Hunter Rice runs for 138 yards, 4 TDs as VMI holds off Western Carolina 27-24

By The Associated Press

LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) — Hunter Rice ran for 138 yards and four touchdowns and VMI dashed Western Carolina’s playoff hopes with a 27-24 win. Rice scored on a pair of 7-yard runs and added a 63-yard burst before his 1-yard plunge in the first minute of the fourth quarter to make it 27-10. The Catamounts mounted a comeback and pulled within three on Brody Palhegyi’s 4-yard run with nine minutes to go. But the Keydets responded by chewing up more than seven minutes before missing a field goal. Western Carolina picked up a first down before the drive stalled out near midfield with a minute left. Palhegyi was 18 of 31 for 254 yards, a touchdown and an interception.