own 10. On the second play, Hughes hooked up with Zack Collins, who broke through the defense for a 90-yard touchdown, the second longest pass completion in school history. Stevens point after gave the Keydets back the lead at 26-20 with 10:47 to go in the third.

The Keydets got going again after an interception by Thrasher gave VMI the ball on its own 44. The Keydets moved quickly down the field, going 56 yards in four plays and 1:19. Maypray connected with Michael Rainey-Wiles from 20 yards out on a touchdown pass and Stevens tacked on the PAT for a 33-20 VMI lead with 8:01 to go in the third.

VMI continued its offensive prowess on the day, as Hughes tossed a 21-yard touchdown to Rainey-Wiles to cap off a 12-play, 80-yard drive over 6:09. The extra point put the Keydets up 40-20 with 9.2 seconds remaining in the third.

The Keydets dominated the statistics as well, posting 546 yards of total offense as compared to just 252 for the Chants, while controlling the ball for 35:18 of the clock. VMI, the top rushing team in the country, has 336 yards of rushing on the day on 59 carries and outgained Coastal Carolina through the air 210-151.

Coastal Carolina had two players rush for 24 yards each in MacDowall and O'Neal. Through the air, MacDowall was 13-for-25 for 141 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, with Willis catching four balls for 44 yards and one score.

VMI was paced by Maypray, who rushed for 155 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, while Jones had 14 carries for 53 yards and two scores. Hughes was the most effective through the air, going 8-for-12 for 191 yards, two touchdowns and just one interception. Zack Collins had two catches for a game-high 96 yards and one touchdown.

The Chanticleers return home for a pair of games, starting with North Carolina Central, Sat., Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. There will be a halftime ceremony recognizing the 2008 class of the Sasser Athletic Hall of Fame - baseball's Brandon Powell and softball's Holly Lee.