KINGSTON, Rhode Island ?“ Running back Luther Green recorded three rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown as the 19th-ranked Rams of Rhode Island (2-0, 2-0) upset the fourth-ranked Flying Dutchmen of Hofstra (1-1, 1-1), 35-26 in an Atlantic 10 Football Conference (I-AA) at Meade Stadium Saturday. URI has now posted A-10 victories over the top two preseason picks in the conference. The Rams defeated preseason favorite Delaware last week.
When Rhode Island called a timeout on defense immediately after the opening kickoff, it looked as if the Rams were out of synch before the first play. But after Hofstra drove 64 yards to the URI 7 yard line in 10 plays only to miss a 24-yard field goal attempt by Chris Onorato, it was the Dutchmen who looked out of synch as the Rams dominated the first half building a 21-0 lead.
The Rams got on the board at the 1:52 mark of the first quarter following an eight-play 69-yard drive. URI sophomore running back Luther Green capped the drive with an eight-yard scoring run. The Rams boosted the lead to 14-0 5:29 into the second quarter when Green caught a pass from quarterback Vince Nedimyer and went 30-yards down the Hofstra sideline for the score. The scoring pass capped an eight play, 90-yard drive.
While the Hofstra high-octane offense stuggled for 121 first half yards, URI's option attack was picking up yards and causing fits for the Dutchmen defense. The Rams surprised Hofstra on their last score of the first half. Starting on their own 17-yard line, the Rams drove 62 yards in six plays to the Hofstra 21-yardline. On a first down play, URI caught Hofstra on a reverse as wide receiver Salim Wellington took the handoff and went around the left side for a 21-yard touchdown. Hofstra had a chance to put some points on the board in the last two minutes of the first half. Driving to the URI 26 yard line before Dutchmen quarterback Rocky Butler was sacked back at the Ram 35 and taking Hofstra out of field goal range.
But Hofstra came roaring back in the second half, scoring 14 points in the third quarter and adding another touchdown five minutes into the fourth to close the deficit to 21-20. The third quarter was all Hofstra as the Pride scored on their first two possessions and looked as if they would go in for a third. After URI took the second half kickoff and went four plays and out, senior returner Robert Thomas got Hofstra started with a 21-yard punt return that started the Pride at their own 47. In an eight play, 2:29 drive, Butler hit Kahmal Roy with a 27 yard scoring pass in the corner of the end zone. It was Roy's first of three scores on the day and his third of the season after two in the season opener.
The Hofstra defense stepped it up the third quarter as well, holding URI to another three-and-out possession and getting the ball back to the Dutch offense. This time, Charlie Adams gave Hofstra good field position with a 21-yard punt return to the URI 47. Butler went to work quickly. James Glee rushed for four yards and Butler had an incompletion before he hooked up again with Roy on a 43-yard scoring aerial. The drive was three plays, 47 yards in 42 seconds.
The Dutchmen defense once again held the Rams to three-and-out on its next possession and Thomas had a 15-yard return to give Hofstra the ball on its 46-yard line. Butler directed the Pride down to the URI five before he was picked off on the two-yard line by Ram linebacker Paul Picciotti who returned the interception to the Rams 12 yard line.
Rhode Island drove down to the Hofstra 19 yard line and into the fourth quarter before Shane Laisle missed a 38-yard field.
After each team exchanged fumbles and three-and-out possessions, Hofstra got the ball back with 11:22 to play in the fourth quarter on the Ram 40 yard line. Running back Vemba Bukula sparked the five play drive with three rushes for 17 yards and one reception for 10 yards before Butler hit Roy with a 13 yard pass for their third scoring connection of the day. Kicker Chris Onorato's PAT kick was low and blocked as Hofstra had climbed back into the game down by one at 21-20 with 9:18 to play.
But Rhode Island came alive in its next possession, going 74 yards in nine plays capped by a Luther Green 14-yard scoring run and a 28-20 lead with 5:38 to play. Hofstra responded with an 80-yard drive in 11 plays capped by a 12-yard scoring pass from Butler to Charlie Adams with 1:55 to play. Hofstra needed the two-point conversion to tie the game at 28. But Butler's conversion pass was picked off by URI cornerback Jamal Saleem.
After URI recovered the Hofstra on-side kick on the ensuing kickoff, Luther Green ripped off a 44-yard scoring run on the second play from scrimmage to give the Rams a commanding 35-26. The Flying Dutchmen did go 34-yards on eight plays to the URI 13 yard line in the final minute before turning the ball over on downs.
Green rushed five times for 83 yards and three touchdowns and had three catches for 68 yards and a touchdown to lead URI. Quarterback Vince Nedimyer was very efficient, completing 11 of 15 passes for 181 yards while rushing 13 times for 42 yards. Curtis Horne tallied four receptions for 99 yards to lead the Ram receiving corps. Paul Piciotti posted 15 tackles to lead the defensive charge. URI accumulated 465 yards on offense.
Hofstra was led by senior receiver Kahmal Roy with career-highs of 10 catches for 172 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Rocky Butler completed 27 of 45 passes for 351 yards and four touchdowns and had one interception. Hofstra tallied 452 yards on offense.
?œWe got out-coached, we got out-played and we got out-toughed,?ť Hofstra Coach Joe Gardi said. ?œURI did a great job. They are a tough football team and they are for real. They (URI) deserve a lot of credit. You have to be ready when you go on the road and we certainly weren't in that first half. I'm proud of the fact that we came back in the second half. Today was a total team loss.?ť
Hofstra will host New Hampshire on Saturday, September 15 at 6:00 p.m. at Hofstra Stadium. URI will host Northeastern next Saturday at noon.
Game Stats
