Rhode Island wraps up CAA championship for first outright title since 1985

KINGSTON, R.I. (AP) — Antwain Littleton Jr. ran for 148 yards, scoring twice, and Rhode Island claimed the outright Coastal Athletic Association championship with a 38-10 rout of Hampton on Saturday.

The conference championship adds to a list of URI milestones in the past two seasons under longtime coach Jim Fleming.

The CAA championship is the Rams’ first outright league title since winning the Yankee Conference in 1985 and comes on the heels of sharing the CAA title with Richmond last season. Rhode Island, ranked No. 9 in the FCS coaches poll, has earned the league’s automatic berth to the FCS playoffs for the first time and has finished a conference season undefeated for the first time since the 1985 team went 5-0 in the Yankee Conference.

The Rams (10-2, 8-0) are one win shy of tying the program record of 11 wins, established last season.

In a matchup of first versus last in the CAA, Rhode Island rolled up 359 yards in the first half and led 24-7 at halftime. The Rams got a 65-yard touchdown run from Littleton on their second play from scrimmage, a 28-yard TD run by Brendon Barrow and Littleton ran 6 yards for a touchdown, all in the first quarter.

Conner Kenyon, who passed for 258 yards, had a touchdown pass in each of the last two quarters. Greg Gaines III had 139 receiving yards on eight catches.

Earl Woods III had a 44-yard touchdown run for the only touchdown for Hampton (2-10, 0-8).

Littleton had a career-high 202 yards against Maine a week ago and finished the regular season with 1,100 yards. ___

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