2002 VMI Keydets football team

2002 VMI Keydets football
Conference	Southern Conference
Record	6–6 (3–5 SoCon)
Head coach	Cal McCombs (4th season)
Offensive coordinator	Jeff Durden (1st season)
Defensive coordinator	Johnny Burnett (1st season)
Home stadium	Alumni Memorial Field
Seasons ←  2001 2003  →

2002 Southern Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 3 Georgia Southern $^		7	–	1					11	–	3
No. 14 Wofford		6	–	2					9	–	3
No. 10 Appalachian State ^		6	–	2					8	–	4
No. 9 Furman ^		6	–	2					8	–	4
VMI		3	–	5					6	–	6
Western Carolina		3	–	5					5	–	6
East Tennessee State		2	–	6					4	–	8
Chattanooga		2	–	6					2	–	10
The Citadel		1	–	7					3	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network I-AA Poll

The 2002 VMI Keydets football team represented the Virginia Military Institute during the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season. It was the Keydets' 112th year of football, and their 79th and final season in the Southern Conference until 2014 ^[1] ).

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 31	at Charleston Southern *	Buccaneer Field North Charleston, SC	W 27–24	2,417	[2]
September 7	Davidson *	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	W 41–16	5,923	[3]
September 14	at William & Mary *	Zable Stadium Williamsburg, VA (rivalry)	L 31–62	9,963	[4]
September 21	at East Tennessee State	Memorial Center Johnson City, TN	L 21–35	4,770	[5]
September 28	No. 7 Furman	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	L 28–55	6,235	[6]
October 5	at No. 18 Georgia Southern	Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA	L 7–52	15,621	[7]
October 12	No. 18 Wofford	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	W 27–16	7,860	[8]
October 19	at Chattanooga	Finley Stadium Chattanooga, TN	W 35–31	5,237	[9]
October 26	Liberty *	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	W 38–14	6,165	[10]
November 2	Western Carolina	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	L 23–35	5,820	[11]
November 9	at No. 14 Appalachian State	Kidd Brewer Stadium Boone, NC	L 13–54	11,007	[12]
November 16	vs. The Citadel	American Legion Memorial Stadium Charlotte, NC (Military Classic of the South)	W 23–21	6,936	[13]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

References

1. "SoCon Adds ETSU, Mercer and VMI". SoConSports.com. May 30, 2013.
2. "VMI snaps long road loss streak". Daily Press. September 1, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
3. "Keydets conquer Davidson". The News and Advance. September 8, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
4. "Dose of reality for Keydets". The Roanoke Times. September 15, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
5. "ETSU outlasts feisty Keydets". Elizabethton Star. September 22, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
6. "Paladins throttle Keydets". Richmond Times-Dispatch. September 29, 2002. Retrieved September 24, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
7. "Georgia Southern crushes VMI". The News-Virginian. October 6, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
8. "VMI downs Wofford in a stunning upset". The News and Advance. October 13, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
9. "VMI rallies to defeat Chattanooga". Daily Press. October 20, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
10. "Keydets marching to a different tune". The Roanoke Times. October 27, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
11. "Keydets' win streak ends at 3". The Daily News Leader. November 3, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
12. "Appy St. pounds VMI". The Daily News Leader. November 10, 2002. Retrieved December 1, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
13. "Forced fumbles, clutch pass plays save VMI". The Charlotte Observer. November 17, 2002. Retrieved July 12, 2025– via Newspapers.com.