Recently, we began taking an early look at Minnesota's 2024 schedule by looking at the North Carolina Tar Heels. Today, we continue the series by looking at the Gophers second opponent of the season, the Rhode Island Rams.
The Rams in 2023 went 6-5 and 4-4 in CAA Conference play. The Rams started their season with a close 42-35 loss to Georgia State before going 3-1 in their first four games of CAA play with only a 35-9 loss to then No. 25 Villanova.
After starting the season 4-2, the Rams lost back-to-back matchups to Richmond and Albany before upsetting No. 20 New Hampshire in late October to get back above .500. They would finish their season off by splitting their final two games, a 31-24 win over North Carolina A&T and a 31-30 loss to Towson.
HEAD COACH PROFILE: Jim Fleming
Fleming is entering his 11th season as the head coach of the Rams after taking over the program in 2014. It's the second head coaching stint for the New York native, also serving as the head coach of Sacred Heart in 2000 and 2001.
During his time at Sacred Heart in 2000 and 2001, the Pioneers went a combined 21-1. He would leave the Pioneers in 2002 and spend the next 12 years with NOrth Carolina, Akron, Kent State, and UCF.
In 2014, he returned to the head coaching ranks, taking over a bad Rhode Island program. It would take five years for the Rams to achieve a winning record under Fleming, going 6-5 in 2018. They would immediately turn around and go 2-10 the next season but over the last four seasons (including three games in 2020), the Rams have had consistent success. Since the beginning of the 2020 season, Rhode Island is 22-16.
NOTABLE PERSONNEL LOSSES
The defensive back who is now with Georgia Tech totaled 52 tackles including three tackles for loss. He also recorded three interceptions and three pass breakups last fall.
NOTABLE PERSONNEL ADDITION
Buxton played 16 games over his time at Stonehill before transferring to Rhode Island.
Played in nine games for Iowa State over two seasons, recording three receptions for 14 yards.
Played in 11 games for UMass last season, recording 16 receptions for 152 yards.
Helms completed 23-of-37 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns in his career with Clemson, spending three seasons with the Tigers. d
FINAL THOUGHTS
Rhode Island may be trending in the right direction under Fleming overall but at the end of the day, the Gophers are a massively more talented team than the Rams and this is a game that really shouldn't be close after the opening 15-20 minutes. Notably, the Gophers have not been upset by an FCS program since 2011 when North Dakota State came to Minneapolis and walked away with a 37-24 victory.
On the other side, Rhode Island has defeated a pair of FBS teams since 2000, defeating UConn in 2000, 26-21 and taking down UMass in 2021, 35-22.
============================
- Talk about it INSIDE GOPHER NATION.
- Follow us on Twitter: @MinnesotaRivals, @SeanW_Rivals, @RivalsDylanCC
- SUBSCRIBE to Gophers Nation
