URI and Brown Set for 100th Meeting on Saturday Night at Brown Stadium
Joe Calabro, GoLocalProv Sports Team
URI and Brown Set for 100th Meeting on Saturday Night at Brown Stadium
Brown vs. URI
Brown and URI have played for 100 years, with more meetings to come. The two teams are scheduled to play each other through at least 2021 and it seems likely to go beyond that.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"Listen, 100 years is special, 100 years of anything is special, 100 years of this rivalry is pretty special and I've been a part of 22 of them, and I understand the rivalry, I understand what this means to our alumni, I understand what this means to our team," Brown football head coach Phil Estes said during the Governor's Cup press conference at the State House.
The Bears lead the all time series 71-26-2 and lead the Governor's Cup series 17-16, having won the last four games.
No matter the records of each team, the Governor's Cup is always a big game.
"I think its a critical game, one we are always attentive too, we know exactly how many days it is until we play Brown. I think that there is a great flavor for the state as far as getting involved and its a significant rivalry. Every team has a significant rival and certainly Brown is ours," said URI head coach Jim Fleming.
Over the course of the season, the Rams have struggled to score points but look to carry momentum in from their game against Maine in which they went 3-for-3 in the redzone with two touchdowns.
What URI needs to improve on is their running game after having a -8 yard performance against Maine and their run defense. Rams defense allowed 210 rushing yards against the Black Bears, allowing them to hold the ball for nearly 35 minutes.
Brown has three players that can run the ball including quarterback Marcus Fuller and senior running backs Andrew Coke and Seth Rosenbauer, and with the potential for questionable weather, the ground game could be a major factor. URI will need to focus in on stopping the run.
For Brown to Win
Offensively, Brown should test URI's run defense early, either in the form of Rosenbauer, Coke or Marcus Fuller. Executing in the run game early could open up the passing game later.
Defensively, Brown needs to take advantage of URI's turnover problem and force a few. coming into this game, the Rams have turned the ball over 12 times, seven of which have come in the form of fumbles.
Ceremonies Surrounding the Game
During halftime and pre game, Brown will bring back several alumni as honorary captains. Among the many former players coming back are former Rhode Island Governor Donald Carcieri, New York Giants long snapper and two time Super Bowl Champion Zak DeOssie and New England Patriots fullback and Super Bowl Champion James Develin.
Post game, the winning team will be presented the Governor's Cup by Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo.
Greatest New England Rivalries
Ben Affleck vs Matt Damon
Batman vs Jason Bourne, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are both top of the line movie stars from New England who won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1997 with "Good Will Hunting."
Matt Damon is known for roles in "Saving Private Ryan," and his portrayal of Jason Bourne in the first three Bourne movies.
Affleck was solid in the movie "The Town," however, his role as the blind comic book superhero Daredevil was not so solid.
Affleck's upcoming role as Batman in "Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice," and future Batman movies, could make or break the rest of his career.
The two New England Ivy League schools hold one of the oldest rivalries in college football, playing annually since 1897.
Harvard vs Yale, also known as "The Game" is played on the last game of the season every year with the home field alternating between Harvard Stadium and the Yale Bowl.
Through the 2014 game, Yale leads the all-time series 65-58-8.
Photo courtesy of gocrimson.com
In New England, there are not two better places to eat than either the North End in Boston or Federal Hill in Providence.
Both areas consist of great Italian food with some restaurants that are fancier than others while both hold Italian feasts that bring in people from all over the country.
The North End has their Italian Feast in the summer while Federal Hill has their Italian Feast over Columbus Day Weekend.
Connecticut Yankees Fans vs. Connecticut Red Sox Fans
The state of Connecticut borders New England and New York and for that reason the state is split, almost down the middle, between Red Sox and Yankees fans.
There is nothing more intense then having a die hard Yankees fan and a die hard Red Sox fan living next to each other in the state of Connecticut.
Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale vs. Sam Adams Octoberfest
The fall season has arrived which means the return of the fall beers.
Portland, Maine's Shipyard Brewing Company comes out with its Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale while Sam Adams comes out with it's classic Octoberfest.
Which do you prefer, Pumpkinhead Ale or Sam Adams Octoberfest?
Bennys started as a small tire stand in Providence, Rhode Island in 1924 and sells anything from bikes to housewares to electronics.
Meanwhile, Ocean State Job Lot opened it's first store in 1977 in North Kingstown and has since grown to 121 stores in the Northeast. Like Bennys, Ocean State Job Lot sells electronics, clothes and other household items.
There are discounts galore at both stores.
May the best deals win in this New England rivalry.
Whitey Bulger vs Raymond Patriarca
Raymond Patriarca ruled New England organized crime for almost fifty years.
Read the Patriarca Papers Here
Meanwhile, Whitey Bulger was an organized crime boss of the Boston Irish Mob group known as The Winter Hill Gang.
Whitey Bulger paid tribute money to the Patriarca crime family in order to be able to stay in business. The rivalry developed as the exchange of money did not always go so smoothly.
