Maine's stout defense limited Rhode Island to -8 rushing yards and forced a pair of turnovers on two interceptions by Sherrod Baltimore. The Black Hole racked up 6.0 sacks and was led by Patrick Ricard's nine total stops, including 1.5 sacks. Mike Kozlakowski added seven tackles and 1.5 sacks while Jason Matovu and Trevor Bates each made six stops.
The solid defensive effort was matched by an offensive output which saw Maine outgain the Rams
472 to 232 behind a 210-yard rushing attack. Nigel Beckford carried 17 times for 91-yards and a pair of scores while Darian Davis-Ray added 74-yards on 12 carries.
Maine was able to move the ball with success through the air as Dan Collins went 14-for-25 for 211-yards. Drew Belcher added one completion but it was a big one, going for a 51-yard touchdown to Micah Wright. Wright was the main target for the Black Bears, snatching seven receptions and going over the 100-yard mark for the second-straight week, totaling a game-high 139-yards.
Sean Decloux hit a pair of field goals for Maine, the second of which being the 36th of his career and moving him to number one all-time in makes for the Black Bears. Decloux surpassed Todd Jagoutz's previous mark of 35 makes, set in 2000.
Rhode Island jumped out to a 3-0 lead when Justin Rohrwasser hit a 30-yard field goal with 2:48 remaining in the first quarter.
Maine responded quickly, scoring 24 unanswered and distancing itself from the Rams. The 24-0 surge began when Belcher found Wright for a 51-yard touchdown strike under a minute after the Rhode Island field goal.
Baltimore's second interception gave the ball right back to the Black Bears who quickly marched down the field before Nigel Beckford bounced in for a 21-yard touchdown just 47-seconds later.
Maine extended its lead with 4:10 remaining in the first half after Decloux booted through a career-high 43-yard field goal, the longest of his career.
The offense continued to roll early in the third quarter as Beckford busted in for his second, 20+ yard score of the game, this time for 28-yards out, to extend the lead out to 24-3.
Rhode Island responded on its next drive when T.J. Anderson scored from a yard out on a fourth and goal try with 5:39 to play in the third quarter.
Decloux's record-setting 23-yard field goal 2:02 into the fourth quarter pushed the Black Bears' lead out to 27-10.
The Rams again answered quickly, marching down the field 74-yards on 10 plays and capping the drive with a three-yard rush by quarterback Paul Mroz, bringing the Rams within 10.
It would be as close as they would get as Maine closed the door, capturing its first CAA victory of the year, 27-17.
Maine continues CAA action on Oct. 3 when it travels to take on Richmond at 3:30 p.m.
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