November 28, 2025
Football Set For FCS Playoff First Round At URI
The Blue Devils take on the Rams at noon on ESPN+
The two-time defending NEC Champion Central Connectiut State Blue Devils make their second consecutive FCS Playoff appearance on Saturday, travelling to URI for a noon game. The Blue Devils and Rams met last season in the first round as well, with the Rams earning a 21-17 victory. Elijah Howard ran for 101 yards, while Malachi Wright and Chris Jean both recorded interceptions in the game.
CCSU earned its berth by winning the NEC Championship, securing the bid with a 35-28 win over Mercyhurst at Arute Field on November 22nd. The Blue Devils posted an 8-4 overall record and went 6-1 at home. The Rams are the champions of the CAA and went 10-2 overall and 8-0 against its conference opponents.
The game will be available to watch on ESPN+.
CCSU Game Notes | Watch ESPN+ | Livestats | FCS Playoff Digital Program | Tickets
- Elijah Howard was named the NEC Offensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row after leading the league in rushing (1,078 yards) and touchdowns (15). He scored 11 touchdowns on the ground and four via the pass. Howard amassed a conference-best 1,375 APY during the campaign. He is only the third double winner of the award in NEC history and the first since Gary Jones in 2002 & 2003.
- Jack Stoll was named the NEC Defensive Player of the Year, giving the Blue Devils back-to-back winners of that honor. Stoll leads the team with 86 Tackles and 15.5 TFL. He is the third Blue Devil all-time to win the honor, joining Steve Konopka (1998) and Kimal Clark (2024).
- Adam Lechtenberg has once again been named the NEC Coach of the Year. He was honored last season as well. He led the Blue Devils to a league title with a 6-1 NEC record and went 8-4 overall. It marks the sixth Coach of the Year award won by a CCSU coach.
- The Blue Devils had 15 players earn All-NEC honors following the 2025 season, the same number as last season. Ten players were named to the first-team, with five earning second team honors.
- Three Blue Devils were named finalists for national awards this week. Elijah Howard is a Walter Payton Award Finalist, for top offensive player of the year. Jack Stoll was named a Buck Buchanan Award finalist, for top defensive player, while Adam Lechtenberg was one of 15 Eddie Robinson Award finalists, for coach of the year. Howard and Lechtenberg were finalists in 2024 as well.
- CCSU has now won eight NEC Championships, the most of any program in NEC football history, they are repeat champions for the third time ('04 & '05 and '09 & '10). CCSU has won four outright championships during its time in the league
- Elijah Howard became only the fourth Blue Devil in history to reach 3,000 career rushing yards last week, and enters postseason with 3,002 yards in his three seasons at CCSU. That total ranks sixth among active FCS rushers and his 91 yards per game is third among active players.
- Gavin Taylor blocked a field goal on the final play of the first-half in the win over Mercyhurst. It was the teams fourth blocked kick this season, with two in the win over LIU, and the Blue Devils rank 15th in FCS rankings in that category.
- Elijah Howard was named the league's Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. He rushed for 163 yards and two scores on the ground, and had a third TD through the air. It was his fifth 100 yard rushing game in the last seven, his third in a row and 14th of his career.
- Chris Jean is fourth in the FCS with 1.42 passes defended per game. He has 12 pass breakups and four interceptions to his credit. He is third on the team with 67 total tackles, making 50 solo stops. Jean recorded a career-best 12 tackles, eight solo, in the game at Duquesne.
- CCSU is making its fourth FCS Championship appearance, equaling the most by a Connecticut based school. Sacred Heart is the other school with four, while Yale is making its first and UConn made one appearance. The fourth FCS appearances is also the most of any NEC school, breaking a tie with Duquesne.
- Michael Trovarelli has made six catches in each of the last two games, for a dozen of his 33 receptions this fall. He had a team-best 73 receiving yards and a touchdown, after collecting a career-best 86 yards receiving and two TD catches at Duquesne. The two TD catches was the first for the Blue Devils since the 2024 FCS game at Rhode Island, by Isaac Boston. Trovarelli has six receiving TDs this fall, tops on the team and has 387 yards.
- Brady Olson has thrown for 2,821 yards this season, 12th in the nation. The school single-season record is 2,934 held by Jacob Dolegala in 2016. Only three NEC quarterbacks have reached 3,000 yards in a season. Olson has completed 23 passes for touchdowns, 15th amongst FCS QB's.
- Eric Jackson had his second career 11 tackle game, both in the last three games, in the win over Mercyhurst. Over the past four games he is averaging 9.8 tackles per game, giving him 64 for the season. Jackson has 50 solo stops, 2.0 TFL, three PBU and a forced fumble.
