For the University of Rhode Island football team, Saturday’s 46-44 double overtime win over Hampton University displayed both resilience and concern.
“It was an outstanding finish, an outstanding test of character and perseverance by our kids,” URI Head Coach Jim Fleming said. “Obviously on the flip side of that, let’s not get into those situations by playing as horribly as we did at certain times.”
On the positive side, the Rams were able to erase a 31-17 deficit in the final seven minutes of the contest, forcing overtime with a touchdown from sixth-year Malik Grant with 24 seconds left in regulation.
Grant’s score marked his fourth on the season, all of which have been scored in the last two games for the Rams. The running back found the endzone three times against Long Island University on Sept. 21.
Rhode Island’s ground game commanded their offense against the Pirates, with three total scores on the ground. Fourth-year running back Deon Silas collected two scores to complement the buzzer-beater from Grant to force additional football.
“I think we’ve seen [success rushing the ball] over the last two weeks,” Fleming said. “It’s critically important when I look out and those guys are getting positive yards.”
However, for the Rams, getting to overtime was not seamless. Their initial game-tying extra-point-attempt was blocked right before regulation expired, but a flag for offsides on Hampton gave Rhode Island a second chance, which they did not miss.
Both teams successfully scored touchdowns on their opening drive of overtime, however after Hampton’s mandatory two-point conversion attempt went awry, third-year quarterback Devin Farrell’s legs got the job done to not only score the winning touchdown, but also the game-winning two-point conversion as well.
Despite the win, the “situations of playing horribly” that Fleming mentioned were apparent majorly in the beginning of the game, with Rhode Island turning the ball over three times in the first half.
Just two of Rhode Island’s seven first-half drives ended with a score: a field goal from second-year Ty Groff in the first quarter and a rushing touchdown from Silas in the second quarter.
Rhode Island also continued the quarterback carousel this week, with both Farrell and fifth-year quarterback Hunter Helms splitting reps. Helms started the game on Saturday, and through his first three offensive drives, the Rams were unable to score a touchdown. When Farrell was substituted in, the Rams scored a touchdown on their first offensive drive with the third-year arm.
The only game this season where the Rams played just one quarterback was against Campbell University on Sep. 14, where the Rams started Farrell and won 21-9, their largest margin of victory this season.
In the end, it was Rhode Island’s ability to score touchdowns on their final five drives of the game, including three of them coming in regulation, that made the difference down the stretch. Farrell was the quarterback in all five.
The Rams will continue their season this Saturday against in-state rival Brown University in the annual Governor’s Cup at Meade Stadium. The game kicks off at 1 p.m. and can be streamed on FloSports.
