Nov. 6, 2004

Box Score

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (AP) - Ricky Santos amassed 216 yards of total offense and passed for one touchdown as New Hampshire defeated Rhode Island, 27-3 on Saturday.

Santos completed 9 of 15 passes for 170 yards and rushed for 46 yards on nine carries to lead New Hampshire (7-2, 4-2). The touchdown pass, a 57-yarder to David Ball in the fourth quarter, was his 21st of the season.

The win assures the Wildcats their first winning season since 2000.

Rhode Island (4-5, 2-4) got on the board when Colin Gallagher kicked a 44-yard field goal with 2:22 left in the third quarter. The Rams only had the ball for jsut 26 minutes and turned the ball over twice.

Sean Lynch gave the Wildcats the first break of the game when he blocked a punt by Justin Cherry barely two minutes after the opening kickoff. John McCoy gave New Hampshire a 7-0 lead by scoring the first of his two touchdowns on a four-yard run.

The Wildcats upped their lead to 14-0 at halftime when McCoy scored on a 3-yard run with 5:29 left in the second quarter.

Connor McCormick kicked the first of two field goals on the day to give New Hampshire a 17-0 lead early in the third quarter.