RHODE ISLAND VS. HAMPTON - SERIES NOTES

• Saturday's game will be the third in the history between the Rams and the Pirates, which dates back to 1972. 
• Rhode Island has a 2-0 advantage in the series, having won the game in '72 as well as a contest in 2001. 
• The 1972 victory (27-0) was the first-ever night game played by the Rhode Island football team in Kingston.
• In 2001, the Rams' 56-7 road victory was part of the team's seven-game winning streak.
• Hampton finished 3-5 in CAA Football play a year ago, its first in the league. 
• The Pirates are coming off a 49-7 loss to No. 11 William & Mary. The team's lone score in its conference opener came in the opening quarter when Elijah Burris capped off an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a 5-yard run. 
• Hampton has a 2-1 record at Armstrong Stadium in 2024 with wins over Virginia Union (Sept. 7; 33-21) and Howard (Sept. 21; 27-20).
• The team has not had a winning record at home since a 4-2 campaign in 2019.

SAYING GOODBYE TO THE BYE WEEK

• Rhode Island is coming off of its bye week and has not played since a 28-21 road victory at LIU (Sept. 21).
• Since 2015, the Rams are 5-3 in their first games following a bye. Of the five wins, two have come on the road: Harvard (23-16; 2018) and Elon (44-14; 2016). 
• Each of the three losses have been on the road as well. The team fell at New Hampshire twice (27-24, 2019; 20-17, 2015) and at Maine (51-27; 2017).
• Hampton's bye week is scheduled to begin immediately following the game against the Rams. 
• The Pirates will resume action with a game at North Carolina A&T on Saturday, Oct. 19. 
• Rhode Island has eight games remaining on its 2024 docket. 

DEFENSE STANDING TALL

• Rhode Island enters the week fifth in the country in red zone defense. 
• The Rams have had a couple of significant goal line stands to start off the 2024 season.
• In the game against Campbell, Rhody held off the Camels on its own 2-yard line and later broke up a two-point conversion. 
• While on the road at LIU, Rhode Island defended the Sharks from inside their own 10-yard line and later stood tall in yet another goal line stand in the third quarter. 
• Rhody's defense is led by redshirt senior Cole Brockwell's 41 tackles.
• He had a career-high 14 during the game against the Sharks. 
• The inside linebacker is one of five Rams with 20+ tackles this year, joined by junior A.J. Pena (25), redshirt junior Devin Hightower (24), senior Fredrick Mallay (24) and redshirt senior Emmanuel Gomes (20). 

GRANT ON THE GROUND

• Graduate student Malik Grant rushed for three touchdowns and 141 yards during Rhody's 28-21 win at LIU (Sept. 21). 
• The Sacred Heart transfer was a clutch performer, scoring his final TD of the day with just 1:08 left on the clock to boost the Rams to victory. 
• Grant became the first URI player to rush for three scores since Ja'Den McKenzie did so against North Carolina A&T five games before (Oct. 28, 2023). 
• His efforts helped Rhode Island run the ball for a season-best 210 yards. 
• Grant rushed for 3,310 yards in five years with the Pioneers (2019-23).
• He left Sacred Heart with 31 career touchdowns.