New Year, Same Seawolves - Stony Brook University Football Drops to 0-2 at The Hands of No.22 URI

It appears that the Chuck Piore led Seawolves refuse to change things up as the team will yet again start the season 0-2 as a second quarter rally by the University of Rhode Island lead to a 35-14 defeat for the Seawolves.

Former University at Buffalo quarterback Casey Case did not help the Seawolves get out to a good start as he threw a backbreaking interception inside the URI 20 on the first drive of the game, giving URI a chance to draw first blood. The Rams did exactly that as their quarterback, Kasim Hill, marched his team down the field and turned the Seawolves mistake into a touchdown as he would find Darius Savedge for a 13 yard touchdown reception to give his team a 7-0 lead. Savedge was a big contributor for the Rams as he would have eight receptions on the Stony Brook defense for 90 yards as well as scoring the first touchdown of the game.

The Seawolves showed some fight in the first quarter as Case rebounded and led a nine play, 77 yard drive that was capped off by a Johnny Martin III five yard touchdown run to tie the game at seven. Martin was given an opportunity to start as reports later came out the incumbent starter, Ronald Dempster, was dealing with an injury and was unable to play on Friday in Rhode Island. Despite an impressive drive for the Seawolves, this is where things would go downhill as the second quarter began and Kasim Hill would find wide receiver Kahtero Summers for a 70-yard catch-andrun, setting up a four-yard rushing touchdown by running back Jaden Griffin and putting URI up 14-7. The Ensuing URI Possession saw Hill put the Rams up 21-7 as he hit Marquis Buchanan in stride on a deep ball thrown down the middle of the field for a 70-yard-touchdown pass. “We gave up two-long passes that broke our back in a 7-7 tie,” Priore said in a postgame interview with Stony Brook Athletics. “You can’t allow a couple of easy touchdowns.” The scoring wasn’t over yet however as an odd play occurred towards the end of the half that would put URI up 28-7. With just under 90 seconds remaining in the first half, Casey Case was leading a solid drive looking to get some points left. He called for a screen pass and he hit wide receiver Anthony Johnson on a bubble screen. However, Rhode Island defensive tackle Jalen Brown poked the ball loose and most of the players assumed the play was dead. Colbert did not hear a whistle blow the play dead and he picked up the fumble and ran it back 49 yards for the touchdown that put the Rams up three scores. Neither team would score in the third quarter as URI was well in control of this outing. The Rams would tack on one touchdown in the fourth quarter to make it 35-7 as Ja’Den McKenzie would score on an 18-yard-touchdown rush with 8:21 remaining in the fourth quarter. Casey Case would lead the Seawolves on a late touchdown drive as he found Jayden Cook on a 16 yard touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter to cap off the scoring and securing the 35-14 defeat. Case struggled against Rhode Island, but was much better in his second-career start. He completed 17 of his 30 passes (56.7%), but only for 139 yards, one touchdown and an interception. “Right now, we’re not as good a football team as I’d like to be,” said Piore. “But we’ve played against two very good football teams.” The Seawolves will have to really get their act together next week as they travel to Jonesboro, Arkansas to play their only FBS opponent this season in Arkansas State on Saturday, September 16th at 7pm. The Redwolves will look to try and get a confidence boost against the FCS Seawolves as they need something to break their way as they came off a viral loss that saw them lose 73-0 against Oklahoma earlier this season. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.