Rhode Island Buries Merrimack Despite Being Out-gained
Merrimack had more yards (355 to 297) and ran more plays on the ground (34 carries to 30). It also lost 34-7, which tells you what turnovers do. Two interceptions and two lost fumbles, against none for Rhode Island, turned a game the Warriors had no business losing by 27 into exactly that.
Rhode Island never trailed. Tyler Budge hit Marquis Buchanan from 16 yards out on the opening drive of the quarter, Merrimack answered with a 2-yard Matthias Latham run to tie it at 7, and that was the last time the Warriors scored. Alex McClelland ran in touchdowns of 5 and 4 yards in the second quarter (the second with 50 seconds left in the half) to make it 21-7 at the break. Ty Groff added field goals of 26 and 33 yards a minute and a half apart in the third, and it was 27-7.
The last points came with 45 seconds left, when Moses Meus returned an interception 49 yards for a touchdown. Take that away and it is a 27-7 game, still a rout, so the pick-six was gravy.
Rhode Island did it without much passing. Budge went 13 of 29 for 128 yards, and the team threw for 128 total with 169 on the ground. The defense made up for the quiet air attack with three sacks. Merrimack threw for 261 yards and never got into the end zone through the air.
Rhode Island opens 1-0, Merrimack 0-1. For fantasy, the Rams' offense was spread thin: Buchanan led the game with 19.2 points, and McClelland, a backup quarterback with 3 carries, scored 13.0 on two short runs.