How it Happened
A 12-yard rushing touchdown in the final 45 seconds of the game proved to be the difference in Rhode Island's 31-30 loss at Towson on Saturday afternoon.

While the Rams (6-5, 4-4 CAA Football) nearly pulled off the heroic comeback, driving down to the Tigers' (5-6, 4-4 CAA Football) 30, they unfortunately ran out of time. 

Though neither team was necessarily in playoff contention, the game certainly had a postseason feel with plenty of back-and-forth action. It was also highlighted by Ja'Den McKenzie breaking Rhode Island's 69-year-old record when he achieved his 13th rushing touchdown of the season and Kahtero Summers becoming the eighth player in program history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a single campaign. 

Rhode Island had the advantage in total time of possession at 37:43-22:27 but was plagued by a few key errors. A fumble recovery for a touchdown and an interception allowed the Tigers to go up 6-0 in the first quarter. The second period favored Rhode Island on both sides of the ball, as the defense came up with a sack for a loss of nine yards and a blocked punt while the offense put up 20 points. Marquis Buchanan caught a touchdown pass to get the Rams on the board before a rushing score by Ja'Den McKenzie and a field goal from Ty Groff allowed URI to take a 20-12 lead into the break.

While the score continued to favor Rhody in the third, Towson did earn a 13-7 advantage in points to cut the deficit down to 27-25. Rhode Island's points came from McKenzie's historic 13th rushing touchdown. 

The Rams tried to hang on in the fourth and took the Tigers' kicking game out of the equation when Groff made his third field goal of the game with six minutes to go, putting his team up 30-25. Unfortunately, it was the last lead of the game for URI as Towson put together its game-winning drive. 

Inside the Box Score

• Running back Ja'Den McKenzie broke Pat Abbruzzi (1954) and Marques DeShields' (2022) record for single-season touchdowns when he achieved his 13th during the third quarter. The West Chester transfer came to the Rams with just one season of eligibility, which he made the most of. 
• Wide receiver Kahtero Summers finished the year with 1,027 yards thanks to the career-high 163 that he hauled in. His effort is good for eighth-best on URI's single-season list.
• Wideout Marquis Buchanan also surpassed 100 receiving yards (130), marking the first time in 22 games that the Rams had two players with triple-digit receiving yards. Buchanan's effort was also a career-best.
• Linebacker AJ Pena contributed 1.5 TFLs to reach 15.5 on the season, the seventh-most in program history. He also checks into the single-season list in sacks (9.0, 10th). 
• Quarterback Kasim Hill was 23-for-36 and threw for 359 yards with one touchdown. 
• Kicker Ty Groff made a career-best three field goals, becoming the first Ram to do so since Oct. 9, 2021. 
• The trio of left tackle Lorenzo Thompson, center Sebastian Delasoudas and right guard Nick Correia finished their six-year URI careers having started 36 consecutive games on the offensive line.
• Linebacker Declan Williams served as a game captain and defensive lineman Malachi Burby was the anchor bearer.