Connor Caldon

26

Winner

Rhode Island
URI

6-1, 3-0

9

New Hampshire
UNH

4-3, 2-1

Winner

Rhode Island
URI

6-1, 3-0

26

9

New Hampshire
UNH

4-3, 2-1

Score per quarter

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	F
URI Rhode Island	0	2	17	7	26
UNH New Hampshire	0	3	0	6	9

Game overview: Football | 10/19/2024 4:06:00 PM

How it happened

No. 16/17 Rhode Island (6-1, 3-0 CAA Football) dominated on defense and special teams as it defeated No. 19/24 New Hampshire 26-9 on Saturday afternoon.

The defense held New Hampshire without a touchdown until the final minute of play. Rhode Island’s punt coverage team had a block punt for a safety and a fumble return for a touchdown on a day when scoring was difficult for much of the game. It was the team’s first road win against the Wildcats in nearly three decades, dating back to 1995.

Rhode Island then broke the scoreless tie Moses Meus broke through and blocked a punt on special teams. The Rams had a chance to get the ball back in the end zone, but couldn’t fall on it. New Hampshire recovered, but the play went for a safety, giving Rhody a 2-0 lead.

No. 19/24 New Hampshire responded on the next possession by driving 57 yards in 11 plays. After not recording a first down on their first six possessions, the Wildcats (4-3, 2-1 CAA Football) converted four on the drive. However, the drive stalled at the Rhode Island 27-yard line, and UNH settled for a 45-yard field goal by Nick Mazzie to take a 3–2 lead into halftime.

On the opening drive of the second half, cornerback Fredrick Mallay intercepted UNH quarterback Seth Morgan to give Rhody a first down at the New Hampshire 48-yard line. Malik Grant had a catch-and-run of 35 yards to get the Rams into the red for the first time, but the drive stalled at the UNH 3-yard line. Ty Groff hit a 20-yard field goal to put the Rams back in front, 5-3.

It was special teams again that came up big for Rhode Island. Devin Walter kicked the ball to the New Hampshire 10-yard line, where Casey McKinney muffed the kick. Freddie Camp recovered the ball in the end zone for the first touchdown of the game, putting Rhody ahead 12-3 with 6:33 left in the third quarter.

After another defensive stand, Rhody began a drive on his own 15-yard line. After several running plays softened UNH’s defense, Devin Farrell hit Marquise Buchanan deep over the middle for a 57-yard touchdown strike that extended the lead to 19-3 just before the end of the third quarter.

Rhode Island tightened the game with a short-yardage drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run Tommy Smith. After Grant ran 22 yards to set up first and goal, Smith took a direct strike from the Wildcat for the decisive score. UNH scored an insignificant touchdown in the final minute.

Inside the Box score

• Rhode Island is now 6-7 against ranked opponents since 2021. The Rams were 15-90 against top 25 teams before that.
• With the win, the Rams won six or more games in four straight seasons for the first time in five consecutive years from 1981-85.
• The Rams have won five games in a row.
• Linebacker Cole Brockwell – CAA Football’s leading tackler – had nine tackles, including a tackle for loss.
• Linebacker Devin Hightower and cornerback Fredrick Mallay had eight tackles each. Mallay also had his first interception of the season.
• Linebacker Gabe Solomons had six tackles and combined with Cole Brockwell on a bag.
• Defensive back Emmanuel Gomes made seven stops and broke up one pass.
• Linebacker AJ Pena had two sacks that resulted in a loss of 20 yards.
• Pena now ranks fourth in program history with 21.5 career sacks. He trails only Frank Ferrara (33.0), Lou D’Agostino (24.0) and LaJhon Jones (23.0).
• The Rams did not allow a first down until the 4:40 mark of the second quarter, as New Hampshire had none in its first six drives.
• The defense held New Hampshire to 2-for-15 on third down and 1-for-4 on fourth down. The Wildcats entered the game 5-for-9 on fourth downs on the year.
• URI’s defense limited New Hampshire to 94 offensive yards in the first half.
• Run back Malik Grant rushed for 127 yards and added two catches for 47 yards. It was his third 100-meter rushing meet of the year, all of which came in the last four meets.
• Kicker Ty Groff is now 5-for-6 on field goals and 21-for-21 on extra points this season
• Wide receiver Marquise Buchanan’s 57-yard touchdown catch was his longest reception of the season. He has caught a touchdown pass in three straight games and four of the last five.
• Buchanan finished with four catches for 62 yards.
• The safety for Rhode Island in the second quarter was the team’s first since Jake Fire had one at Bryant in 2022 27 games ago.
• Tight end Brady Roark and defensive back Seun Filaoje served as game captains while a wide receiver Marquis Buchanan was the anchor bearer.
• The scout team players of the week were defensive lineman Bless Nyanneh and wide receiver Tyler Poirier. This is the second time in three weeks that Poirier has received the recognition.
• After being flagged five times for 55 yards in the first quarter. Rhode Island settled down and was whistled only three times over 20 yards in the final three periods.

Next

Rhode Island hosts Maine on Saturday, October 26 for the Homecoming Game. Kickoff is at 12:05 PM on FloFootball.com.