Rhode Island has been the class of Coastal Athletic Association football for the last two seasons. After going 6-5 in 2023, the Rams have notched back-to-back 11-3 seasons, with two CAA titles to their name, the 2025 one outright.
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Those two seasons resulted in FCS playoff berths as well, with the URI reaching the second round in both instances, before losing to Mercer in 2024, and UC Davis in 2025.
Heading into 2026, the Rsms goals are almost certainly to replicate the regular-season success of the past two seasons, while pushing further into the D1 FCS playoffs.
Here's what to know about the Rhode Island Rams ahead of the 2026 campaign.
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Rhode Island Is The CAA Favorite
The CAA coaches poll picked Rhode Island to once again repeat as champion. The Rams received 12 first-place votes, garnering 144 points in the vote. Monmouth was picked to finish in second place and received 119 points.
URI went 8-0 in the conference last season, and begin the season ranked No. 7 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25
Devin Farrell Is CAA's Top Quarterback
Devin Farrell will enter his fourth season at Rhode Island, and the redshirt senior quarterback will be the centerpiece of the Ram's title defense. Farrell was named the preseason CAA offensive player of the year, and named to the conference's preseason All Conference team.
Farrell passed for 3,700 yards last season, along with 24 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. Farrell also rushed for three touchdowns.
Passing Game Has Weapons
Farrell's favorite target last year was Marquis Buchanan, who had 78 catches for 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, averaging nearly 96 receiving yards per game.
Buchanan was also named to the preseason CAA All Conference team, and so was URI's second receiver, Aboraa Kwarteng. Kwarteng had 600 receiving yards last season and two touchdowns as the third option. The CAA coaches clearly believe he'll take a step up this season.
Both WRs offers big targets for Farrell, and stand at 6'4 and 6'2, respectively.
The Defense Returns Production
Rhode Island also returns contributors on the other side of the ball, including linebackers Moses Meus and Rohan Davy.
Meus had 110 tackles in 2025 while Davy notched 101 tackles and 13.0 tackles for loss. Davy also lands on the Buck Buchanan Award preseason watch list.
Rhode Island's defense allowed 21 points a game last season, and 296 total yards on average.
The Schedule Adds Pressure
One thing that could trip up the Rams is the schedule. URI's first two games of the season are on the road, opening at Merrimack before taking FBS opponent Temple in Philadelphia.
The Rams then head home, but take on Elon, who the coaches rated to finish third place in the CAA, then travel to play the up-and-coming Stony Brook, who actually received one first place vote (probably from Rhode Island's coach because he can't vote for his own team).
The Rams avoid Monmouth and New Hampshire in 2026, but take on Towson in the latter half of the season at home in Pawtucket.
Rhode Island opens at Merrimack on Aug. 28.
Rhode Island Football 2026 Schedule
- Aug. 28: Merrimack vs. Rhode Island, 6 p.m. ET
- Sept. 5: Temple vs. Rhode Island, 2 p.m. ET
- Sept. 12: Rhode Island vs. Elon, 12 p.m. ET
- Sept. 19: Stony Brook vs. Rhode Island, 2:30 p.m. ET
- Sept. 26: North Carolina A&T vs. Rhode Island, 4 p.m. ET
- Oct. 3: Rhode Island vs. Brown, 12 p.m. ET
- Oct. 17: Yale vs. Rhode Island, 12 p.m. ET
- Oct. 24: Rhode Island vs. UAlbany, 12 p.m. ET
- Oct. 31: Rhode Island vs. Maine, 12 p.m. ET
- Nov. 7: New Hampshire vs. Rhode Island, 1 p.m. ET
- Nov. 14: Rhode Island vs. Towson, 12 p.m. ET
- Nov. 21: Bryant vs. Rhode Island, 1 p.m. ET
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