Donnie vs. Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg went from pop music star to actor and is one of the few to successfully make the transition. Wahlberg is known for his role in "The Fighter," and his role as producer of the hit HBO Series and movie "Entourage."
Mark's brother Donnie is an actor that is best known for his role in "The Sixth Sense," "Blue Bloods," as well as "Saw II and III."
They are brothers, of course there is a rivalry.
Berkshires vs. Vermont
This rivalry is all about leaf peeping, which is the best area to do so and with fall here, the competition is about to heat up.
According to smokeymountain.com, prime foliage season in New England is late September into early October.
Focus on Vermont and the Berkshires.
WEEI was the go to radio station for New England Sports talk with shows like "Dennis & Callahan," "Dale & Holley" and of course "The Big Show."
However, over the last couple of years, 98.5 The Sports Hub has grown and has topped WEEI in the ratings forcing them to make numerous changes to their programs.
It doesn't help WEEI that 98.5 has broadcasting partnerships with every local professional sports team except for the Red Sox. The Boston Celtics were the last team to switch from EEI to The Sports Hub prior to the 2014-15 NBA Season.
Will be interesting to see if WEEI can battle their way back to the top.
Casinos vs. Casinos vs. Casinos
New England is full of Casinos from Foxwoods to Mohegan Sun to Plainville Park and Twin River. The casino rivalry in New England is as intense as it gets with each casino trying to be better than the other.
Certainly Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are the top ones but Plainville Casino and Twin River are fighting thier way up.
Boston Globe vs. Boston Herald
It is well known that Boston is an intense media scene and that is displayed perfectly by the rivalry between the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald.
The Globe is more of a regular newspaper while the Herald is a bit more tabloid.
It's always a race for the best story between the two papers and the "wins" often alternate.
Buddy Cianci vs. The Providence Journal
Former Providence Mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci has had his share of battles with The Providence Journal.
In Cianci's most recent run for Mayor in which he lost to Jorge Elorza, GoLocal examined the Journal's coverage of him.
When asked about the Providece Journal back in June, Cianci replied "Nobody reads it anyway."
Ocean Spray vs. Nantucket Nectars
Ocean Spray has been around for over 80 years and has grown to more than 700 grower families across North America.
Ocean Spray sells cranberry juice and other cranberry influenced products.
Nantucket Nectars were created by Tom First and Tom Scott who met at Brown University. They began selling juice blends, inspired by a peach drink.
Nantucket Nectars are available in a varitey of flavors including red plum, orange mango and kiwi.
The battle of the juices will rage on in this New England rivalry.
Martha's Vineyard/Nantucket vs. Newport
Martha's Vineyard/Nantucket and Newport are two places that if you put them in a tale of the tape chart, they would probably match up dead even.
Both places have great scenery, great places to eat and drink and great views of the water.
Choosing between one or the other is a very difficult decision making this a great New England Rivalry.
Dunkin' Donuts vs. Honeydew Donuts
Both Dunkin' Donuts and Honeydew Donuts were born in New England and are not seen too much outside of the New England making this a great rivalry.
In the rivalry, Honeydew plays the part of the underdog going against Dunkin' Donuts.
While Dunkin' is the leader in coffee, iced coffee and of course donuts around New England, Honeydoew Donuts is battling to get to their level.
John Henry vs. Dan Shaughnessy
John Henry is of course the owner of the Boston Red Sox, but he is also owner of The Boston Globe.
Dan Shaughnessy is one of the more prominant sportswriters in New England, who writes for the Boston Globe. Shaughnessy and Henry don't like each other.
In fact, Henry had a line in an early September article by Shaughnessy deleted.
What is your sandwich shop? Subway? or D'Angelo?
This rivalry comes down to sandwich making, who can make the best sandwiches with the freshest ingredients.
D'Angelo was opened in Dedham back in 1967 and is still going strong for over 45 years.
The first Subway opened in Connecticut two years earlier in 1965.
That's part of what makes this a great New England rivalry, both places opened close to the same time and both places are leaving their marks.
Friendly's vs. Hood
The battle for ice cream supremacy continues between Friendly's and Hood.
Hood has been around for over 160 years, opening thier first shop in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1846.
Meanwhile, Friendly's came around in 1935, opening thier first shop in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Both shops have various flavors of ice cream to choose from and when it comes to choosing ice cream, it's really about the flavors and who has what.
That's why this is a great New England rivalry.
What is the pizza of your choice? A brick oven Pizza from Bertucci's or a Papa Gino's pizza.
Papa Gino's pizza first opened in East Boston in 1961 and today there are almost 170 Papa Gino's restaurants around New England.
Bertucci's opened in Davis Square in Somerville, Massachusetts in 1981 and quickly made brick oven pizza's their signature.
Both pizza places are on top of their games making this a heck of a New England rivalry.
Bernie Sanders vs. Elizabeth Warren
While Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren seemingly have each others support.
In a battle of Vermont vs. Massachusetts, who is more liberal?
