Rhode Island football's opening win over Holy Cross was a roller coaster. Here's how

SOUTH KINGSTOWN — This is the type of victory any football team could use to propel itself into an upcoming season.

The University of Rhode Island had command, lost its lead and was forced to rally. Its execution in the two-minute drill and resilience inside the final seconds helped decide a thriller against Holy Cross.

Devin Farrell capped his first college start at quarterback with a highlight. His 31-yard crossing pass to Shawn Harris with 19 seconds left made the difference, as the Rams pulled out a 20-17 squirmer in front of a sellout crowd under the lights.

Jordan Fuller’s 4-yard touchdown run with 1:47 to play gave the Crusaders their first advantage of the night, and the 5,770 fans who jammed Meade Stadium were on the brink of disappointment. Farrell had the last word on a drive that started from his own 25, rushing for a first down and throwing for two more before finding Harris with the clincher.

“Just a great victory for our program,” URI coach Jim Fleming said. “A real tribute to what these kids are all about. They did not flinch.”

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The Rams lost three of their six fumbles, settled for field goals on a pair of trips into the red zone and committed eight costly penalties. Those mistakes looked set to doom them until Farrell stepped up in the pocket and found Harris cutting off the left side. The transfer from Massachusetts kept going toward the right sideline and eventually found daylight, sneaking inside the front corner of the end zone.

“Catch it and just go,” Harris said. “I know my team needed a play.”

Farrell was locked in a training camp battle with Clemson transfer Hunter Helms and seems to have won the spot under center. He played 63 of the 68 offensive snaps and accounted for 341 total yards. Farrell’s last start came with his Georgia high school, and the transfer from Virginia Tech now looks like the favorite to follow graduated four-year starter Kasim Hill.

“I was a little antsy to start," Farrell said. "As the game got going I was able to be more calm.”

The initial first down on the winning drive came on fourth and 10, as Farrell scrambled 13 yards up the middle and pierced the soft underbelly of a sagging defense. He wound up leading URI with 54 yards on the ground and closed 20-for-33 passing. Farrell connected with seven different receivers, including five catches apiece for Greg Gaines III and Tommy Smith.

“I knew we had an inexperienced offensive line,” Fleming said. “We had to be able to establish a protection scheme – I feel very confident in those kids. But I wanted to make sure there was mobility involved at the quarterback position.”

The Rams (1-0) seemed in control for the majority before some late trouble. Holy Cross (0-1) scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter, wiping out a 13-3 deficit. Fuller’s run capped a drive extended by three pass interference penalties against URI and put the hosts in what could have been a permanent hole.

“The success they had came from little discipline things,” said URI defensive back Fredrick Mallay, who shared the team lead with seven tackles. “We were definitely prepared. I felt like we were ready to go to Round 12.”

Three combined field goals left the Rams with a 6-3 halftime lead, and URI expanded it thanks to a 90-yard drive in the third quarter. Farrell hit Gaines for 28 yards down the middle to crack the red zone and the Rams opted to go for it on fourth and goal at the 2. Farrell was patient in the backfield and found Smith racing across the formation for a touchdown pass to the right, making it a 13-3 game.

“There are so many things with his upside,” Fleming said. “He has been sitting there waiting for this opportunity for quite some time.”

Gabe Sloat’s fumble by midfield set up a 43-yard touchdown pass from Joe Pesnasky to Charly Mullaly, and the Crusaders made it a one-score game with 12:58 left. It was an expected response – Holy Cross went 44-21 over its last six seasons and earned four FCS playoff berths under former coach Bob Chesney. He’s since departed for James Madison, and Dan Curran suffered a tough debut loss thanks to some late URI heroics here.

“I feel like our chemistry took over,” Mallay said. “Our culture spoke.”

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On X: @BillKoch25

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Rhode Island football's opening win over Holy Cross was a roller coaster. Here's how