How it Happened
No. 20/25 Rhode Island (4-1, 2-0 CAA Football) rallied from a pair of second-half, 14-point deficits to pull out a stunning 46-44 double-overtime win at Hampton Saturday.

The first half was a litany of costly, self-inflicted errors by the Rhode Island offense. On Rhody's opening possession, Malik Grant had a 38-yard touchdown nullified by a hold, forcing URI to settle for a field goal.

Hampton (3-3, 0-2 CAA Football) got a field goal of its own to tie the score. Then, on the last play of the period, quarterback Hunter Helms was hit on the blindside by Darius Gooden for a sack and fumble that was scooped by Christopher Eaton for a 6-yard touchdown return.

On URI's next possession, Grant ran for 55 yards on the first snap. He followed that with a 20-yard touchdown run that again was called back by a holding penalty. Three plays after the penalty, Helms was picked off at the Hampton 1-yard line by Darren Burton II, ending the scoring threat.

After the defense forced a punt, Devin Farrell came on at quarterback and the Rams drove 54 yards in four plays for their first touchdown. After a 14-yard run by Farrell, Deon Silas found a hole in the left side of the Hampton defensive line for a 31-yard touchdown run, helping URI tie the game at 10-10.

Hampton put up 14 unanswered points from there. The Pirates used a nine-play, 81-yard drive just before the half ended to reclaim the lead. Quarterback Malcolm Mays punched it in from 2 yards out with 1:56 left in the half. Hampton added to the lead late in the third quarter on a 57-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field from Mays to Brennan Ridley, extending the lead to 24-10.

Needing a response, Rhode Island got just that on its ensuing possession. Farrell connected with Shawn Harris, Jr. for a 42-yard pass that moved the ball to the Hampton 28. A pass interference on the next play advanced the ball to the 14-yard line, and Silas ran through a big hole for his second touchdown of the day as Rhody cut the deficit in half to 24-17 with 1:10 left in the third quarter.

The momentum was short lived. Hampton ate 9:08 off the clock with a 17-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 2-yard pass from Mays to Tymere Robinson, pushing the lead back to 14 points.

Rhody once again responded in short order. Farrell moved the ball 87 yards in three plays. He hit Tommy Smith on back-to-back passes of 22 and 19 yards to get the ball in Hampton territory. After a Pirate offsides penalty, Farrell hit Marquis Buchanan for a 41-yard catch-and-run to pull URI back within 31-24 with 5:56 to go.

The Rhode Island defense produced a three-and-out on the ensuing possession, with Devin Hightower sacking Mays on third down. The quick stop gave Rhody the ball at its own 19 with 4:09 remaining.

On second-and-9, Hampton was called for a 15-yard hands to the face penalty, moving Rhody to its own 36 and giving the Rams an automatic first down. Facing fourth-and-5, Farrell scrambled to his left and just got the ball to the URI 46 for a first down.

Farrell found Greg Gaines III for 17 yards to get to the Hampton 40-yard line at the two-minute warning. It was Farrell and Gaines again on the next play, connection for 19 yards to the 21-yard line. Farrell found Smith with a pass to the right for 9 yards to the 12-yard line. A swing pass to Omari Walker picked up a first down and stopped the clock with a first-and-goal from the 7-yard line with 33 seconds to go. Farrell lofted a pass for Gaines to the corner of the end zone, drawing a pass interference for a first-and-goal at the 2-yard line.

Grant finally got a touchdown that counted, punching it in from the 2-yard line with 24 seconds to go. The initial extra point was blocked, but Hampton was whistled for being offsides. On the second chance, Ty Groff kicked it through, tying the score 31-31 to set up overtime.

The Rams got the ball first. Farrell stayed hot. After finding Buchanan for a 10-yard pass, Farrell hit Gaines for a 12-yard diving catch in the end zone, putting Rhode Island in front 38-31. On Hampton's first play, Mays hit a wide-open Tyler Hatcher for a 25-yard touchdown pass, tying the score again.

In the second overtime, Hampton got the ball first. On second-and-10, Mays hit ??? for a first down at the URI ??-yard line. Rhody came up with stops on back-to-back running plays, but Mays hit Ridley for a touchdown. Hampton went for the 2-point conversion, but it failed, leaving the score 44-38.

In a do-or-die possession, Grant took the first-down snap 16 yards to the 9-yard line. Two more Grant runs set up third-and-goal from the 2-yard line. Farrell kept it himself and punched it in to again knot the score 44-44. On the ensuing 2-point conversion attempt, Farrell dropped back to pass, then pulled the ball down and ran around the left corner for the game-winning points.

Inside the Box Score

• Rhode Island is 6-0 in overtime games dating back to 2020.
• Rhode Island put up 544 yards of offense, rushing for a season-high 273 yards and passing for 271 more.
• The Rams had 30 first downs, their first time doing so since having 31 in a game against New Hampshire back on Oct. 27, 2007 (178 games). 
• Running back Malik Grant topped 100 rushing yards for the second straight week. Despite having touchdown runs of 38 and 20 yards nullified, he still rushed for 180 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries.
• Quarterback Devin Farrell came off the bench to go 14-of-25 for 247 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
• He also rushed for 30 yards and one more touchdown, and he scored the game-winning two-point conversion.
• Running back Deon Silas scored his first two touchdowns for Rhode Island. He finished the day with 60 yards rushing on nine carries. 
• Wide receiver Marquis Buchanan led the team with five catches for 75 yards and a touchdown.
• Wide receiver Greg Gaines III had four catches for 63 yards and one touchdown.
• Wide receiver Tommy Smith had four catches for 63 yards.
• Linebackers Devin Hightower, A.J. Pena and Cole Brockwell all had seven tackles, as did defensive back Emmanuel Gomes.
• Brockwell had three tackles for loss, including a pair of sacks.
• Hightower and defensive tackle Carson Primrose each had one sack.
• The defense had 13 tackles for loss. In addition to Brockwell (3), Pena and Braden Price both had two, while Gabe Salomons and Primrose each had 1.5.
• Cornerback Ayinde Johnson's first-quarter interception was the first of the season for Rhode Island.
• Quarterback Hunter Helms made his first start for Rhode Island, going 3-for-8 for 24 yards and one interception.
• Grant and defensive back Braden Price served as game captains.
• Center Tre Alexander was the anchor bearer.
• Wide receiver Tyler Poirier and linebacker Marquese Avery were scout team players of the week. 

Up Next
Rhode Island hosts Brown for the annual Governor's Cup on Saturday, Oct. 12. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. and the game will stream on FloFootball.com.