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Football

Rhody Continues Playoff Run at No. 7 Mercer

THE BASICS
No. 10 Rhode Island (11-2) at No. 7 Mercer (10-2)
Kickoff: Saturday, Dec. 7, 2 p.m. 
Live Stats | Audio: Varsity Network | Video: ESPN+ | Game Notes

RHODE ISLAND VS. MERCER - SERIES NOTES
  • The Rams and the Bears will play one another for the first time on Saturday afternoon. Mercer is one of four first-time opponents on Rhody's 2024 slate.
  • Rhode Island has a 2-1 record in the contests so far, which featured matchups against Minnesota (Sept. 7; L, 48-0), Campbell (Sept. 14; W, 21-9) and LIU (Sept. 21; W, 28-21).
  • URI is also fairly unfamiliar with the SoCon, of which Mercer is a member, having only faced two other member institutions in its 129-year history. 
  • The team played VMI once in 1977 (L, 20-7) and made the trip to Furman in 1985 (L, 59-15). 
  • Both programs are in the midst of historic seasons. While the 2024 CAA Football championship title was Rhody's first league crown since 1985, Mercer won the Southern Conference for its first title since a 1932 Dixie Conference crown. 
  • The Bears are making their second consecutive appearance in the FCS playoffs after going 1-1 in the postseason last year.
  • Mercer beat Gardner-Webb 17-7 at home in the first round (Nov. 25) before suffering a 41-0 shutout at eventual national champion South Dakota State (Dec. 2).
  • Rhode Island's head coach Jim Fleming and Mercer's leader Mike Jacobs are two of 15 finalists for the 2024 Eddie Robinson Award, presented annually to the national coach of the year in Division I FCS college football.
  • The award, first presented in 1987, is named for legendary Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson. All 13 FCS leagues are represented by an Eddie Robinson Award finalist. 
  • The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced on Dec. 5 and honored at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.
  • While Fleming is in his 11th season leading the Rams, Jacobs was named the head coach of the Bears on Jan. 18, 2024.
  • Both played on the offensive side of the ball in their respective collegiate careers, as Fleming was a tight end at the University of the South and Jacobs was on the offensive line at Ohio State.
RAMS IN THE POSTSEASON
  • Rhode Island's first-round win over Central Connecticut State helped the team improve to 3-3 all time in the postseason.
  • The Rams claimed the victory 39 years to the day since their last postseason win. The 1985 team beat Akron 35-27 at Meade Stadium on Nov. 30 that year. 
  • After claiming a share of the CAA Football title, URI was officially named as part of the 24-team FCS Championship field. 
  • Rhody was one of 14 schools to receive an at-large bid to the tournament, marking the program's first postseason appearance since 1985.
  • The postseason nod is the fourth in program history. Then known as the NCAA Division I-AA Playoff, Rhode Island made the field in 1981, 1984 and 1985. 
  • The 1984 team advanced to the national semifinals while the '85 Rams' season ended in the quarterfinals. 
  • Rhode Island was one of four CAA Football member institutions to hear its name called, joined by Richmond, Villanova and UNH.
  • The Spiders were awarded the ninth seed, while 'Nova was slotted at No. 11 and the New Hampshire Wildcats came in at No. 16.
  • Villanova is the only other league team joining the Rams in the second round, as Richmond was upset by Lehigh (20-16) and New Hampshire was knocked off by UT Martin (41-10). 
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
  • For the first time in 129 years, Rhode Island has reached 11 wins. 
  • The previous mark of 10 was first set in 1984 (10-3) and matched in 1985 (10-3).
  • Additionally, the Rams have now strung together five winning seasons for the first time in program history. 
  • The program put together four from 1982-85.
  • The Rams also made history with their win over the Bryant Bulldogs, reaching seven conference victories for the first time.
  • URI had previously recorded six conference wins just two other times in 2001 (6-3 Atlantic 10) and 1995 (6-2 Yankee Conference).
  • In wins overall, Rhode Island has reached the number seven just nine times since its inaugural season in 1895. 
  • Three of those campaigns have happened under head coach Jim Fleming, who led the Rams to back-to-back 7-4 seasons in 2021 and 2022.
  • Rhode Island reached the eight-win mark after the Monmouth game for the first time since 2001 (8-3).
  • Additionally, the defeat of the Great Danes secured URI's first unbeaten regular season at home (6-0) since 1985. 
  • The result against the Blue Devils lifted the team to 7-0 at Meade Stadium. 
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