THE BASICS
No. 5/6 Rhode Island (2-0) at Holy Cross (0-2)
Kickoff: Saturday, Sept. 13 - 2 p.m. 
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RHODE ISLAND vs. HOLY CROSS - SERIES NOTES

• Holy Cross leads the all-time series, 9-2.
• Rhode Island is making its first visit to Holy Cross in 37 years, dating back to the 1988 season.
• That year, Holy Cross won 49-7.
• The teams did play each other again until last season, when Rhode Island logged a 20-17 victory at Meade Stadium.
• In that game, quarterback Devin Farrell connected with wide receiver Shawn Harris on a 31-yard touchdown pass with 19 seconds remaining to lift Rhode Island to the victory in the season opener for both teams.
• Holy Cross comes into the game with an 0-2 record.
• This is the Crusaders second straight game against a CAA Football team. Last week, Holy Cross lost 19-16 at New Hampshire.
• The Crusaders have allowed just 19 points in each of their first two games.
• Running back Jayden Clerveaux was a 2024 All-Patriot League and All-New England First Team pick last season after rushing for 942 yards and 11 touchdowns. 
• He has 79 yards and one touchdown this season.
• Wide receiver Max Mosey also was an All-Patriot League First Team selection after recording 37 catches for 715 yards and six touchdowns in 2024.
• He has 10 catches for 127 yards through two games.
• Holy Cross head coach Dan Curran is 6-8 overall in his second season. 
• Last year he led the program to a share of its sixth straight Patriot League title, going 5-1 in conference play.
• His staff includes a couple ties to Rhode Island football. Defensive coordinator Brian Vaganek served the same role with the Rams from 2011-13.
• Assistant linebackers coach and defensive quality control coach Emil La Marca played for Rhode Island from 2017-21.

RAMS IN THE MIDST OF HISTORIC RUN

• With wins in each of its first two games, Rhode Island is now 12-2 in its last 14 games.
• It matches the best 14-game stretch in program history.
• Dating back to Sept. 14 of last season, Rhody's only losses are a 24-21 defeat at Delaware - which transitioned to FBS after the season - and a 17-10 loss at Mercer in the second round of the FCS playoffs.
• From 1952-53, the Rams had a 12-2 mark over 14 games.
• From 1954-56, there was a 14-game span in which URI went 11-1-2.
• The winning percentage in all three cases was .857.
• From 1984-85 - when URI won back-to-back Yankee Conference titles - the best the team did in any 14-game span was 11-3.

MANKINS MAKING AN IMPACT

• Junior Case Mankins has forced a fumble in each of the first two games, both times leading to a turnover for the defense.
• He recovered the fumble he forced last week at Stony Brook.
• In the season opener against Campbell, cornerback Ayinde Johnson made the recovery.
• Mankins has set career highs in tackles in back-to-back weeks.
• He had six tackles - including one sack - against Campbell, and he followed that up with seven stops at Stony Brook.
• Mankins is the son for former two-time NFL All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman Logan Mankins, who played 11 seasons with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

KWARTENG BREAKS OUT AT STONY BROOK

• Wide receiver Aboraa Kwarteng had four catches for 114 yards in last week's victory at Stony Brook
• He is the second Rhode Island receiver in as many weeks to top 100 receiving yards.
• Marquis Buchanan had six catches for 167 yards in the season-opening win over Campbell.
• Kwarteng in his second season with Rhode Island after transferring from Sacred Heart.
• He appeared in two games last season, but did not record a catch.
• In the season opener against Campbell, he had one catch for 111 yards.
• In two seasons at Sacred Heart, he had 56 catches for 632 yards