1985 VMI Keydets football team

The 1985 VMI Keydets football team was an American football team that represented the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their first year under head coach Eddie Williamson, the team compiled an overall record of 3–7–1 with a mark of 1–4–1 in conference play, placing seventh in the SoCon.^[1] Williamson was hired from Georgia in December 1984 to succeed Bob Thalman as head coach of the Keydets.^[2]

1985 VMI Keydets football
Conference	Southern Conference
Record	3–7–1 (1–4–1 SoCon)
Head coach	Eddie Williamson (1st season)
Home stadium	Alumni Memorial Field
Seasons ← 1984 1986 →

1985 Southern Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. T–2 Furman $^	6	–	0	–	0			12	–	2	–	0
No. T–12 Appalachian State	6	–	1	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Chattanooga	5	–	2	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Marshall	3	–	3	–	1			7	–	3	–	1
The Citadel	2	–	4	–	1			5	–	5	–	1
Western Carolina	2	–	4	–	1			4	–	6	–	1
VMI	1	–	4	–	1			3	–	7	–	1
East Tennessee State	0	–	7	–	0			0	–	10	–	1
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 14	at Virginia*	Scott Stadium Charlottesville, VA	L 15–40	37,500	[3]
September 21	Richmond*	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA (rivalry)	L 14–28	6,800	[4]
September 28	at North Carolina*	Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC	L 7–51	49,250	[5]
October 5	The Citadel	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA (rivalry)	T 14–14	5,500	[6]
October 12	East Tennessee State	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	W 23–19	5,900	[7]
October 19	at Marshall	Fairfield Stadium Huntington, WV	L 16–21	17,815	[8]
October 26	William & Mary*	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA (rivalry)	W 39–38	5,700	[9]
November 2	at Appalachian State	Conrad Stadium Boone, NC	L 10–26	4,600	[10]
November 9	James Madison*	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	W 14–7	5,900	[11]
November 16	at Chattanooga	Chamberlain Field Chattanooga, TN	L 7–54	5,652	[12]
November 23	at Western Carolina	E. J. Whitmire Stadium Cullowhee, NC	L 30–35	6,160	[13]
*Non-conference game

References

1. "1985 VMI Keydets football schedule". VMI Athletics. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
2. "VMI hires Georgia aide as head coach". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. December 20, 1984. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Virginia rips Keydets in opener". The Charlotte Observer. September 15, 1985. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Spiders' perfect mark intact". Daily Press. September 22, 1985. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Heels bruise outmanned VMI, 51–7". The News and Observer. September 29, 1985. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "The Citadel rallies to salvage tie with winless VMI". The State. October 6, 1983. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Hard-luck Bucs fall victim to VMI again". Johnson City Press. October 13, 1985. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Marshall edges VMI". The Daily News Leader. October 20, 1985. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "VMI gambled – W&M paid". Daily Press. October 27, 1985. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Appalachian State rushes past Keydets". Daily Press. November 3, 1985. Retrieved January 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Comer fires Keydets over Madison, 14–7". Daily Press. November 10, 1985. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Mocs thrash VMI, 54–7". The Daily News Leader. November 17, 1985. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "WCU rallies past VMI". Asheville Citizen-Times. November 24, 1985. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.