Devin Farrell throws 2 TD passes and Rhode Island hangs on to top Central Connecticut in FCS opener

KINGSTON, R.I. (AP) — Devin Farrell threw for 365 yards, including two first quarter touchdowns, and Rhode Island defeated Central Connecticut 27-19 on Saturday in a first-round game of the FCS playoffs.

Ninth-seeded Rhode Island will play No. 8 UC Davis in the second round. The Aggies had a first-round bye.

Farrell threw a touchdown pass on each of Rhode Island’s first two possessions and his 54-yard connection with Omari Walker set up the Rams’ third score on the way to a 24-7 halftime lead.

The game tightened up in the fourth quarter. The Blue Devils’ Brady Olson threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Damani Williams to make it 24-13. The PAT was blocked by Dontay Bishop of Rhode Island and the missing point played a key role in strategy as the game wore on.

Farrell threw an interception near midfield on the Rams’ next possession and Dekavis Preston returned it 59 yards to the 7-yard line. On fourth down from the 1, the Blue Devils chose to kick a field goal that made the score 24-16.

Rhode Island (11-2) then drove inside the 10-yard line and Garth White booted a 26-yard field goal that made it a two-score game (27-16) with 5 minutes remaining. It was Rhode Island’s only points of the second half.

The Blue Devils (8-5) reached the 11-yard line on the next possession but facing fourth-and-10, they again chose the field goal, making the score 27-19 with two minutes remaining. Central Connecticut got the ball back with about 90 seconds remaining but ran out of time after reaching the URI 40-yard line.

Olson attempted 62 passes, completing 35 for 311 yards with the two touchdowns.

Rhode Island defeated Central Connecticut 21-17 in the first round of the playoffs last year.

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