How it Happened
It was a new home but a similar result as No. 8/13 Rhode Island used a dominant defensive effort to defeat Elon (2-1, 0-1 CAA Football) 31-10 in the CAA Football opener for both sides Saturday. It was the 16th straight home win for the Rams, who were playing their first game in Centreville Bank Stadium.
The Rams (2-1, 1-0 CAA Football) scored all 24 of their points in the second half. Rhody's defense forced five turnovers and blocked a field goal attempt. URI scored 14 points off turnovers, the last of which came on a 30-yard interception return by
Mitchell Garner that punctuated the win.
It was a superb defensive battle through three quarters, with the score tied 3-3. Rhode Island used an 18-play, 98-yard drive to gain momentum. The drive began with 4:21 remaining in the third quarter and did not end until a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Terrance Campbell with 10:50 to go in regulation. After having a 14-yard touchdown run called back by a penalty earlier in the drive, Campbell came back with the first touchdown of the game, putting URI ahead 10-3.
Tyson Grimm got an interception for the Rams on the ensuing Elon possession. Thet led to a seven-play, 61-yard drive that was capped by a 7-yard touchdown pass from
Tyler Budge to
Marquis Buchanan.
Garner put the game on ice a few plays later when he stepped into a Tanner Payne pass and took it to the house for a pick six and a 24-3 lead. Both sides added an inconsequential touchdown in the final minutes.
Inside the Box Score
- Rhode Island scored 17 second-half points on the Elon defense, which had allowed just seven points through its first 10 quarters of the season.
- The game was played at Pawtucket's Centreville Bank Stadium due to new construction at URI's Meade Stadium. The Rams will play all their 2026 home games in Pawtucket.
- Josh Hamel drilled a career-long 51-yard field goal for Rhode Island in the third quarter. The play snapped a string of 122:27 minutes of game play without allowing points for the Elon defense.
- Marquise Buchanan managed four catches for 25 yards, including his third touchdown reception of the season.
- Buchanan has caught a touchdown in five straight games, dating back to last season. He has six total touchdowns in that stretch.
- Linebackers Rohan Davy and Moses Meus led the Rhody defense with seven tackles each.
- Meus also had his second interception of the season and 1.5 tackles for loss. He combined with Dane Picariello on a sack.
- Meus, Andre DePina-Gray, Tyson Grimm and Mitchell Garner all had interceptions for the Rams.
- The four interceptions were the most for URI since it had four against Central Connecticut State in 2013.
- Rhode Island has six interceptions through three games, two of which have been returned for touchdowns.
- Case Mankins, Trey Lubin and Chaas McKoy each had one sack for the defense.
- Safety Andre DePina-Gray served as the anchor bearer, while offensive lineman Dontay Bishop and linebacker Moses Meus were the game captains.
Up Next
Rhode Island travels to Stony Brook for another CAA Football contest on Saturday, Sept. 19. The game kicks off on FloCollege.com at 2:30 p.m.
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