Football Falls 21-17 To #10 URI In FCS Playoff
Isaac Boston had a pair of touchdown catches for the Blue Devils.
The Central Connecticut State football team, in its third-ever FCS Playoff game, fell 21-17 to 10th ranked and seeded University of Rhode Island on Saturday. The Blue Devil, the 2024 NEC Champions, finish the campaign 7-6 overall.
URI scored 14 points in a 14-second span in the fifrset quarter to take a 14-0 advantage. The Blue Devils scored midway in the second quarter and drew even with 1:27 to play in the third quarter. The Rams answered with a six-play, 32 yard drive following a CCSU punt, with 9:42 to play to retake the lead, 21-14. The Blue Devils got into the redzone on their last full drive, before kicking a 32-yard field goal. The CCSU defense held and got the ball back with 50 seconds to play, but were intercepted on a deflected pass to secure the URI victory.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: #10 URI 21, CCSU 17
Records: CCSU (7-6), URI (11-2)
Location: Meade Stadium | Kingston, RI
KEY MOMENTS
- Christopher Jean kept URI off the board, blocking a 45-yard field goal attempt midway through the first quarter
- After the URI defense stopped the Blue Devils on the next possession Hunter Helms found Tommy Smith for a 38-yard touchdown with 2:31 to play
- Brady Olson was intercepted on the next drive by Emmanuel Gomes, who returned the ball 42 yards for the score and a 14-0 lead with 2:17 to play in the opening quarter
- Malachi Wright intercepted Helms and gave the Blue Devils the ball on the URI 48
- The offense marched down the field and on the eighth play Olson connected with Isaac Boston in the corner of the end zone with 7:25 to play in the half, cutting the deficit to 14-7
- URI took its final drive of the first-half to the CCSU 26, where the Blue Devils held, to keep the score 14-7 at intermission
- Christopher Jean intercepted Helms at the CCSU five yard line on the Rams first drive of the second half
- Clifton Thompson stopped a URI fourth down try from the CCSU 21 yard line for a loss to give CCSU the ball back
- On the next play Elijah Howard went 40 yards around the right side to the URI 35 yard line and several caught a 22-yard pass inside the 10-yard line
- Olson found Brown for a second time, this time from six yards out, tying the score 14-14 with 1:27 to play in the third quarter
- Tommy Smith took a direct snap and scored from six yards out, with 9:42 to play in regulation to put the Rams in front, 21-14
NOTES
- Kimal Clark finished with eight tackles on Saturday, giving him 117 for the season, breaking the single-season FCS mark for the program
- Howard ran for 101 yards, his fifth game this season over the century mark, and finished with 126 all-purpose yards
- Howard finishes the season with 1,924 yards in his CCSU career, ninth in program history
- URI finished the first-half with a 212-112 advantage in total offense, and finished the game with a 434-271
- Jean finished with three pass breakups and an interception
- Wright led the Blue Devils defense with nine tackles and his interception
- CCSU had five TFL and a sack on Saturday
- It was the Blue Devils third FCS Playoff appearance
