URI Tops Brown for 6th Consecutive Governor's Cup

URI Tops Brown for 6th Consecutive Governor's Cup

 

No. 19/21 Rhode Island (5-1) won its sixth straight Governor's Cup, beating in-state rival Brown 31-21 on Saturday at URI.

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It was the 42 time the two played in the rivalry game.

It was a wild back-and-forth game with four lead changes and two ties during the contest.

Ultimately, it was the Ram defense that came up big in the fourth quarter to put the game away. Linebacker Gabe Salomons had a stop for no gain on fourth-and-1 at the URI 34-yard line to stop one drive and then blocked a 37-yard field goal attempt on Brown's next drive to spark the Rams.

Brown (2-2) capitalized early on a URI turnover on the first drive of the game. Noble Cooper III intercepted Devin Farrell at the Rhody 45 and returned it all the way to the URI 4-yard line. One play later, Jordan Delucia ran it in for an early 7-0 lead.
 
Farrell responded a few minutes later with a touchdown drive. On first-and-10 from his own 23, Farrell broke off a 44-yard run that ended with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty on Brown, moving the ball all the way to the Bear 18. Two snaps later, Farrell hit Marquis Buchanan in the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown, helping Rhody tie the score 7-7 midway through the quarter.

Just before the end of the quarter, Rhode Island took its first lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by Malik Grant. The short scoring run capped an 11-play, 57-yard drive and put Rhody ahead 14-7 with just 28 seconds left in the opening period.

After its previous three possessions had ended in punts, Brown got its offense on track in the form of an 11-play, 66-yard drive. Quarterback Jake Willcox ran it in from 7 yards out after moving his team down the field to tie the score with 5:08 left in the half.

Rhody got into the red zone before the half ended, by Farrell was intercepted by Tim Malo in the end zone on second-and-5 from the Brown 11-yard line.

Brown carried the momentum into the second half, taking the opening possession 75 yards in 14 plays, eating nearly six minutes off the clock. Running back Qwentin Brown punched in a direct snap from 1 yard out as the Bears moved back in front, 21-14. URI responded with its own long drive, going 77 yards in 14 plays to set up a 20-yard Ty Groff field goal to pull within 21-17.

URI's defense came up big on the next drive. Facing fourth-and-1 at its own 34, linebacker Gabe Salomons and defensive back Ayinde Johnson stopped Qwentin Brown for no gain, forcing a turnover on downs. The offense capitalized quickly. After a 21-yard run by Deon Silas on first down, wide receiver Shawn Harris took an end-around sweep down the right sideline for a 45-yard touchdown, as Rhode Island reclaimed the lead, 24-21.

It was Salomons' play that stopped another Brown drive. The Bears set up for a 37-yard field goal attempt by Christopher Maron, but Salomons was able to rush up the middle and get his hand on the kick for the block, keeping URI in the lead.

After the block, Rhode Island drove 80 yards in nine plays for a Farrell 5-yard touchdown run that gave URI a 10-point lead. The score was set up by a pair of Farrell-to-Buchanan connections, one for 30 yards and another for 22, as the Rams chewed up nearly six minutes with the drive.

Emmanuel Gomes came up with an interception on Brown's first snap after the touchdown. Brown managed to get the ball back with less than two minutes to go, but Malachi Burby forced a fumble on a Willcox scramble, and the ball was recovered by Moses Meus, icing the victory.

Stats

- Rhode Island has won six straight in the Governor's Cup, with the Rams leading 23-19 since the cup was instituted.

- This was the third time this season Rhode Island won a game in which it trailed during the fourth quarter.

- URI Wide receiver Marquis Buchanan had nine catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. It was his first 100-yard game of the season and the fourth of his career.

- Rams cornerback Ayinde Johnson and linebacker Cole Brockwell each had nine tackles.

A sellout crowd of 5,773 watched the game.

 

Rhode Island returns to CAA Football action when it travels to New Hampshire on Saturday, Oct. 19. Game time is 1 p.m. and the contest will stream on FloFootball.com.